I thought what a wonderful gesture was made yesterday at all the UK football matches.
Thousands of football supporters standing in respect to the recorded French anthem .
Some mouthed the words,some actually sang the words. They all cheered and applauded at the conclusion.
These surely are not the same knuckledragging EDL and BNP supporters that have been described frequently by an ABer who lumps them all together.
I bet they would stand and sing the English National Anthem as well when required. Shame Mr Corbyn didn't learn the words. Not a football fan perhaps.
In an article this week's Focus magazine, the estimable Hamad Abdel-Samad reports on the disgrace of the Turkish national team standing in muted defiance. This is a country eager to join the EU, folks.
Gavmacp
I am not a football supporter (rugby) but I wouldn't of known it would of been played yesterday. I only know the chorus and my schoolboy version is totally inappropriate. A very good effort by all I thought.
I suppose they could of screened the words in the back of the stadium with a little cursor bouncing along so people who do not know French could keep up.
sorry cross purposes.I was thinking about the fans contribution. Yes. If I was playing and had been forewarned I certainly would of made the effort to learn it.
It's a hard song to learn if you don't speak French so I wouldn't knock anyone for that. You two keep saying 'of' when you mean 'have' which is proof in itself it's hard to get our own language correct never mind someone else's :-)
I'm not blaming you at all, it must be one of the most common errors. I'm just saying the Marseillaise is an old complicated verse for most people to learn, especially if they didn't do a lot of French.
Prudie,
I actually don't mind my English grammar being corrected as long as it is politely done.
Being a sweatie I didn't speak correctly so needed speech therapy which always happened during English lessons.
Prudie
Thats why I suggested a little cursor bouncing on a screen following the words.Similar to when we sang "We are the Ovaltinees" at Saturday pictures.
Gavmacp
No I am not aiming anything at any one today. It is Sunday. Already been accused of vitriol for nothing :-(
Prudie
Like Gavmacp
I am always happy to be corrected even though I attained a GCE O level in the English Language.
Must be the bad company I mixed with in the course of my vocation darn Saaarf. :-)
Gav, I don't want to detract from this largely upbeat thread - but could you possibly unadopt your recent use of 'sweatie'? It makes me cringe far more than any grammatical slip.
Tut tut, people here ridiculing others for not learning the words to the French anthem and yet they don't know how use English :-
e.g. "you would of thought they could of learnt the words" and "I wouldn't of known it would of been played yesterday" and "they could of screened the words"
Try using 'have' instead of 'of' and then you'll be using your own language properly.
I didn't see any of it, but yes, a nice gesture. If anyone learned what the words meant they might balk at what they are singing, as the Marseillaise is among the most military of anthems. Or they might not, as it's almost appropriate in the circumstances. And besides, who cares? Anthems are about a sense of union and togetherness, and something like this showed that off perfectly.
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