French is a 'useless' language, says former foreign minister

 

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 4:35 PM on 15th June 2010

 

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Attack: Chris Bryant branded French 'useless'

 

A former Foreign Office minister has branded French a 'useless' modern language.

Chris Bryant, now a shadow Foreign Office minister, told the Commons other languages - such as Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic - were more important.

'Unless we have sufficient numbers of people who speak modern foreign languages - and not just the useless modern foreign languages like French ...,' the Labour MP said.

 

Amid Tory protests that this was 'insulting' to the French, Mr Bryant, who was minister for the EU before Labour lost power, said: 'I've said this to the French. I think they realise there are problems.'

He defended his remark, insisting that while French had been the 'most useful language to use because it was the diplomatic language', things had changed over the last 30 to 40 years and now 'it certainly isn't.'

He said the most significant languages to speak now, aside from English, were Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.

Mr Bryant was advocating the importance of young people taking up languages to win business in the emerging economies.

French was once one of the most popular languages taught in British schools. But in recent years, the education system has shunned it - and Spanish and German - for more 'fashionable' languages.

SO WHO SPEAKS WHAT?

 

CHINESE: The world's most commonly spoken first language with an estimated 1.2billion speakers

 

ENGLISH: One of the six official languages at the United Nations there are believed to be more than one billion speakers

 

SPANISH: Another of the UN's six official languages, it is used by 417million people

 

PORTUGUESE: Spread throughout the world by Portugal's conquests and trade links during the 16th century it is spoken by some 230million people

 

ARABIC: A Semetic language spoken by an estimated 220million people

 

FRENCH: Spoken by an estimated 136million people around the world

 

 

In 2000, 83.3 per cent of pupils took one of the three at GCSE. But by 2007, the figure had plummeted to 48.3 per cent.

 

Mr Byrant has a chequered history as one of Westminster's most controversial figures.

A former Church of England clergyman, he earned himself the nickname Captain Underpants after he circulated a photograph of himself along with sexually explicit messages through a gay website.

 

The image of Mr Bryant, a keen triathlete, showed him apparently taking a picture of himself in a bathroom mirror, wearing only a pair of Y-fronts.

He was eventually forced to apologise for the 2003 episode.

 

More recently, Mr Bryant became the first gay MP to get 'married' in the House of Commons.

He and partner Jared Cranney held a civil service at Westminster in March this year.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1286758/French-useless-language-says-foreign-minister.html#ixzz0qyBP217B

What a douchebag, I wonder what he would say if I were to say that political science is useless?

A gay man dissing the French?? No way.

 

What a douchebag, I wonder what he would say if I were to say that political science is useless?

 

It is useless! They just talk and vote.

It is useless! They just talk and vote.

I know a girl that worked her ass off to get into Northwestern to major in political science; she's now in massive debt and is not planning to go to grad school because of the hefty tuition - for a useless degree.

 

It's the people who work for things the ones that make a difference, not the politicians.

I can think of a reason why it's not useless...

 

I was actually talking to my Spanish teacher about this the other day. French is a nice language, seeing as it's cool and kinda romantic (lolz), but it's not a major language anymore. Of course, neither is English. :\

 

Josh....wut da fudge d00d.

Neither is English? Laura that's an extremely unintelligent comment, considering the fact that English and Mandarin are two of the most important languages in world trade, and English is the second most known language in the world (primary and secondary speakers)

NON TU

Neither is English? Laura that's an extremely unintelligent comment, considering the fact that English and Mandarin are two of the most important languages in world trade, and English is the second most known language in the world (primary and secondary speakers)

 

That's what my Spanish teacher said. :dozey: DON'T BLAME ME :bigcry:

Languages are fun, but they create a sort of an unnatural barrier to trade/ mutual understanding. I'm waiting for the day Google announces an earpiece that will translate any language you hear instantly.

That's what my Spanish teacher said. :dozey: DON'T BLAME ME :bigcry:

Don't believe everything you hear.

FERME TA GUELE

Don't believe everything you hear.

 

Especially in a public school...or any school for that matter (having experienced both private and public),

Languages are fun, but they create a sort of an unnatural barrier to trade/ mutual understanding. I'm waiting for the day Google announces an earpiece that will translate any language you hear instantly.

 

Like the Babel Fish?

FERME TA GUELE

:laugh3:

 

Nice one Crest, I see your french is getting better :P (but it's: 'fermes ta gueule')

 

I agree on the fact that french is not an essential language. If you want to be understood everywhere, you have to know english, spannish (and chinese since they're becoming a powerful nation). Plus, it's really hard to learn, so I understand why so many people won't learn it at school.

But I like it :) it's a rich language, we have sooo many words to say one thing (which is hard when you want to find an equal in english XD)...I like our difference.

 

I agree on the fact that french is not an essential language. If you want to be understood everywhere, you have to know english, spannish (and chinese since they're becoming a powerful nation).

 

And in certain UK inner-city areas, Jafaican is an absolute MUST!:P

French isn't useless at all

my teacher says us always that it's important that we can speak it 'cause a lot of people in Belgium speak French

French isn't useless at all

my teacher says us always that it's important that we can speak it 'cause a lot of people in Belgium speak French

 

Although more there speak Dutch!:P

French is great and really useful.

 

But I'm most likely biased.

included me

but it's a reason for learning it

And here there's french neighbourhoods in like every province and there's Quebec and it gets you a way better job if you know it.

:)

here you got Brussels and there you here more French than either wich language

Are you forced to learn it until high school in Belgium like we are here?

 

I think the French Immersion schools they have here are stupid, because yeah you learn French, but you learn everything in French and then you don't know any of the other subjects in English in a way and it must suck when you have to go to English school after.

I don't think French is useless but I know the language is very hard to learn

I think it's way easier to learn if you start in Elementary school, because they drill the basics into your head every year and then they just build off them after.

I'm nowhere near fluent though.