I spoke not too long ago about linguistic colonialism when we see francophones spontaneously using words or expressions in English. I don’t want to prevent people from saying what they want or how they want to say it, that’s up to them!
Where I rise, however, is with regard to the over-the-air (radio or TV) use of expressions in English. I take as examples the expressions used by a politician with a diploma in communications who drops an interview: “It’s up to the federal government to call the shot”, not to mention our Prime Minister who, a few days later, spoke of ” Talk of the Week »During one of his press conferences […].
This brings me to an advertisement for an online game with the number 99. If a French speaker sees the number 9, he will pronounce nine. If the number 99 appears, it will say ninety-nine. When we spoke of hockey player Wayne Gretzky who wore the number 99, we referred to this player by saying the ninety-nine and not the ninety nine. If this seems obvious, why then, during hockey games, to speak of an online gaming site, do advertisers and commentators make a point of saying proudly, just like a former world champion? , ninety nine instead of ninety-nine? Will there be a commentator who will have the courage one day to say the number 99 in French? The bets are open !
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