A centuries-old institution regarded as the guardian of the French language has warned state officials against encouraging the spread of "franglais," saying it could have dire consequences for the future of the language.
L'Academie francaise, established in 1635 to defend the purity of the French language, said in an official statement that it had never been hostile to the introduction and use of foreign terms.
"But today it (the academy) is deeply worried by the development of franglais," it said in a Nov. 21, statement.
The academy complained that a 1994 law (aka The Toubon Law) that insists on the use of French in all government publications, commercial contracts and advertisements, was being "repeatedly violated" by an "invasion of Anglo-Saxon terms."
Franglais (from the French words for French and English, "francais" and "anglais") is the mixing of spoken French with English words, either for effect, humor or because the speaker believes an English word can express the idea better.
The academy called on "public institutions to respect the law themselves in the first place."
"If they do not react vigorously and if public opinion does not take into account the extent of the danger that we are facing, French will then cease to be the living and popular language that we love," it said.
The academy did not specify the target of its criticism.