The systematic shame used to erase regional languages in France
In short: For centuries, French authorities implemented a deliberate process known as vergonha. By labeling native tongues as mere 'patois' and using humiliation in schools, the state successfully engineered a psychological rejection of mother tongues, fundamentally altering the linguistic landscape of the nation.
The term vergonha, meaning 'shame' in Occitan, describes the psychological and social effects of French policies designed to marginalize regional languages like Occitan, Basque, and Breton. This was not merely a byproduct of modernization but a structured effort. As early as 1539, the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts mandated that all legal acts be executed in French, a move originally intended to replace Latin but which ultimately reduced the stature of vernaculars.
The process was formalized in the late 18th century. On 4 June 1794, Henri Grégoire presented a report to the National Convention advocating for the 'annihilation' of patois to unify post-revolutionary France. This era saw officials like Bertrand Barère dismiss regional languages as 'barbaric jargons' that could serve counter-revolutionaries. To weaken traditional provincial allegiances, the government redrew France's internal borders, creating 83 départements that often ignored historical linguistic boundaries.
In the 19th century, the repression moved into the classroom. Under the influence of figures like Jules Ferry in the 1880s, strict measures were implemented to punish children for speaking their native tongues. Methods of humiliation included 'clogging'—forcing students to wear a heavy wooden clog (sabot) around their necks—or kneeling on rulers. These practices were so effective that by 1993, the share of the population speaking Occitan had plummeted to less than 7%, down from over 39% in 1860.
Today, the legacy of vergonha persists. Many speakers still view their native languages as corrupted or uneducated forms of French. Even today, the French government avoids formally acknowledging numerous local tongues and declines to sign the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Vergonha
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