The French in Europe and the European Union: the rise and fall of a lingua franca
Keywords:
lingua franca, European Union, linguistic diversity, Maastricht Treaty
Abstract
This paper analyzes why the French language has lost the privileged position it once held in the European Union before the entry of the United Kingdom. Firstly, the article describes the historical factors that had made French one of the major tools for international communication in the old continent. Then, the paper locates the origin of its current decline, and examines the defensive strategies adopted by French authorities to stop the stampede that was taking place towards the use of English as a supranational language for communication at institutional and extra-institutional levels in the EU. Finally, the paper briefly assesses the outcome of these strategiesDownloads
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How to Cite
Fernández Vitores D. (2011). The French in Europe and the European Union: the rise and fall of a lingua franca. Thélème. Revista Complutense de Estudios Franceses, 26, 111-130. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_THEL.2011.v26.7
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