Thanks to Tim Swanson for the link. Apparently, the French are very worried about the oncoming attack of American ideas. Google is planning on uploading libraries to the internet. Jeanneney, head of France’s national library, is worried that Google will favor books written in English, and tend to be Americanized. So, he thus proposes the the European Union balance this dastardly deed with their own (State-sponsored) search-engine, uploading various books in French and other languages of Europe. Another government boondoggle. Google bringing more value to the consumer is somehow a threat.
Source link: http://archive.mises.org/3199/american-ideas-attack-france/
“American” Ideas Attack France
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Don’t forget. These are the same French that were so upset about American language overtaking them that they don’t accept the term “email”. They have offered “currier electronique” (spelling may be off) as a replacement.
Take this for what it is, just the continued thrashing of a dying shark. They’re upset that they’re no longer a world power, and they’re doing everything they can to make people remember they still exist.
This sad spectacle is an illustration of the distinction between a people with their language and culture, and a government. If a band of French volunteers set out to ensure that the Voltaire, Dumas, Bastiat and others were preserved and published on the internet for the world to read, I doubt that there would be a word spoken against it here. In fact, if Bastiat were on the list, I wouldn’t be surprised to see an announcement of the project translated and posted here.
The French people have contributed so much to science, art, and literature that it is a travesty to see their culture in the hands of a government that views it as a symbol of political power.
While I’m against tax-funded anything, a tax-funded race-to-put-library-books-online sure beats a tax-funded arms race in my book.
Prof. Long, I can certainly agree on that!
If the elected officials of France choose to limit some access to some educational material and it is permitted by French law, then it is none of our concern.
Allons messieurs nous ne faisons que défendre notre langue. En ce qui concerne le email le nom français est ” courriel”.
Il ne s’agit pas d’un ” sad spectacle ” mais de l’amour que nous portons à la langue française. Nous n’avons rien contre votre langue.
Le fait est qu’il y a chaque jour des langues qui disparaissent faute de ne pouvoir être des langues de transactions.
All about Bastiat, in French bien sûr!
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