Ed West Ed West

The long defeat of the French language

Battle outside the Hôtel de Ville, by Jean-Victor Schnet

After Brexit, it was all going to be so different for Europe. Following years of growing dominance by the English-speaking world, at last the great European project could return to the language of its founders. Well, that’s what the French believed.

For many officials in Paris, Britain’s exit was seen as an opportunity to raise

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