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www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/rugby2007 |
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Friday, 12 October 2007 |
‘Oui, je parle Rugby’ is the name
of a campaign sponsored by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The idea
is to encourage visitors coming to
France during the Rugby World Cup
to practise their French-language
speaking skills by talking rugby.
For the first time in its history, the
Rugby World Cup is being organised
in a French-speaking country, and
some 300,000 foreign visitors are
coming to France to join in. This site
presents the operation and offers,
among other things, a ‘French survival kit’ to help spectators get the most out of their stay
here and communicate with the French. It is a small pocket guide featuring 250 essential
phrases for tourists visiting the country including getting around, finding accommodation, and
eating out, as well as more specific phrases for a rugby enthusiast – the stadium, the positions
and the party for the ‘third half-time’.
The kit is in French, English and Spanish, (but not, unfortunately, in Tongan or Maori) and
also contains the match schedule, a presentation of the host cities, and a list of useful
numbers. Rugby’s famous cartoonist Roger Blachon gives colour to the entire kit with original
drawings. It is only lacking the translation of useful expressions for players such as
‘Sébastien, would you mind getting your hand, your hair, or your forehead off my face?’.
Nonetheless, this is a useful initiative to promote the language, and many other resources for
learners based on the rugby theme are available.
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