Why Jean Castex's accent still detonates in 2020

"Do I have an accent?" "Pretends to be surprised the new Prime Minister Jean Castex on the set of BFMTV and RMC, faced with the immense smile of Jean-Jacques Bourdin. The interview was coming to an end on Wednesday - the second since his appointment - when the journalist asked "the" question that plagues social networks. That of his accent. Born in the lands of Gers Gascony, holder of a history license in Toulouse, Jean Castex clashes with the government by his accent. "It is the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic that a head of government with a southern accent has accessed Matignon" notes Arnaud Benedetti, associate professor at Paris-Sorbonne University and author of the book Le coup de how permanent(2018). You have to go back to the beginning of the Fourth Republic to hear the Toulouse intonations ringing in the voice of President Vincent Auriol.

Speech by Jean Castex: It's a weird minister with an accent from the south (west), at the same time it's going well with summer but beware of the heat wave ...

“With a southern accent, you cannot be Prime Minister. This is at least a widely held perception in French society, believes the sociolinguist Philippe Blanchet. "His singing accent evokes the sun, not the seriousness of a management position," he laments. Worse, according to him, there is a hierarchy in terms of denigration of accent. At least, Jean Castex has a capital of sympathy. The rural areas and the working environments of the North and the East of France do not lend to the smile like the region of the south. "The Picardy, Alsatian or Berrichon accents are perceived as rednecks and unpleasant," denounces the sociolinguist. At the bottom of the scale are the expressions of populations with an immigrant background, living on the outskirts of large cities.

Contempt for class

Accent, a power issue? Michel Feltin-Palas, co-author of the book I have an accent, so what? with Jean-Michel Apathie (2020) is convinced of this. And the Parisian bourgeoisie would hold the reins. “To say I have no accent is false, it's like to say I have no skin color . Each person has their own way of expressing themselves. Only some are more recognized. "Whether in audiovisual programs, leading politicians, actors in French comedy, the accent of the Parisian bourgeoisie is omnipresent," points out Michel Feltin-Palas. Beyond the traditional contempt of Paris for the Province, it is therefore social class that is at stake. The intonations of the Parisian titi à la Arletty are just as stigmatized. "These deeply unfair reactions demonstrate a republican problem," indignant the author.

The new Prime Minister Jean #Castex is not there to "seek the light". Its rocky accent like 3rd half of rugby confirms the terroir style # TF1 @ParisMatch https://t.co/71NspmVUsB

These taunts are not limited to Jean Castex. More than half of the 30 million French people with a regional accent are regularly mocked, according to estimates made by Jérôme Fourquet in the book by Michel Feltin-Palas and Jean-Michel Apathie. A discrimination that has a name: glottophobia. Created by Philippe Blanchet, author of the book Discriminations: Combattre la glottophobie (2019), this term designates treating a person differently because of their way of expressing themselves. Until work. 10 million French people have failed in a competition or during their professional career because of their accent, according to the same survey. Christophe Euzet, LREM deputy for Hérault, had tabled a bill at the beginning of the year to "promote France of accents" and sanction glottophobia.

"His success is an exception"

"We put in the minds of the French this ideal: to achieve linguistic uniformity", irritates Philippe Blanchet. A myth for the sociolinguist. This French Jacobinism dates back to the 1789 revolution, where language became a powerful tool to unify the country. The fight against regional languages ​​is raging. In the 1860s, almost all of the children spoke a different dialect than French. The black Hussars of the Republic are responsible for eradicating the dialect. In a century, the languages ​​of Oïl or Occitan are over. The local bourgeoisies learn to express themselves like the upper classes of Paris, with the hope of getting closer to power. “At school, we internalize that the accent is a fault, notes Philippe Blanchet. If you want to access prestigious functions, you have to get rid of them ”. And to cite the example of Michel Serres, demoted to the aggregation of philosophy because of his Gascon accent. "As soon as he spoke, everyone laughed," condemns the sociolinguist.

But why would he try to mitigate it 🤔? #Castex @leJDD pic.twitter.com/s4RYQJeLq8

Conversely, the accent of the new Prime Minister presents a considerable advantage for the government after the crisis of yellow vests, analyzes Arnaud Benedetti. "In a France where many territories today feel abandoned," emphasizes the communications specialist, "this marker is far from being a handicap for a public figure. If Jean Castex followed a traditional political course - Sciences Po, the ENA, a senior civil servant in Paris - it is nonetheless rooted in a modest municipality of 6000 inhabitants. Mayor of Prades in the Pyrénées-Orientales for 12 years, the local elected representative remains identified with this notion of proximity. Until playing it? "It would not be the first time," notes Arnaud Benedetti. Charles Pasqua certainly played his Provencal accent because it participated in the expression of his personal charisma, close to the popular electorate. "

It is certainly a white male fifty, but Jean Castex still has a sacred southern accent. And that is disruptive for a PM!

The specialists agree on one observation: the controversies surrounding Jean Castex have the merit of relaunching the debate. "Its success is an exception, that's why it causes so much stir in public opinion," sums up Philippe Blanchet. Between those who hold contemptuous remarks and those who defend its particularity, we finally put the question on the table. "