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NATIONAL STANDARDS: CULTURES AND CONNECTIONS Prior to the formulation of the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, the focus of many secondary school French classes was teaching words and verbs and grammatical accuracy. Culture was often an afterthought or a separate subject. Then ACTFL published a Standards-based curriculum which included Standard 2: Cultures: Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures and Standard 3: Connections: Connect with other Disciplines and Acquire Knowledge. These Standards paved the way for teachers of French to expose their students to a wide array of French language masterpieces and to a greater understanding of France’s influence in the world. Unlike Spanish teachers who teach the Hispanic World, we, French teachers, have mostly confined our sights to la belle France and have widely neglected the world known as la Francophonie. Other than some token samples of African or Québécois prose and poetry, our students are mainly exposed to le génie de la langue française of France. How much more interesting and informative our lessons would be if our students were to go beyond the physical frontiers of L’Hexagone and discover le génie de la langue française as it exists throughout the world. How many of them know that French is spoken in some 40 countries and manifests itself in very beautiful creative writings by authors who are largely unknown to them? Through those authors, our students would discover the history, traditions, beliefs, and artifacts of those other countries that make up la Francophonie. Albeit French in expression, they possess their own soul and mind. As a beneficial by-product, our students would also learn the geography of the former French Colonial Empire. LA NEGRITUDE: A LITTLE HISTORY Concentrating on one aspect of the former French Colonial Empire and satisfying the Connections Strand of the National Standards, from a historical point of view, our students would learn that four centuries ago in 1517 France began to enslave black Africans and that in 1885 the vast continent of Africa was apportioned between the British Empire, France, Belgium, Germany, and Portugal. Consequently, Africa was introduced to western civilization by force and not by choice. Because the colonizers’ mission was to civilize the “barbarians” who lived in those lands, the enlightened Whites sought to remake the black inhabitants according to the western mode by imposing their value system: justice, education, religion, etiquette, architecture, language, dress, without any regard for the history, traditions, and beliefs that shaped the black natives for centuries. Inevitably, to be educated, the black Africans had to reject their own culture and adopt that of the white Europeans. But no matter how educated the former became, the Whites were still superior in every aspect, and, in the case of the French Colonial Empire, the Africans were still les nègres. It’s ironic that the French motto of Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité did not apply to the Blacks of French Africa. Because of the doctrine of assimilation (similar to the Melting Pot Theory of the United States), it was only natural that Paris, with its many fine schools, museums, and cultural centers, attracted many young black intellectuals from Africa, the Antilles, Madagascar, and the United States. In fact, in the 1920’s, Paris had become the center of black culture in Europe, and it was there that those students met, became friends, and exchanged ideas. They developed a common bond: although they came from different countries, they shared one thing in common: Africa. Disenchantment with colonialism and assimilation led to the first novel dedicated to exposing the evils of those systems with the publication in 1921 of René Maron’s Batouala. Maron of French Guyana won the Prix Goncourt for his efforts which caused a scandal in France. In 1922, the Americans Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, and others published a Negro Manifesto which stated: “We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they aren’t, it doesn’t matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too…If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn’t matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know how and we stand on the top of the mountain, free within ourselves.” (Jackson) This attention to their Blackness by the writers of the Harlem-Renaissance greatly influenced the Franco-African community of Paris and, in the 1930’s, the black students from the French Antilles studying in Paris met and became friends with other black students from Africa and Madagascar. They soon discovered their common heritage: they were all products of colonialism; their ancestors suffered slavery, subjugation, and assimilation; they spoke the language and adopted the values of the colonizer. As they discussed further, they also realized that they had the same goal: to be respected as Blacks from a Black world. They were not white and no longer wanted to behave as if they were. Their discussions produced the publication in 1931 of a 6-issue journal entitled La Revue du Monde Noir under the direction of Paulette Nardal and Léo Sanjoux that became a vehicle for them to express their opinions. This was followed in 1932 by a one-issue journal entitled Légitime Défense under the leadership of Etienne Léro, Jules Monnérat, and René Ménil in which they went one step further and condemned