Of my several attempts at languages my French is always workable, except in Paris. From Normandy dow to Nice, I can be understood and can understand. But in Paris, Oh well.
Now the Guardian reports:
In France, it’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it. When the prime minister, Jean Castex, opens his mouth, he is often accused of being “a bit rugby” – he comes from the south-west, where the sport is popular. Others with regional accents sound like “they should be reading the weather”. Now the French have not only come up with a word for this kind of prejudice - glottophobie - but a new law banning it. The Assemblée Nationale has adopted legislation making linguistic discrimination an offence along with racism, sexism and other outlawed bigotry. The legislation, approved by 98 votes to three, was the subject of acute debate in the house. Among those who voted against was Jean Lassalle, a former presidential candidate, the head of the Libertés et Territoires..
Years ago I found this out in a bar in Paris. I tried to have a conversation while awaiting my wife coming from London. My fellow drinker told me my French sounded like I was from Mauritania. Now just how bad an insult I do not know. One of my bakers was from Quebec, the Province not the city, and had a country accent. He tried to order lunch in Paris but to no avail. They allowed me in my broken French. But alas this is now a thing of the past.
I can now mumble my way through France with no fear of being mis-identified.
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