On 4 August 1994, the so-called "toubon law"respecting the use of the French language, which had the effect in social life of the constitutional provision adopted two years earlier, under which "The language of the Republic is French."
This law guarantees our fellow citizens a «right to French», by allowing them, as an employee, consumer, citizen or user of a public service, to receive information and to express themselves in French, without excluding the use of other languages.
This text thus plays an essential role in ensuring equal access to knowledge, rights and culture for all. Contrary to popular belief, it is not intended to chase foreign words out of our language, insofar as it concerns the presence of French, and not its content.
The law of 4 August 1994 illustrated, beyond political alternations, a common desire to maintain French as an essential dimension of our social pact.
On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Law, the History Committee and the General Delegation to the French Language and the Languages of France decided to jointly organize a day of study which made it possible to restore the context in which this text was adopted, the debates it provoked, and to present an assessment.
Vincent Dubois (University of Strasbourg) proposed a reflection Frédéric Chateigner (University of Tours) has carried out a study on the conditions and procedures for drawing up this law study on the reception of the law in the media. In his report, Bernard Notari (General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs), after briefly describing the political context, assessed the degree of application of the law by detailing its various fields of application.
Bringing together the testimonies and analyses of many officials involved in the development or implementation of this text, this day evoked the echo met by the law in our European and Francophone partners. It is also an opportunity to examine its relevance in a context of profound changes affecting the transmission and circulation of knowledge and information.
The Minister of Culture and Communication closed this work, in order to draw lessons for the policy of the French language.
- [Program] (pdf)
- [The acts]
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The audiovisual recording of this study day is available by appointment at History committee.
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