the notion of colonialism and proclaimed the dignity of Black African culture. Until then, the Black French African writers adhered to the rules and the style of writing of their French masters whom they imitated: the Classiques, the Romantiques, the Parnassiens, and the Symbolistes. This manifesto decried the fact that there was no trace of African culture to be found in the writings of their predecessors and contemporaries. Influenced by Marxism politically (Bolshevism : Colonialism : proletariat : subjugated), they wanted their writings to reflect Black African cultures, values, and style. They proclaimed pride in their African origins and no longer wanted to be assimilated into the culture of the West. Their writings had to be authentic and not simply imitations. They no longer wanted to be Black men hiding behind white masks. It was, in a way, a declaration of war, provoking a violent reaction from the French government who terminated the publication of any future issues. But the seed was sewn and, in 1934, Léopold Senghor from le Sénégal, Aimé Césaire from la Martinique, and Léon Damas from la Guyanne launched L’étudiant noir and gave birth in 1935 to the movement known as La Négritude. Rather than advocate a political revolution, these young students advanced the cause of a cultural revolution. Césaire first coined the term négritude which he explained as C’est le fait d’être Noir et l’acceptation de ce fait, de son destin de Noir, de son histoire et de sa culture. Senghor defined it as Ce sont les valeurs culturelles du monde noir, l’esprit de la civilisation africaine. Damas indicated that c’est le fait de défendre sa qualité de Nègre. Later, Senghor wrote that La Négritude est le patrimoine culturel, les valeurs et surtout l’esprit de la civilisation négro-africaine. (Kesteloot 1975) . After 4 centuries of subjugation, the Black man wanted to live in his own skin, wanted to breathe out his own creativity, and wanted all to know that he was proud of his Blackness. Because of these three, known affectionately as les trois pères, the term nègre was no longer a pejorative term and they proclaimed it proudly in their writings. The message that they gave to la civilization occidentale was that les jeunes nègres d’aujourd’hui ne veulent ni asservissement ni assimilation. Ils veulent émancipation. (Kesteloot 1975) This emancipation was not a complete break away from France but a rejection of the whiteness of their blackness. In 1947, the group of students expanded and, under the leadership of Alioune Diop, the journal Présence africaine made its debut. It soon became and is still a strong advocate for Black/French voices in France and in Africa. No longer would the White man impose his way of life and sense of values on the Black man. Diop defines la négritude as ce n’est autre que le génie noir et en même temps la volonté d’en révéler la dignité. (Kesteloot 1975) According to him, the revolution must be both political and cultural culminating in independence for all black nations. Finally, in 1948, Senghor published L’Anthologie de la nouvelle poésie nègre et malgache de langue française which introduced to the French-speaking world the unique literature of the proponents of la Négritude. It announced that the Blacks no longer merely produced works in imitation of their white counterparts, but that their writings reflected the value system of Africa and its people. In spite of 4 centuries of colonialism, the assimilation tended to be on the surface only, because the black person never shed his black essence. The main difference between Africa and Europe, according to Senghor, is that (l)a raison européenne est analytique par utilisation, la raison nègre intuitive par participation. C’est dire la sensibilité de l’Homme noir, sa puissance d’émotion. Mais ce qui saisit le Nègre, c’est moins l’apparence de l’objet que sa réalité profonde, sa surréalité; moins son signe que son sens. (Joubert 1992) In addition to learning about these writers, our students will become aware of the role that these writers played in the dismantling of the French-African colonial empire. Although Haiti gained its independence in 1804, it wasn’t until 1946 that, thanks to the indefatigable work of Aimé Césaire, la Martinique, la Guadeloupe, la Réunion, and la Guyanne Française, attained the status of départements d’outre-mer (DOM) with all the rights and privileges of French citizens. The independence of the African continent began in 1960 and Senghor was elected president of the independent Republic of Senegal. Although the goal of la Négritude was to achieve cultural independence, in reality it changed the face of the earth. France itself recognized this momentous achievement when, on March 29 1984, it inducted Léopold Senghor into the prestigious Académie française, thereby conferring legitimacy to that magnificent literature.
A FEW EXAMPLES: POETRY AND PROSE The themes that figure the most prominently in the writings of those Black writers of the French language are the following:
L’esclavage de tes enfants ...Saint-Louis est la capitale des mulâtresses, leur univers fermé d’où elles entrevoient la belle et douce France. La belle et douce France, objets de soupirs énamourés, patrie perdue. A Saint-Louis, l’élément mulâtre se distingue nettement de l’élément noir. On dirait les immigrants d’une race d’aristocrates déchus vivant dans un perpétuel effort pour en imposer à leur entourage, les Nègres. Ce que la nature n’a pas voulu faire, la poudre le réalise à la perfection.
