Even in Uruguay

Here is an interesting account by a French Columbian expat of the decline of French in Uruguay. It is in French. I have no time to translate it into English right now. Should someone volunteer a translation, I'll post that too. Here is a Spanish version of that research work.

HISTOIRE DE LA DIFFUSION DE LA LANGUE FRANÇAISE EN URUGUAY DEPUIS LE XIXe SIÈCLE.

Samantha CHAREILLE Alliance colombo-française (COLOMBIE)

Abstract: The Eastern Republic of Uruguay, one of the smallest countries of South America, is located ten thousand kilometers from France between Brazil and Argentina, with less than four millions inhabitants. An average French person will be surprised to learn how important the French language was for a long time there. Uruguay students used to learn French as their first foreign language. French had a special status. Today it is in steep decline even though it enjoys a positive image. The Lycée Français itself is experiencing grave difficulties. English has been the only mandatory foreign language in schools since 1996 while fewer and fewer students in secondary education have begun the study of French since 1991. One factor contributing to the decline of French in Uruguay could be the lack of interest shown by French and Uruguayan media in the other country. Portuguese and English are increasingly useful languages for Uruguayans to learn, and the young have bathed in Anglo-American culture for decades. Meanwhile, the number of French expatriates living in Uruguay is steadily decreasing. What's more, current French policies for spreading and maintaining French outside of France are very inappropriate.

A few excerpts:






























Samantha Chareille
chareille[arroba]hotmail.com
Doctora en Didactología de las lenguas y de las culturas.
Université Paris III – la Sorbonne Nouvelle.
Ecole normale supérieure de Lettres et Sciences humaines de Lyon.