Process
Status Items Highlights Done See section below Claims None Questions None Output None
Highlights
Time 0:02:59
Black is the New Noir
- Speaker 0, who is unnamed in the transcript, initially used the French word ‘noir’ to describe themselves, similar to the English usage in ‘film noir’.
- Their friend corrected them, explaining that the English word ‘black’ is preferred over ‘noir’ in France when referring to people.
- Speaker 0 then told their parents about it upon returning home, and said that in France, you say black, not noir.
- This was surprising because France is generally protective of their language. Transcript: Speaker 1 Yes. The word in french for black is noir. We use that word in english sometimes, like film, film noir. And so id used the word noir to describe myself, like, cui noir and black or le noir setasuni black people in the us. And then a friend was like, oh, actually, we don’t use the word noir for people, like we use black, the english word black, black, black noiris, a little bit like, but black is better. You know. Speaker 2 Gaufin did not question this lesson any more. Than the others. Speaker 1 I remember coming back home and telling my parents, like, do you know that in france, french a is like you say black, not noi it’s like, ok, fact, i learned i’m gregory warder is rough translation, Speaker 2 The show where we take you to far off places with stories that hit close to home. To day’s episode takes place in a country where language is so treasured and so reverently protected from foreign influence that just trying to change a word can be seen as a threat. And a threat, not jus to tradition, status quo, but to the french self image, to what it means to be french. So we got two stories for you to day, two creative efforts to change the words we call ourselves and each other. We’re going to come back to gopin’s discovery that black was the new noir, and what happened next. But first, a story that really shows the inner workings of the french language is so closely guarded. Speaker 1 And it starts with this other word. I found out this crazy thing that just like sent me on this whole spiral of work on the story. You know what a ghost writer is, wright? And who writes the books for you exactly. Ah, the word in french for ghost writer is francis version of the endward ous, like wyeeras like what? Speaker 9 So we’re gong o start with that story when rough translation returns. Speaker 7 This message comes from enpiere, sponsor base camp. The good news is that your business is growing,
Time 0:09:00
Meaning of Nègre in France
- The word ‘nègre’ in France translates to ‘negro’ but carries a weight similar to the ‘n-word’ in the US.
- It can be particularly jarring when directed at someone.
- Ironically, France prides itself on having outlawed slavery.
- However, places like Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Louisiana, where Nelly’s family is from, still experienced it. Transcript: Speaker 1 Word nagre it cant. It can mean like, i can slate as negro. But after talking to black and white people in france, when it’s used to day, it’s much more like our n word in the us. Speaker 2 So how did that word come to mean ghost rider?
Time 0:09:16
1min Snip Transcript: Speaker 1 Negre was the word uused to describe black people during slavery. It’s funny, like france’s eally proud of the fact that slavery was illegal in france. But if you crossed the atlantic and landed in the new world, places like haide or guadeloup, which is where nelli’s family’s from, or louisiana, that’s where france enslaved black People and its colonies, they were the agre. So nagle came to mean ghost rider, because anagle is the person who’s doing all this work and not receiving any of the benefits of that labor. The most famous example that can have been carried down through history to us is with alexample dumas aexan duman pefe d one of france’s most famous writers. Ou noli aee ther, she made this film about duman. One of his ghost writers, bi loe coplib, you’ll remember from like, the french literary world, writing is a gift. It’s like this. And sothi, this great mind, is actually using ghost riders. Senor pothos uma was mixed. His grandmother was black. So you know, the guy who wrote three musketeers was a black man from france, for the record.
Time 0:19:00
Replacing a Racist Word
- Nelly and Louis Jeange petitioned the French government to update the definition of the word ‘negre’ in French dictionaries.
- They met with a government official who was receptive to their concerns.
- The government issued a recommendation to update the dictionary definition to include ‘majority f races and antiquated’.