Quelle merveilleuse chose pour se blanchir! Les mulâtresses chargent leur figure et leur cou de cette poudre qui, chez l’Européenne, était peut-être faite pour rehausser l’éclat de la blancheur naturelle. …Mais en affirmant la présence de l’Afrique avec toutes ses contradictions et sa foi en l’avenir, en luttant par ses écrits pour la fin du régime colonial, le créateur noir d’expression française contribue à la renaissance de nos cultures nationales. …je n’ai pas bougé La Martinique est double et nous, Martiniquais, nous vivons dans un monde de fausseté; il nous faut retrouver la vérité de notre être…Tout naturellement, j’ai débouché sur la poésie, parce que c’était un moyen d’expression qui s’écartait du discours rationnel. La poésie, telle que je la concevais – que je la conçois encore – c’était la plongée dans la vérité de l’être. Si notre être superficiel est européen, et plus précisément français, je considère que notre vérité profonde est africaine. Il s’agissait de retrouver notre être profond et de l’exprimer par le verbe : c’était forcément une poésie abyssale. (Aimé Césaire)Some teachers may not feel comfortable introducing such topics, but they do belong to the history and literature of France as well as that of the United States. As is true with all colonial powers, our students will learn that some atrocities were done and continue to be done in the name of assimilation. Hopefully by reading the works of those Black African authors, they will feel the nausée, haine, et colère of Léon Damas, the pride of being black of Césaire and the lack of blame for whites that Senghor feels as he hopes that les valeurs noires et les valeurs occidentales s’épurent l’une et l’autre et ne conservent que leurs caractères excellents, pour arriver à une harmonieuse fusion. (Kesteloot 1975) So, as we focus on France in our classrooms, it is important to consider exactly what constitutes France. Is it to be defined only by its products, practices, and perspectives as they exist within its physical boundaries or should it include its reach into the world? The National Standards recommend the latter.
Bibliography Jackson, Andrew P. http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html Does du pain in French mean bread in English? Teaching Vocabulary in the Cultural Mode 
When the Foreign Language National Standards introduced us to the 5 Cs, (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities), we, the foreign language teachers, were being asked to look at our subject in a revolutionary new way. It was a proclamation that, once and for all, we divorce ourselves from the grammar-translation and the audio-lingual approaches and that we say goodbye to vocabulary lists and to grammar rules, that is, to abandon the strictly linguistic approach to teaching language. When teaching vocabulary, we must now go beyond the dictionary meaning, (a.k.a the literal linguistic meaning) and also consider the cultural connotation of words. It's not enough to say that bread is pain in French because any traveler to France knows that that is not accurate. To the average American, bread is Wonder Bread, but if one were to visualize du pain, the image would be so different. The Cultures Strand tells us that the American student must not only know that the French equivalent for bread is du pain but must also see that difference. His mind must not see sliced bread in a plastic wrapper but a baguette. Culture is not a separate entity to be taught apart. It transcends every word that we teach because every word is either a description of a product, or part of a practice, or the essence of a perspective. Let us consider again the French word le pain. It is a created thing (product) that is kept whole (practice) because it must be eaten fresh (perspective). But bread (product) is usually sliced and wrapped and contains preservatives (practice) because Americans do not have the time to buy bread every day (practice) because they are too busy (perspective). And so there is more to le pain than meets the literal eye. When teaching vocabulary, we must consider both the linguistic and the cultural dimensions, if we want our students to truly understand that, although bread and du pain are linguistic equivalents, culturally they are quite different. Consequently, looking up words in the dictionary is not enough because it gives only half the picture. In this case, half a loaf is not better than none! Take the following test: When you consider the following words, what does an American see and what does a French person see?:
If the student, upon hearing the French word la voiture sees the American picture, a large gas guzzling SUV or the soccer mom's minivan, or un café is a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, then he does not know what la voiture or un café really are. When teaching vocabulary, the teacher must include the cultural connotation in addition to the linguistic equivalent. This can be done if the words are framed in terms of the 3 Ps: Product (what?); Practice (how?); Perspective (why?) as illustrated below: A. School-Related Vocabulary 1. High school, le lycée Practice: Perspective: 2. School schedule, l'emploi du temps Practice: Perspective: 3. Report card, le bulletin Practice: Perspective: 4. After school, après l'école Practice: Perspective: 5. Sports, le sport Practice: Perspective: B. Civics-related vocabulary 1. Government, le gouvernement Practice: Perspective: 2. To vote, voter Practice: Perspective: C. Leisure time-related vocabulary 1. Lunch, le déjeuner Practice: Perspective: 2. Vacation, les vacances Practice: Perspective: Conclusion Rather than teaching vocabulary in thematic lists, i.e., the family, fruits, professions, etc., the Cultures Strand advocates we teach it in its proper cultural context. A rose by any other name might still be a rose, but calling