French in England

Why french did not manage to become the language of England (and so of the united kingdom and then the United states, and then the lingua franca of the world)

French was for century the language of the royal courts and aristocrcies in England. Why it didn't finally became the official language and the language of the people?

Why the aristocracy didn't frenchified the local population as they did in France?

If it succeded it would have been interesting to see two rival countries with actually the same language and culture. Maybe they would have merged into one unique (the) western European country.

God knew that the French were excessively chauvinistic and a world with French as the lingua franca would be like the hell for non French speakers, so He prevented French from becoming the language spoken by masses in England. Instead He blessed what at the begining what a humble language spoken by poor peasants ruled by French speaking aristocrats.

<< God knew that the French were excessively chauvinistic and a world with French as the lingua franca would be like the hell for non French speakers, so He prevented French from becoming the language spoken by masses in England. Instead He blessed what at the begining what a humble language spoken by poor peasants ruled by French speaking aristocrats. >>

Uh - and you're saying that it's any different with English?

The English are excessively chauvinistic, and the world today with English as the lingua franca is like hell for the non English speakers. Everybody is forced to learn it.

I prefer learning English than Chinese or Polish anyway

Caspain, what do you have against English? You can apply for the French citizenship if you are so fond of the frogs, stupid.

Yeah, we get it you yanks love English so much that you want to exterminate all other languages too.

Caspain, what do you have against English? You can apply for the French citizenship if you are so fond of the frogs, stupid.

God knew that the Spanish was extremely a language of vanity, indolence, and corruption and a world with Spanish as the lingua franca would be like the hell for non Spanish speakers, so He prevented Spanish from becoming the language spoken by non-hispanics in Western Hemisphere.

<< Caspain, what do you have against English? You can apply for the French citizenship if you are so fond of the frogs, stupid. >>

Guest, I have nothing against English; it's my native language, and clearly isn't yours. What I'm saying, is that it's not better to have English as the lingua franca than it would be French. Look at the British - look how many countries they conquered, look at the slave trade. The English are just as chauvinistic as the French, if not more so.

The slave trade was abolished by Great Britain. You are a renegade.

In truth, the French have little reason to be arrogant and chauvinistic. The British on the other hand held a empire on the sun never set, and made their language the world lingua franca.

It's strange that a British like Caspian says that people are forced to speak English. I'm not forced but highly motivated to learn English. Very different. That's the difference between English and the hypotetical French lingua franca. People learn English across the globe because it's the language of business, arts, fashion, science, technology, media, etc. English is useful, but I'm afraid that if French became the lingua franca, it would be a military imposed language. Napoleon tried this before but failed, so it's more than just an hypotesis. History tells us that it's good that French is not the lingua franca. Native English speakers may not be perfect, but they are a bit more liberal than their neighbors on the other side of the Channel.

Napoleon failled because he was Italian, not French. Now with Sarkozy ...oops, he is manipulated by an Italians woman. French language is going to disappear.

dear Guest,

I guess you are right, especially when i meet so many americans or british who cannot understand the fact that in Italy, france, spain, Roumania or who the hell you want all the native people do not speak any word of english. These ameicans or english are so disappointed.

I guess you are also right especially when we notice a revival of celtic languages in Ireland, scottland, or Wales.

Massena,

You should know that an important average of french people are from italian origins. And if Napolean was italian (a wrong fact), Garibaldi was born in Nice.