Latest news with #languefrançaise
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
French lessons offered as ferry visitors to Guernsey surge
French taster sessions have been put on for businesses by the States as the number of people arriving from St Malo was a 121% increase in passengers arriving into the island from the French port last month compared to June 2024 – an uplift of around 2,900 and May also saw strong improvements on 2024 levels, up 60% and 73% Ferries said its new schedule for France, along with efforts to improve the promotion of the island, have led to the "very positive" figures. 'Really thrilled' "What is particularly positive is that many of these visitors are choosing to stay overnight, providing a real boost to our hospitality and tourism sectors," it States of Guernsey and The Guernsey Institute had been providing free French language lessons for hospitality and tourism businesses in Le Prevost, a French teacher from the Institute said the courses started last week and had been well received by attendees."We did a course specialized for the industry, so that means for retail, hospitality and transport, and it has been very successful so far," she said."What we did is to start with the greetings of course, understanding how to be formal, informal, and also being familiar with numbers, which is really important for the hospitality or retail businesses."And directions, because the French tourists would like to go to the Victor Hugo House or know how to get to the bus station."They were actually really thrilled to be able at least to say a few words French and to be able to give a good service." Debraj Chakrabarti, Reception Manager at the Pandora Hotel who attended one of the sessions, said it was useful to make the growing number of French tourists feel said: "Lots of French people who doesn't understand or speak English, they're going to be more comfortable with the journey and the memory of our island."Not only French people are coming, now we are getting tourists from the US, Germany, Netherlands, Dutch and Australia as well and they are very much interested in Victor Hugo and also the history of the island." Christine Bonhomme, Director of Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche which promoted the Channel Islands in those regions, said the courses would make the island more attractive to visitors."Visit Guernsey has taken a great initiative by offering French lessons to hospitality staff and we are certain this will be most welcomed by French visitors," she said.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Most OQLF complaints related to service in Montreal
The offices of the Office québécois de la langue francaise (OQLF) are seen in Montreal on Nov. 21, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) New data published by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) shows most complaints it received are related to being served in a language other than French in Montreal establishments. The French-language watchdog reported receiving 10,371 complaints between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, a new record in the last decade. Since the Coalition Avenir Quebec was elected in 2018, complaints to the OQLF have been steadily rising while the government ramps up French-language protections through legislation like Bill 96, adopted in 2022. Between 2016 and 2017, the OQLF received 2,973 complaints. The number was relatively stable until 2021-2022, when the OQLF received 6,292 complaints. In 2023-2024, that number jumped to 9,125 before this year's all-time high. Of those, 40 per cent were related to service language, 24 per cent concerned commercial documents including websites and job postings, and 18 per cent had to do with signage. Only six per cent of complaints were connected to language used in the workplace and five per cent fell under 'others.' The vast majority of complaints (75 per cent) came out of Greater Montreal, which includes Montreal, Laval, Lanaudière, the Laurentians, and the Montérégie. Stéphane Beaulac, professor of constitutional law at the Université de Montréal and the Directeur de l'Observatoire national en matière de droits linguistiques, said it's typical for Montreal to see the most complaints as cities attract more people from outside Quebec. The number of complaints out of the metropolis have been relatively stable over the years. Eight per cent of complaints came out of Quebec City, three per cent from the Eastern Townships, and four per cent from the Outaouais. The rest of Quebec's regions account for four per cent of complaints and another six per cent came from outside Quebec. Bill 96's impact The OQLF notes that 22 per cent of complaints were unfounded and 36 per cent of cases were resolved. A quarter of all complaints necessitated an 'incentive intervention,' and 10 per cent warranted a warning. The organization says that francization processes were started in three per cent of cases and that it had to drop four per cent of complaints. CTV News requested clarification on which complaints were unfounded and resolved but did not hear back at time of publication. Beaulac said the OQLF's data means Quebec's common language reforms are working. He notes that though the total number of complaints went up, the rest of the breakdowns have been consistent over the years. 'One would think that with those extra incentives to protecting the French language, that there would be less complaints, but at the same time, Bill 96 provided more teeth to the system,' he said. 'It has actually provided the means for regular folks for anyone in regard to some of the obligations imposed by the scheme, the legislation to take action and actually file in complaints.' But Beaulac stresses that having more complaints doesn't mean the law isn't being respected. He points out that no complaints ended up before the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP), unlike in 2017-2018 when two per cent ended up before the DPCP. He says despite using the notwithstanding clause to push Bill 96 forward, the government is enforcing a 'soft power' as most cases end up getting resolved. 'The incentive and the scheme for implementation and enforcement actually means that it never comes push to shove,' said Beaulac. 'It is resolved beforehand, you know, upstream and not downstream to a penal procedure. So for me, it's extremely good news.'
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Celebrates International Francophone and French Language Day
The ECOWAS Commission celebrated International Francophone and French Language Day on Thursday 8th May, 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria. The aim of the ceremony was to highlight the role of the French language as a tool for work, communication and integration within the West African community. The event brought together a number of Commission executives, as well as members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS, notably those from the embassies of the Republics of Guinea and Benin. In her opening address, Mrs Ekerebong Michael Akuboh, Acting Coordinator of Language Services and representative of the Director of Conferences and Protocol, underlined the importance of French within the Organisation, stressing its central role in the day-to-day running of ECOWAS. On behalf of the Commissioner for Internal Services, Mr Seydou Kassory Bangoura, Director of Administration and General Services, recalled that this day not only celebrates the French language, but also the values, history and solidarity that it conveys. He emphasised the need to preserve this language in a constantly globalising world, in order to build an inclusive future where every voice can be heard and valued. Mr Bernard Koffi, Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources, representing the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, reaffirmed that French is a real lever for work and cooperation within ECOWAS. He also spoke of the organisation's Vision 2050, which aims to promote peace, security and social cohesion in the region. Speaking on behalf of the Benin ambassador, Mr Akossoun Sourou Alfred praised the richness of the French language and its fundamental role in building a new Africa, geared towards unity and progress. Throughout the ceremony, tributes were paid to a number of key figures in French-language literature from the 1960s and 1970s, including Mariama Ba, Fatou Diome, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Camara Laye, William Sassine, Ber-nard Dadié and Paul Hazoumé, among others. The day also celebrated the artistic and culinary dimensions of Francophone. Guinea and Benin presented emblematic traditional dishes, while folk songs and dances performed by the Beninese and Togolese communities in Abuja brought the event to a close in a warm and festive atmosphere. The International Day of La Francophone celebrated every 20th March, pays tribute to the French language and the cultural diversity it embodies. It promotes cooperation between the 88member states and governments of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), in accordance with the Charter of La Francophonie, adopted at the Hanoi Summit in 1997 and revised in Antananarivo in 2005. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