bread, du pain, or lunch, le déjeuner, may be linguistically accurate, but it does not recognize the many different varieties of roses. Each word has its own particular cultural referent which must be included if students are to truly learn another language. It's only through the culture that full comprehension is possible. A Passion for France and French Culture -Why I Study French We language teachers usually have a passion for the language and the culture that we teach. Our ardent desire is to pass this passion on to our students. We, of course, know that inspiring all of our students is impossible. We'd be happy if we could inspire at least one! Do some students develop a passion because of the way we teach or because of an interest that came from somewhere else? Here is an account written by a young woman who has fallen in love with the language and people of France. She explains how her interest blossomed. Why I Study French  When I was five years old, my mother taught me the song "ai du bon tabac" and we used to sing it together. It was only years later I figured out what the words meant. I had actually been singing a little French ditty about snuff. I began my formal study of French at the age of nine. By then I had already learned the French words for the colors and numbers. I also knew many phrases that I had picked up from the Georges Moustaki and Edith Piaf songs that were played at top volume on weekends at my house. I looked forward to studying French at school, thinking myself well prepared. But when I entered the class, my battle began. I toiled with my classmates, struggling to formulate basic thoughts. I learned how to tell Jean-Paul that the sun was shining or Patrice that I was quite tired. I was painfully conscious of every word that came out of my mouth. I grew frustrated. I didn't really enjoy French class most of the time. The only fond memories I have of high school French classes are the hilariously funny French movies we watched occasionally and the delicious Belgian chocolates that our teacher sometimes passed out. My interest in French did not wane, however. When I was sixteen, I went to France for the first time. I attended a summer program at the CAREL in Royan. I was finally able to go beyond the structured classroom. I was in an authentic environment! I lived with a French family. My host mother and I often lingered over lunch, discussing all the out of date things I had learned in my textbook. I marveled at my host sister who was only eighteen but already training specifically for her chosen profession. I chatted with my new French friends in outdoor cafés, marveling at how different it was from speaking French with my American classmates. I began to notice how, like most Americans, I stood away from others when speaking to them; my vigorous gesturing required more space. 
I returned to the States in the fall of 2000 when the presidential campaign was in full swing. I noticed how the general American population felt threatened by a candidate's noticeable intellectual air. I looked longingly towards the French, who celebrated the intellectual and cultural aspects of society instead of shying away from them. I identified with these French values, and I envied the fact that they were prevalent among the general population. I am now a university student, and I am especially thrilled that I am able to read great French literature in the original language. My mother once said, "When you can read, it opens up new worlds for you." I've found that the more languages you know, the more new worlds open up for you! Because of my knowledge of French, I have access to art, literature, and people that I would never have had. Reading Jacques Pr�vert for the first time in high school, I saw that literature existed outside of Shakespeare and Steinbeck. In college I became immersed in Eug�nie Grandet, empathizing with the trapped world of a nineteenth century heiress and her longing to be loved. Suddenly I could share in the worlds of Molière and Ronsard that had delighted and entertained French royalty and had been discussed in pre-revolutionary salons. My mother had sparked my interest in French when I was only five. My French classes in elementary and secondary school kept this interest alive. Personal experiences in France increased my enthusiasm exponentially. My university experience has convinced me that French will always be one of the great passions of my life. Emily Loebelson is currently a student at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. |
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Le métro parisien a été créé pour faire plaisir aux voyageurs de Paris. En fait, les règles et méthodes que l'on suit aux Etats-Unis ne se voient pas du tout. Par exemple, à DC, manger est interdit même sur les quais. A Paris, il y a à chaque station et gare un distributeur des goûts et boissons – les gâteaux, les bouteilles d'eau, des cocas, etc. De plus, dans les grandes gares, il y a un appareil pour vendre le café! Ainsi, il y a des règles d’étiquette bien suivies là qui n’existent pas ici. Là, il est normal de laisser la place à une vieille dame ou d’ouvrir la porte si c’est nécessaire.
Le métropolitain of Paris was created for the enjoyment of the travelers of Paris. In fact, the rules and methods followed in the United States are not even applicable. For example, in Washington, DC, eating is prohibited even on the platforms. In Paris, at each station there are vending machines for drinks and snacks alike – cookies, water bottles, soda, etc. Furthermore, in the larger stations, they have automatic coffee machines! Also, there are etiquette rules closely followed there that do not exist in America. There, it is normal to allow the elderly to take your seat or open a door for someone if necessary.
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