The impotence of “regional languages” in France: the “Proposition de loi relative aux langues régionales” n° 4096

Abstract

At the end of 2016 the “Proposition de loi relative à la promotion des langues régionales” n° 4096 generated debate in the French National Assembly. This very interesting discussion highlighted argumentative and ideologic strategies as expressed by MPs, parliamentary groups and, behind them, the French public opinion, regarding the so-called “regional languages”, including Catalan. Although this bill has been passed, it will not prosper, just as happens with many similar proposals: the parliamentary session is closed and the Senate would not have approved it either. Here we seek to highlight the recurrent impotence when it comes to promote minoritized languages in the face of the powerful closed-minded conception of a State which remains, despite it all, centralist and a promoter of “monolingualism”, and to show how language ideology has been infiltrating mainstream thinking.

Keywords: France, regional languages, centralism, monolingualism, impotence.