It might be hard for us to understand this attitude, most of us being people with English as the first language, but I’m sure we would be shocked if in fifty years, the word “friends” began to be substituted for “amigos” (with the current state of immigration and amnesty, it’s not so hard to imagine).
As long as there is no persecution or supression based on the usage of such foreign words, I’m okay with the government encouraging its native language, as seems to be the case with the ‘beach’ argument.
When it comes to things they don’t already have words for, it seems a little pointless to try and think of new French words as substitute. After all, there are plenty of non-English expressions commonly used in the English language. Vis-a-vis is one of them.
Assassin is an Arab word. Commando is Portuguese. We use these words because presumably, at the time, they were words we really didn’t have good comparable words for.
It’s good to want to promote your own language in your own country, but don’t overdo it.
Its attitude towards imports is: If it's useful, adopt it or adapt it. If not, ignore it.
That works for me.
I don't see any words on the list that are replacing French words, I see a bunch of words that have no French equivalent.
Very well said.