The French language police have decided that people shouldn’t use the word email but instead the term courriel, based on courrier electronique which they claim has common currency. Unless you check Google.fr of course.
So here’s a thought – France has a lot to offer, without its language – it’s famous for Food and drink and sex for gods sake – and the English (read American – this is not a patriotic rant) language accepts this: restaurant, beverage, embrace.
A siege mentality about the French language doesn’t really preserve French culture at all, in fact if anything it prevents its appeal spreading – from the lack of a French originated point of view during the Iraq war (due to lack of english language transalations of French newspapers, most french opinion was propogated through anti-French, english speaking commentators) to the absence of decent cheese, manadatory kissing and high-speed railroads in the US.
So why not concede on the ‘oh shit American English is becoming the Lingua Franca’ and spread the amour instead. After all, even the word ‘courriel’ originates from North America, having been coined by a Canadian professor.
Recherche Google: “courrier electronique” 449,00 results.
Recherche Google: “e-mail” 2.6 million results. Email porduces 2.1 million.