The french ban the term: "e-mail"

greenspun.com : LUSENET : FRL friends : One Thread

Oh these silly french people. They think that it's important for everyone to speak the same language (I think they have something there) and they want to stop the spread of the english language on the internet (now there's a job for cyrano de bergerac).

http://www.vny.com/cf/News/upidetail.cfm?QID=69033

-- (sis@home.ccc), March 06, 2000

Answers

The French have always been that way, but I'm of the opinion that they're a day late and a dollar short with the language and the internet bit. . .IBM started with the first mainframes by putting ALL documentation in ALL countries in English. . .it has always been a job requirement for a management job at IBM to speak English. . .I believe the die has already been cast. . .

And then there's the matter of Air Traffic Control. . .standard language is English. . .the world over. . .too bad maybe, but it seems to be the status quo. . .

-- Hardliner (Searcher@internet.com), March 06, 2000.


So what exactly are the french going to call "email"...? Le mail de computer? Le corresponde de electronic?

While learning Japanese, I was amazed at how many american words they had in their vocabulary. All the names for things like parts of cars and all the new words we have for cyberspace, including "cyberspace".

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), March 06, 2000.


And what about all the French words in English? You'd think they'd have some sort of reciprocal agreement. By the way, did you know nitwit is Dutch? When the English interrogated Dutch prisoners (way the hell back when), they'd answer, "nit wit," which means, "Make me, neener, neener." Or something like that, anyway.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 07, 2000.


I agree, the French should reciprocate!! And those Latins! ;-)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), March 07, 2000.

kritter, I think you have the right idea. The French name will be at least 42 times longer than it needs to be.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), March 07, 2000.


I already check "le mail" at "zee mailbox" outside "Moi's house". Zey cannot rename e-mail. Zey must not.

-- Miss Identified (missidentified@hotmail.com), March 07, 2000.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