Regional paper Ouest-France has issued the French Minister of Culture’s latest interview on regional languages.

June 10, in Quimper, Brittany, Frédéric Mitterrand announced that he was about to bring in parliament a bill granting status to regional languages in France. August 12, Paimpol, still in Brittany, he declared that he was no longer in favour of the bill, sparking many discussions among associations for the defence of regional languages in the country.

Instead of the one and the same law, the Minister now prefers a case-by-case, customised approach. Concerned by the cost implied by the establishment of an actual law, he insists on the diversity of contexts and the necessity of having measures adapted to each of France’s 75 languages: measures of preservation for those under threat of extinction, bilingualism for those still very much alive (“on par with the language of the Republic”) – all in collaboration with local authorities and the associations.

Incidentally praising public action taken in favour of some regional languages (radio and television services in Corsica, among others), Frédéric Mitterrand declares himself opposed to the four bills submitted to the Senate and Assembly on the grounds that they do not take into account the variety of contexts involved.

The article sparked numerous comments on the newspaper website, as well as a response by Kevre Breizh, coordinator of the cultural associations of Brittany, reminding that “just like everywhere else in Europe, rights and a clear legal framework are necessary to the future of regional languages”.

Access article and comments here.