Culture of a French-Occupied England

The B

I'm not sure where to put this but since the POD is before 1900 it'll be here.

I understand that this is rather implausible but please ignore that.

In the event that somehow France was able to successfully annex at least England (let's say Napoleon), and that this occupation was maintained.

How do you think that English culture would be today? Maybe the French attempt to softly assimilate the population at least by making them speak the language, how different do you think the culture would be from OTL?
 
Grey Wolf

Grey Wolf

Sacre Bleu!

I never did get the 'blue' part of that! But I imagine we would be saying it a lot, even if allowed to keep English as a first language.

People would aspire to learn French and go and work in Paris.

There would be a lot more decent wine available sooner, and brandy and absinthe!

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 

eliphas8

This is pretty much what OTL is only earlier, we got a lot of Romance culture out of the Norman conquest.
 

Socrates

I hate to be the one that does this, as it's over used, but this is ASB. There's no chance that England can be permanently annexed to France. If you want to get round the Royal Navy for an invasion, you have to go back to the Seven Years War at least, and even then, an occupation won't be sustained.
 

t0m1991

yulzari said:
Didn't the French conquer England in OTL?
Click to expand...

Never actually by France itself, the Normans were descended from Viking settlers and acted nearly independently from the French crown. The closest the French came to conquering England was in 1214 under prince Louis.
 

Faeelin

Socrates said:
I hate to be the one that does this, as it's over used, but this is ASB. There's no chance that England can be permanently annexed to France. If you want to get round the Royal Navy for an invasion, you have to go back to the Seven Years War at least, and even then, an occupation won't be sustained.
Click to expand...

I don't know, I think there's a slim loophole in 1779. And later, I wouldn't dscount a Napoleonic Europe outproducing Britain...
 

Xavier

Socrates said:
I hate to be the one that does this, as it's over used, but this is ASB. There's no chance that England can be permanently annexed to France. If you want to get round the Royal Navy for an invasion, you have to go back to the Seven Years War at least, and even then, an occupation won't be sustained.
Click to expand...
Aye, annexation is total ASB. At most, you could have a personal union with a suitable POD in the middle ages. The only other option is Napoleon turning it into a puppet with one of his brothers/generals on the throne. (likely to be no more successful in the long therm than Joseph's rule in Spain either)
 

yulzari

t0m1991 said:
Never actually by France itself, the Normans were descended from Viking settlers and acted nearly independently from the French crown.
Click to expand...
Ah. that would be why the english speak viking english not norman french english and parliament and royalty were speaking and writing viking until the 15th century as well as the law being in viking until into the 19th century. Doubtless the verb still at the end of the sentence remains.

To quote from George Clemenceau: "Angleterre. Une colonie qui fait mal".
 

Odd_Numbered_Bonaparte

t0m1991 said:
Never actually by France itself, the Normans were descended from Viking settlers and acted nearly independently from the French crown. The closest the French came to conquering England was in 1214 under prince Louis.
Click to expand...
But the Normans had adopted French culture, so it was the same effect, a French aristocracy and an English peasantry.
 

CDurham

twovultures said:
It rhymes with "Dieu", meaning "God". It's basically the French equivalent of "Oh My Gosh".
Click to expand...

Huh, I'd heard it was because the Virgin Mary was traditionally depicted as wearing blue in French artwork so Sacre Bleu would be interpreted as a slang term that meant something along the lines of "By the Virgin Mary" or "Holy Mother"
 

yulzari

A feasible POD would be an Angevin victory in the 100 years war so that England and France become the same kingdom. By now it would be called France and England a region of France. French would be the everyday language with an english patois for the common folk. At least there would be no problem with horseburgers......
 

Remicas

yulzari said:
Ah. that would be why the english speak viking english not norman french english and parliament and royalty were speaking and writing viking until the 15th century as well as the law being in viking until into the 19th century. Doubtless the verb still at the end of the sentence remains.

To quote from George Clemenceau: "Angleterre. Une colonie qui fait mal".
Click to expand...

"Une colonie française qui a mal tournée" (A french colony that turned wrong).
Yep, not so different from OTL.
 

yulzari

Sacre Bleu is a definite minced oath from sacre dieu. Somewhat like 'nom d'un pipe' instead of 'nom d'un pape' (pope).
 

The B

Faeelin said:
I don't know, I think there's a slim loophole in 1779. And later, I wouldn't dscount a Napoleonic Europe outproducing Britain...
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. It's difficult but has some credibility.

How fast would the new language be learnt? Would English ever go away in a sustained occupation?
 
Xgentis

Xgentis

yulzari said:
Ah. that would be why the english speak viking english not norman french english and parliament and royalty were speaking and writing viking until the 15th century as well as the law being in viking until into the 19th century. Doubtless the verb still at the end of the sentence remains.

To quote from George Clemenceau: "Angleterre. Une colonie qui fait mal".
Click to expand...
He say "Ah, l'Angleterre, cette colonie française qui a mal tourné"
 

yulzari

I bow to the native French speakers re George Clemenceau though I recall the quote from an uncle in Paris.

As Clemenceau was a one time journalist the version I recall does seem more pithy. I prefer it even of it is wrong!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top