French ban the word e-mail

Geez, I was trying to be nice. If I wanted to bash the French, I could rattle off a long list of items, starting with De Gaulle. All I was trying to say is let the French have their language if it is so important to their government.

Originally posted by Freddie
Geez, I was trying to be nice. If I wanted to bash the French, I could rattle off a long list of items, starting with De Gaulle. All I was trying to say is let the French have their language if it is so important to their government.

If we were to bash the USA we will have a long list of items also, but again, *off-topic*.

Just as the world currently views America, the French changing the word 'e-mail' to 'courreil' was just another sign to Americans, or many anyhoo, that the French are still "playing the word game(s) with America and vice-versa". The topic was brought up in jest.....nothing more.

regards
seekerof

Originally posted by MakodFilu

Originally posted by Freddie
Geez, I was trying to be nice. If I wanted to bash the French, I could rattle off a long list of items, starting with De Gaulle. All I was trying to say is let the French have their language if it is so important to their government.

If we were to bash the USA we will have a long list of items also, but again, *off-topic*.

Of course, America is by no means innocent of horrible deeds. Hmm... how about the treatment of the Native Americans, Blacks, Irish, and Chinese for starters right at home? How about invading South American countries over fruit?

I cannot emphasize this enough. I am not bashing the French. Just this topic was humorous. Why on Earth would a government officially change the word for e-mail?

When I look at it, I think that William should create a thread named "Bashing" ( kidding )

Because after about the 4th post on most topics, it begins to be an anti-jews/muslims/gay/french/republicans etc... discussion.

Originally posted by Freddie
...Why on Earth would a government officially change the word for e-mail?

Because it's written in a foreign language and have a proper translation to French? :p

Again, we use the term 'correo-e' here. 'Correo electr�nico', the literal translation of 'Electronic mail'.

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

Nah, there should be an un-moderated section for flame wars. I will not paticipate, but others will like it. If a thread starts getting out of control, a mod can move it to the unmoderated area. However, this one is not out of control.

I will rephrase your question:

Originally *not literally posted* by Freddie
Why on Earth would a government officially change the word for *destructor*?

Because the English-speaking people considered convenient to translate the term.

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

I'm sorry, Mako, I do not understand your humor and/or insult. But then again, I am the product of America's education system. In other words, I am a naive, stupid, flag-waving run dog. Nevermind that I am overeducated and trilingual.

I don't understand why you feel insulted or being the target of some unknown joke.

I only stated that every nation choose the words they want to use.

Destroyer was an English word, but it was not applied to designate the ships you know as 'Destroyers' after the Spanish designed and built the vessel 'Destructor', named after the term 'destructor', an Spanish word of Latin origin. We coined the term when applied to naval vessels, and you translated it.

Now you are living the opposite situation: you coined the word 'e-mail', and we are translating it. I don't see nothing wrong with it, do you see?

We don't say 'meeting', we say 'reuni�n'.
We don't say 'cash', we say 'dinero'.

Why should we use an anglicism when we have our own word to designate it?

We don't say 'e-mail', we say 'correo-e'.

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

you're all just jealous that we created the french maid outfit

i think this stems from the same attitude we have in america. this is america, learn english or get out.

i dunno.

It has nothing to do with jealousy.

It's about it is right, normal and understandable that you choose your own words to speak your very own tongue.

As simple as that.

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

Originally posted by MakodFilu
It has nothing to do with jealousy.

It's about it's normal you choose to use your words to speak your very own tongue.

As simple as that.

no, no, no,
you're jealous.

I'm not even French, why I should be?

[Edited on 2003-7-20 by MakodFilu]

I didn't see we are in a chit-chat forum and common sense seems out of the question.

So you think we all should speak whith English words? That is plain silly. That is like we impossing you to only use Spanish words to speak English.

Hablo espanol, mas o menos.

Originally posted by Freddie
Hablo espanol, mas o menos.

So you talk Spanish, OK. Would you consider to only be able to use it from now on?

The answer is no. Frenchs are giving the same answer.

Originally posted by MakodFilu

Originally posted by Freddie
Hablo espanol, mas o menos.

So you talk Spanish, OK. Would you consider to only be able to use it from now on?

The answer is no. Frenchs are giving the same answer.

Absolutely not, however, as I stated above, I have no problems with foreign words becoming English words. There must be thousands of English words with foreign origins. Check OED. French, Spanish, Latin, etc. Why are you so belligerant? Because I am an American and proud of it?

Originally posted by MakodFilu
It's about it is right, normal and understandable that you choose your own words to speak your very own tongue.

I completely see your point Makod, what I don't understand is why they would "ban" it, after all they have been using the word e-mail for some time and most people in France do call it e-mail, so why ban it? How about offering the "courriel" option but leaving it up to the speaker/writer, do they not have freedom of speech in France?

PA, it is only in government communications that you must use the awkward term.