Did you know that the word “baragouiner” (to gibber) comes from the Breton words “bara” (bread) and “gwin” (wine)? That “chiffre” (digit) and “zéro” (zero) originate from the same Arabic word, “sfir”? Or even that “flirter” (to flirt), which seems to be borrowed from English, actually comes from the Old French “fleureter”, or “conter fleurette” (to whisper sweet nothings)?
In short, you can learn all of this during the 2015 edition of the Week of the French Language and the Francophonie, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year and will take place from March 14th to March 22nd.
The goal of this edition: to illustrate the French language’s ability to welcome words from elsewhere, from the Arabic “sorbet” to the Persian “pyjama”, as well as the Spanish “vanille” or the German “accordéon”.
Like every year, several personalities including Denis Podalydès, David Foenkinos, Daniel Picouly, or Erik Orsenna, have agreed to become the “grand ambassadors” of this event and share their relationship with foreign-origin words used in French.
Alongside these contributions, a personality test entitled “Do you speak French: a little, a lot, passionately?” will be launched on Facebook starting in February. To participate, you must answer ten questions that will determine your profile: “franco-franglais”, “franco-latinist”, “franco-teen”, “franco-cosmo”, or “franco-translator”. A quiz designed for juniors will also be available on the Okapi magazine blog.
Finally, more than 1500 artistic events (many of which are free) will take place in France and around the world.
On the program: writing workshops, expression walls, slam, debates, readings, exhibitions, shows, contests, and dictations will take place in schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, companies, retirement homes, hospitals, and prisons to offer new lexical, semantic, visual, or sound inventions.
This year, bookstores are once again participating in the “Week in Bookstores” based on the 2015 theme: meet-and-greets, book signings, and readings are on the program in over 200 bookstores throughout France and abroad.
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Melle Bon Plan’s Parisian selection:
- At the Ministry of Culture, Fleur Pellerin opens the rue de Valois to all forms of artistic and cultural expression with events in the Salon des Maréchaux (the ministry’s most beautiful reception room) throughout this week.
On March 17th, a reading marathon for students will be offered (by the Comédie Française and its actors), followed by an acoustic nap with musicians (Emilie Loiseau, Vanessa Paradis…) and writers. This day will end with a literary cabinet on the theme of love and a reading by Danny Laferrière for adults.
On March 18th, a spelling bee will invite young people to spell words without making any mistakes.
Table of Contents
March 16, 17, and 18
By registration
Ministry of Culture and Communication
3 rue de Valois 75001 Paris
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- Launch event: Francophone poetic ball at the Maison des métallos.
A grand Francophone ball will mark the launch of this 20th edition and will also celebrate the 17th edition of the Spring of Poets (another very interesting cultural event of the moment).
The “Bâronne de Paname”, who brings the popular ball back to life in streets or indoor venues, will host this evening with Le Petit Bal de Poche and an audience of more or less experienced dancers, while actors like Audrey Bonnet, Johanna Nizard, Paul Wamo, or Mohamed Rouabhi will perform slam poetry taken mainly from the Francophone poetic repertoire.
Friday, March 13 from 8:30 PM to midnight
Maison des Métallos
94 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud 75001 Paris
Registration and bookings at the address reservation@maisondesmetallos.org
free / booking recommended
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Sidération Festival
For four days at the CNES headquarters in the Halles district, Sidération offers multiple creations around Space on the theme “Dreams, revolts and revolutions”.
Musicians, authors, directors, performers, and choreographers honor language and writing in all their forms and will share their astonishing vision of the spatial universe with the public.
From March 19 to 22, 2015
CNES
2 place Maurice Quentin 75001 Paris
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- Short story contest chaired by François Morel
On March 12 at 7 PM at the Espace Presse, Flor Lurienne and Léonore Chaix will present an adaptation of their show “Déshabillez-mots”. An opportunity for spectators to draw inspiration from their way of undressing words to propose a text during the short story contest which will take place from March 12 to April 20.
Candidates must write a short story or dialogue of 3 pages maximum, titled with one of the ten words. The jury will be chaired by François Morel and will award 3 prizes: three e-readers to be won!
From March 12 to April 20, 2015
Public Information Library, Centre Pompidou
25 rue du Renard 75004 Paris
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- Slam at the Moulin à Café: Universlam presents the troupe “Dis-moi dix mondes” who will perform a selection of texts written as part of “Dis-moi dix mots que tu accueilles”. The slam poets let loose in the language of Molière.
March 21 at 8 PM
Moulin à Café, 8 rue Sainte Léonie, 75014 Paris
Information: 01 40 44 87 55
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- Discovery of the permanent collections and writing workshop at the Museum of Immigration History.
Students will set off to discover the ten words by exploring the permanent collections, which offer another approach to linguistic and cultural borrowings. Writing workshop sessions will then be led with the students, as well as with individual members of the public, by a specialized facilitator.
Museum of Immigration History
293, avenue Daumesnil – 75012 Paris
Metro 8 – Tramway 3a – Bus 46 – Porte Dorée
