Txt n Frnc: Parlez SMS?
by Paul Ruppert
There’s a snack like piece in the Economist on how the French are revolting against SMS truncification of the “langue glorieuse de la France.” Seems President Bling himself, Mon. Sarkozy’s concern is DefCon Level 1: “Look at what text-messaging is doing to the French language!>”
Recall that about 30 years ago at the dawn of globalization France rebelled at the intrusion of English in all the marketing messages corrupting their national identity. Today the use of English is severly ristricted in advertising or on the radio, and english straplines require a French translation. Quelle horreur. C’est un menace!! Beaucoup d’agitation de rien!! [Much ado about nothing]
No doubt the next step will be restrictions on text messaging!!
