Some events have been added to the 2024 Olympias, with breakdancing, surfing, and sport climbing among the recent additions. A group of terms come with them that are foreign to the French language. Some French-language purists point out it's too much to bear to rely on English to praise surfers on their "nose riding"-standing on the front of the board. They've decided they need a French solution.
The French government has created a team of language experts devoted to promoting the national language. They will meet periodically over the next couple of years to identify and define new sports terms. The French battle against the influence of other languages isn't new. In 1994,the Toubon law was passed, forcing the use of French in all government publications，contracts and advertisements. Yet it contained several loopholes (漏洞), which allow brands and companies to extensively use English. As a result, anglicisms-words from the English language used in another language-are becoming more obvious.
Julie Neveux, linguistics professor at Sorbonne University in Paris, said anglicisms are "sometimes estimated at just under 5% of the present vocabulary, but they are disturbing because they show that we follow an economy and cultural model other than our own." They are particularly present in sports competitions and events, during which athletes from around the world are used to communicating in English. "Sport was one of the first areas to be globalized, "said sports historian Michael Attali.
Despite their best efforts, no committee has successfully prevented English from influencing everyday language. "Similar committees have been put in place in the past, but nothing has changed so far," said Attali.
"There are far fewer anglicisms in French than there are French words in English. " said Neveux, adding these exchanges should not be seen as a threat. "All living languages exist by borrowing from each other. Languages only exist thanks to their impurity. "
