8/11/2008

Analyzes Olympic Games' French usage


Beijing Olympic Games from the opening ceremony to the competition facility, the world audience hear in the broadcast to transmit first are a French, next is English, is host's Chinese. Perhaps will have the Chinese audience to ask: At the Olympic Games spoke French, some people listen?
Must reply that this question, needs to have a look at nowadays in the world to have how many French country, some how many French population. Statistics indicated that in the world had 200,000,000 people to speak French, this absolute quantity compared English, Chinese not to calculate high. But, looked whether a language does internationalize, not only need look that had how many populations to speak this language, moreover must look that had how many countries and the area speaks this language. Has more than 70 countries in the world take English as the official language, take English as the main foreign language may also several 100 countries. French community (Francophonie) has more than 60 members and the observer, its total population surpasses 800,000,000, the including 200,000,000 people spoke French. In other words, learns English, French, Spanish to be possible to go all over the world not to fear, but studies Chinese only to be able to pass through in the Chinese region or with the Chinese who goes out the entrance to a country has to do. In 200,000,000 French populations, has 60,000,000 is the French, other distribute in the Five Continents. In the world has more than 20 countries and the area is in the law or official language in fact. The global study French's population reached as high as 90,700,000 people in 2002, compared with 1994 increased 15,400,000 people. Because spoke French the population mainly to concentrate in African, Americas' developing country, but these country population growth is rapid, will therefore speak French the population also to continue to increase. Contrasts with Chinese population, the whole world said Chinese (including standard spoken Chinese and each big dialect) the population reaches as high as 1,400,000,000, but 99% concentrate in the Chinese territory (including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao), in addition only then Singapore general Chinese. Acts according to the most optimistic estimate in the overseas study Chinese's population also to have about 40,000,000 people, the major part is also the Chinese immigrant's descendant. Besides has the Chinese blood relationship immigration, in the world studies Chinese the foreigner mainly comes from South Korean and Japanese two in the history the depth the Chinese culture influence country, Europe, US and Africa studies Chinese the population to be extremely rare, is lower than the study French by far the population. Take France as the example, in the late-1990s, the French Middle school Middle school Chinese's student only then 2500 people, surpasses now 20000, Chinese has become the 5th big foreign language, has surpassed the Arabic. But, France starts “Chinese to be hot” is also relative, its swift and violent growth is opposite in the very low beginning says. At present Chinese is not only unable to challenge English the monopolistic position, is cannot place on a par with the European country language. For instance study German middle-school student has 800,000, compared to study Chinese student many 40 times.
Therefore, spoke French at the Olympic Games to have the necessity very much, not only has facilitated the athlete who, the trainer and reporter in the competition facility spoke French, moreover also has the quantity huge intimate friend through the live broadcast in the world. Said from the legal angle, "Olympics Charter" the 24th stipulation: IOC's official language is French and English, if presents the different meanings, take French as the standard. Therefore, IOC has devoted since long to the protection and development French. IOC which under the initiative establishes in French Gu Baidan, the language which the establishment initial uses is a French. Incumbent Olympic committee president Yak? Rogge (Jacques Rogge) is a Belgian, also belongs to “French population”.
After the Olympic Games opening ceremony the second day, French international secretary general, Senegalese former president Wufu has organized “French big family grand meeting” in Beijing, Gabonese, Burundi, Madagascar president visits, Olympic committee President Rogge and French former Premier Al-Faran also participated. In this activity, Rogge happily indicated that “note specially at one day of ago Olympic Games' opening ceremony, what first disseminates news is French, next is English and Chinese. Although China is not a French country, but on 8th evening Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony has given the French prominent status in oral and the written expression.”After 1984 American Los Angeles Olympic Games, French drops in Olympic Games' status. In order to maintain French the status, in 2007 French International organization Olympic Games promoted supervise the human, French former Premier Al-Faran and Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee President Liu Qi sign "Have promoted the Olympic Games French Use Agreement", carried out "the Olympics Charter" the 24th stipulation. After attending the Olympic Games opening ceremony, Al-Faran also feels is very gratified, expressed that “Beijing realized - - China to hold Olympic Games to French pledge” to make many pledges to the world, use French is also a not too big nor too small item.
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