When I was asked to be the spokesperson for the PGL dictation of La Francophonie, I immediately accepted. For me, French is much more than a working language, it’s a way of life, and it’s been like that for generations in my family.
As you can imagine, the name Zappa is of Italian origin. Besides, if you want to respect your roots to the letter, you should pronounce it Zappa, with a slightly longer first A. But over time, its pronunciation has been Frenchified. And this is of crucial importance.
When my great-grandparents left the Old Continent to settle in Quebec, in the Rosemont district, they embraced the French-speaking culture here. They did not hesitate for a second to Frenchify their name, leaving behind a piece of the history of their ancestors to build a future for their own children. Today, the question does not even arise at home.
French is unquestionably what distinguishes Quebec from the rest of North America. This is an important factor that attracts immigrants from all over the world. To live in French, in Quebec, is to pay homage to the builders of our history. This is what I have in mind every evening when I present the news of the day to you.
sad decline
On the other hand, do not put your head in the sand, French is in decline in Quebec. This is particularly true in the greater Montreal area. We need only think of the debate surrounding the famous “Bonjour, Hi”. In many well-established businesses, it is difficult to be answered in French. Slowly but surely, the history of Quebec is disappearing one word at a time.
This is a hard observation that is unfortunately easy to make. Our young people are increasingly exposed to English content, and access to social networks does not make it easy for French teachers. I don’t know if you noticed it, but the anglicisms are less and less conjugated.
- Listen to Pierre-Olivier Zappa talk about the economy with the podcast “À vos affaires”, every day a new episode available via QUB radio :
For example, how many times have I heard that such and such a person has been cancel. Not so long ago it looked like she was canceled. Obviously, this remains an anglicism, but it demonstrates perfectly well that it is the very essence of French that is flowing drop by drop into the drain of anglicization.
Keep the flame
In such a fragile context, events like the PGL dictation of La Francophonie take on their full meaning. By promoting French in the workplace and forcing the pursuit of excellence, it helps to keep alive this flame that attracts people from everywhere, this flame that is the envy of linguistic minorities on the planet.
French in Quebec is in a way a bulwark against the Americanization of culture, a window on the past that we absolutely must keep wide open for the future. Without French, Quebec would be reduced to just a few buildings vaguely reminiscent of a lost history. Do we really want to forget our past? Forget those who built our present?
I don’t know about you, but I want to be part of those who build the future of our children, like my great-grandparents did for me.
Register your company for La dictée PGL de la Francophonie on March 15 and 22! For all the details, see the address fondationpgl.ca
Pierre-Olivier Zappa
Head of the antenna TVA 22Hand at the helm of the show About your business on LCN and QUB
Spokesperson for the Dictée PGL de la Francophonie