Observe language practices
All politics is based on knowledge: to transform a reality you must first know it. In this perspective, the General Delegation for the French Language and Languages of France has set up an Observatory to better understand the language practices of the citizens of a country that spans five continents.
Uses of French, languages of France, "language of the suburbs" language teaching, plurilingualism, etc. There are many issues related to language practices, and there are debates that stir up current events.
To be able to answer these questions, it is necessary to observe the situation of these practices as a whole and to rely on scientific knowledge. The Language Practices Observatory, the role of the General Delegation for the French Language and Languages of France is to act as a point of contact between researchers who gather and analyse language practices and those involved in the political and institutional world who wish to be in step with a French company that, In terms of language, it is evolving at a rapid pace, in its practices as well as in its representations.
Created in 1999, the Language Practices Observatory is supported by a scientific council and a scientific director. It supports research projects or programmes under thematic calls for proposals or partnerships with the CNRS or universities.
The field of observation is that of sociolinguistics and concerns current practices, whether French or other languages spoken on the national territory: "regional" languages or languages from the different waves of migration.
