The Triumph of French: How the French Learnt The Language

(An old sign telling students, "Speaking Breton and spitting on the ground is prohibited")

During the time of the French Revolution, only a small fraction, roughly 10%, of the country's population spoke French as their primary language. French was the language of L'île-de-France or Paris. The people spoke 800, yes you read that right, 800 languages and dialects.That's a linguist mosaic. 

French itself was the language of the court, the nobility and the merchants or in other words, that of the rich and powerful. These courts included the courts of London, Brussels and even Moscow but the common people did not speak French.

Whereas France was a patchwork of languages and dialects, and this linguistic diversity was a reflection of the nation's complex history and geography. Within its borders, numerous languages and dialects thrived. Some of the prominent ones included: Langue d'Oc, Arpitan, Flemish, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Alsatian and Basque.

The Revolution, with its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, initially embraced linguistic diversity. This phase of tolerance aimed to acknowledge and respect the various languages and cultures within the nation. However, this tolerance did not endure. The revolutionaries eventually decreed that it was necessary to "extirpate the coarse languages that prolong the infancy of reason and the old age of prejudice." This should have sounded ironic as it clearly shows prejudice against the other languages. Anyway, revenons à nos moutons, as the French say to coming back to the point, the revolutionaries wanted the dialects or patois to be eliminated.

Speaking French was suddenly nationalistic and even democratic. In the years that followed the revolution came the reign of terror in which one had to prove one's democratic ideology. People were told that forgetting their own dialects amounted to freeing oneself of dependence and domination.

One key factor in the transformation of France's linguistic landscape was the revolutionary zeal to separate church and state. Schools and colleges were often run by the church, and in a bid to sever these ties, they were targeted for destruction. This action, although motivated by political and ideological reasons, inadvertently disrupted educational institutions and further exacerbated the issue of linguistic diversity. 

Moreover, the government of the time lacked the means to establish a comprehensive system of public schools to address this linguistic diversity. Public education, as we know it today, was not firmly established during the Revolution, and this added to the challenges of linguistic standardisation.

The imposition of the French language or Language Extremism as many historians call it (et je suis d'accord avec ça) was not a smooth or immediate process. It evolved over time, catalysed by several factors:

During the Reign of Terror, the government centralised its power and intensified efforts to promote the French language. The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, aimed to create a unified, revolutionary culture around the French language.

Napoleonic Era: Although Napoleon Bonaparte's mother tongue was Corsican and he was born just around the time when Corsica was absorbed into France, the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte brought about further consolidation. Under his rule, the Napoleonic Code was established, which solidified the use of the French language in legal matters. The orders in the Army were in French and every able bodied male had to serve in the army and hence the soldiers took the language back to the family.

Even then by 1810, only 25 of the 130 départements or administrative divisions spoke French. However, the drive had accelerated. By 1850 20% population spoke fluent French. Posters appeared in schools like the one in the picture above saying "Speaking Breton and spitting on the ground is prohibited."

In the late 19th century, Jules Ferry, a prominent French statesman and Minister of Public Instruction, played a pivotal role in reshaping the educational landscape of France and promoting the use of the French language not only within the country but also as a tool of cultural and political influence in the French empire's expansion into Africa.

Jules Ferry's most notable educational reform, known as the "Ferry Laws," aimed to secularise education in France. This reform, implemented between 1881 and 1882, marked a significant turning point in the history of French education. It sought to separate the church from the state by ending the church's control over educational institutions and introducing a secular, state-run system of education.

Under these reforms, the government took over schools and removed religious instruction from the curriculum. This secularisation of education was instrumental in the process of reducing the church's influence on the French education system and instilling a more uniform, national approach to learning. One of the key objectives was to create a cohesive national identity, and the French language played a central role in this endeavour.

Simultaneously, Jules Ferry's educational reforms actively promoted the use of the French language throughout the French education system. French was established as the primary language of instruction, and regional dialects and languages took a backseat in the classroom. The government's intent was clear: to foster linguistic unity and ensure that all French citizens could communicate effectively in the French language.

French Reaches Africa

Jules Ferry's influence extended beyond the borders of France itself. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, France was aggressively expanding its colonial empire in Africa. The colonisation of vast African territories was accompanied by the spread of the French language.

The French considered the assimilation of colonial subjects as a crucial part of their colonial policy. They believed that by introducing the French language and culture, they could shape a new generation of "assimilated" Africans who would adopt French customs and values. French became the language of administration, education, and governance in the colonies.

Schools and educational institutions were established throughout French colonies, and the curriculum was conducted primarily in French. This policy of Francisation aimed to create a sense of unity between the colonisers and the colonised, as well as to facilitate the administration of these vast and culturally diverse territories.

Due to these efforts, as the 20th century dawned, approximately 80% of France's populace had acquired a comprehension of the French language. Nonetheless, it is essential to note that these measures did not lead to the complete eradication of other languages and dialects within the country. The following languages still survive in France.

Occitan: Occitan, also known as Lenga d'òc in Occitan, is a Romance language with historical and cultural significance in the southern regions of France, such as Occitania. It boasts a unique phonetic structure and vocabulary and has played a crucial role in the preservation of regional identity and cultural heritage, despite the dominance of French.

Breton: The Breton language, or Brezhoneg in Breton, is a Celtic language spoken mainly in the Brittany region of France. It is a living link to the Celtic heritage of the area, with a rich history and distinct linguistic features, setting it apart from the dominant French language in the region.

Alsatian: The Alsatian language, or Elsässerditsch in Alsatian, is a Germanic dialect primarily spoken in the Alsace region of northeastern France. It is characterised by its strong German influence and distinct regional identity, reflecting the historical and cultural ties between Alsace and Germany.

Basque: The Basque language, also known as Euskara, is a unique and isolated language spoken primarily in the Basque Country, a region straddling northern Spain and southwestern France. It is renowned for its non-Indo-European origins, with no known linguistic relatives, making it one of the most mysterious and distinct languages in the world.

Corsican: Corsican is a Romance language primarily spoken on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. It boasts a rich linguistic heritage and cultural significance in the region.Corsicans fiercely preserve their language and culture, valuing Corsican as a symbol of their unique identity and heritage. Efforts to promote and safeguard the Corsican language remain a source of pride and determination for the people of Corsica.

(Pic2: The author with fellow trekkers in Corsica, GR20)

In 2022, I walked across Corsica on a trail called GR20 and found the Corsican landscape, language, culture and food quite different from the rest of France. For example the Corsican cheese with worms, often known as "Casu Marzu," is a traditional and somewhat infamous Corsican delicacy. There are live worms found in this cheese known as "cheese flies" or Piophila casei. These small larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, where they help ferment the dairy and impart a distinct flavour and texture to the cheese. Casu Marzu is known for its strong, pungent aroma and the presence of these live larvae, which some consider a delicacy, while others may find it an acquired taste.