Author Topic: Francophones sue Ishihara over anti-French comments (Read 1548 times)

Guchi_Jnr · « **on:** March 20, 2007, 11:13:04 AM »

French-speaking professors and translators Monday sued the Tokyo Metropolitan Government over disparaging remarks made by Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, claiming his derogatory comment about their language was "neglectful and appalling."

The 74 plaintiffs, including foreign nationals residing in France and Canada, are each demanding compensation of 50,000 yen and a public apology from the metro government.

In a meeting with support organizations of Tokyo Metropolitan University in October 2004, Ishihara said, "French is disqualified as an international language because it is a language that cannot count numbers," according to the suit.

Bloody French.

Shumatsu Samurai · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2007, 01:29:24 PM »

But he's got a point there ...

Anyway, I doubt he'll care much. I can see him lashing out at them for being oversensitive...

Angelus · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2007, 02:13:02 PM »

I'm a Francophone and I don't care. The language is kinda... vulgar, I think.

What does he mean it can't count numbers? I can count in French. o_o

Shumatsu Samurai · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2007, 03:00:07 PM »

I guess he means the way numbers above 60 are counted (Example: 97 = quatre-vingt-dix-sept = 4*20 10 7). Of course you can count that way but for non-native speakers it might look slightly complicated, maybe even stupid.

Just keep in mind who said it and everything's ok.

THUNDERDUCK · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2007, 04:34:54 PM »

I didn't know that. So you have to do math in French for anything over 60? That sucks. Then again French is one of the least useful languages in TX.

Angelus · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2007, 04:56:37 PM »

Kinda yes, kinda no. 60 is normal, 70 is 60 with 10's. 80 is normal, 90 is 80 with 10's.

So 66 would be 60 6(soixant[60] six[6]), 76 would be 60 10 6(soixante[60] seize[10 6]), 86 would be 80 6(quatre vingt[4*20 = 80] six[6]), 96 would be 80 10 6(quatre vingt[4*20 = 80] seize[16]).

Sorry if it sounds confusing.

Shumatsu Samurai · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:08:31 PM »

^ beat me

Most likely, if you grow up with these numbers, you don't find anything unusal about them....

It would be interesting to learn about 'strange counting' in other languages.
German counts numbers below (example 19 = Neunzehn = nineteen = 9+10) and above 20 (example 29 = Neunundzwanzig = nineandtwenty = 9+20 ... you get the idea) the same way.
And to get back to Ishihara and his 'smart' remarks, higher numbers in Japanese can be quite confusing as well (for me at least)...

Asmodai · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:10:17 PM »

Seems a stupid thing to sue over.

arun.yothin · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2007, 05:54:30 PM »

Aw, shit. I read the title and thought Francophones was a company or something.

I think I heard that a lot of French people are real anal about the language?

Tyball · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2007, 06:36:44 PM »

Well maybe it's easier than English anyway, at least I would guess according to this guy here...

testype01 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2007, 09:26:15 PM »

Many languajes, especially those that come from latin, have a similiar system to count. Many numbres in spanish are written like in german, with the "X and Y" idea.

I think the whole thing is a little dumb, saying that a language is not international for some silly reason and sueing for that.

JFC · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2007, 02:41:24 AM »

Ok, I'll say it...

...

The reason the guy made that comment about not being able to count in French is because he's too stupid to understand how to do it properly.

I studied French from Kindergarden up to my 3rd year of University, so the whole counting thing sounds normal to me.

...

Well, someone was bound to say it.