THE FRENCH LANGUAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22539, 2 October 1936, Page 15

THE FRENCH LANGUAGE

Sir, —As a Frenchwoman and also a member of the French Club 20 years ago and since, may I say why most of mv countrypeople have left the club? "Le Pays Basque" is quite correct when he says, "its diminished numbers consist mainly of students and teachers." That, of oourse, is as it, should he, when we remember, as Mr. Coldham mentions, that the Alliance Francaiso is for tho propagation of the French language. But students and teachers alone cannot acquire that for which they come. To that aim French people are needed among them, and in a perceptible number to lie of any help. But little encouragement has been given to the French members 1o attend. Tho club is run by the English-speaking members, the executive meetings are conducted in English. When the French Club returns to what it was 20 years ago, perhaps more French people may return. Each soiree consisted of a short play or a debate, the remainder of the evening being purely social, everyone writing and speaking French. Now, the evenings consist of a play, ringing (mostly in English), dancing teachers exhibiting their pupils' talents, piano and violin solos. These are all very entertaining as a social concert, but the Alliance Francaiso is to help acquire the language, and six meetings in one year are very little in which to benefit materially. It seems to be a fallacy in Auckland, or perhaps in New Zealand, that French people mostly uso their hands when speaking, and therefore the exaggerated actions in the plays appear rather grotesque to any educated and refined Frenchman. Wo do object to bo treated and mimicked as puppets. "Le Pays Basque" is right when he says that the frills are gone and New Zealanders, in their plays, make us appear as a race of mountebanks. French Teacher.