- They also proposed the new term ‘pret plume’ (loaned feather) for ‘ghost writer’. Transcript: Speaker 1 They don’t have to respond to some petition from an nary citizen and itel ouwe w will call you next week. Speaker 5 Of course, don’t worry. Speaker 4 It’s going to the ministery cabinet. Next week comes. There’s no ponqols going back to the college. Speaker 5 You need to call them every week to say, what’s happening? Are you working on the issue? It’s one month why is it so long? Speaker 1 Finally, louis jeange gets word that there they are, oing to issue the recommendation. So can read the recommendation. Don lensemble de dictionare dusage de la longue francese, actual le mo negre employe pro desiner in person. De couler ton associete ali clavage e calife. De de pretiative, pejoriti rasite. So in french dictionaries, the word negre, which is associated with slavery, employed to designate a person of color, is described as being majority f races and antiquated. Speaker 2 Wel pajority of races, ant antiquated. It’s like that’s the coffin right there. Speaker 1 We after having convened and considered, we propose this new term, pret plume. And that’s the wind. And they sent out the alert. Vanfranc aa, minister like tojovnely and louis garge go ant vi sise montpasce sage datravede. Speaker 5 Ve loise flede de
Time 0:24:49
French Indivisibility
- France’s identity is deeply shaped by World War II, during which the French were complicit in rounding up and deporting Jews.
- After the war, Charles de Gaulle sought to rebuild the country and redefine French identity.
- A new constitution was created based on the principle that France is indivisible, meaning France is one people.
- As a result, the government cannot ask about race in official documents; this is illegal.
- The idea is that race is a false category, so it’s better not to discuss it. Transcript: Speaker 1 World war to is this pivotal moment in french history. Like a lot of what france is to day, thas happened because of world wartu. So during the war, france was complicit with es francbrig rounded up jews, deported them to the concentration camps. Your religion, your race, was recorded and used against you. So after the war, the new president, that’s charles de gall airport named after him, ye, he has the task of rebuilding the country and kind of re creating the french identity. And as part of that, one of the ways that he does that is they get this new constitution. And in the constitution, they pull from this old, like french republic principle that says that france is indivisible. And this one word is so important, its to overstate how important it is. What it means is that france is one people. And the way that gets interpreted is that the government can’t ask for race in official documents, not
Time 0:29:21
The Blackest
- Rachel Kan, a former sprinter, noticed a shift in the use of the word ‘black’ as she grew older.
- Her track team was mostly black, with varying skin tones.
- The white coach would single out the darkest athlete, saying, ‘You are the most black. You are the blackest. So you run the fastest.’
- Rachel began to perceive a degrading, exoticizing aspect to the term.
- It felt like she was becoming a black object rather than a person. Transcript: Speaker 1 When rache was a sprinter, winning her national championship, everyone on the team, except for one person, is black. As she says, they are all different shades of black. And the coach is a white guye and the coach, he calls the darkest of the athletes. Heis like, you are the most black. You are the blackest. So you run the fastest. Speaker 3 Elese saon, andas y at this paint, it just started to become degrating, you know, the exoticising aspect
Time 0:32:09
Black vs. Noir
- A French woman, after struggling to fit in at work, decided to embrace her true self, which she identifies as ‘noir’ rather than the American term ‘black’.
- She began correcting people who used the term ‘black’ to refer to her, asking them to call her ‘noir’ instead.
- While some people accepted this, others, particularly those with a ‘militant mindset,’ persisted in calling her ‘black’.
- Speaker 0 shares she also asked a progressive, anti-colonial French friend to call her ‘noir’.
- Her friend refused, associating the term with his racist grandfather and considering it offensive. Transcript: Speaker 1 Who she is is not black, the american word. Who she is is noir. And so she comes up with a solution, which is that she starts correcting people who call her black, telling them to call her noir. And some people are fine with it. Speaker 6 Some peopl r just confused about soting bersonki. Speaker 3 And then these other o almost with this like militant mindset, would continue to call me black. Ontie der black. Speaker 1 I have actually experienced that tension rachel is describing, like when i asked one of my best french friends to call me noir. My friend is like, progressive white guy, anti colonial, all the things. And he was like, no, i’m not going
Time 0:38:37
Communititarist
- In France, there’s an expectation of colorblindness and not asking about race.
- However, there’s also a pressure not to segregate with one’s own people.
- The fear is being labeled a ‘communititarist,’ which implies a failure to blend in and adhere to the ideal of an indivisible France.
- This concept is the flip side of the idea that France is color blind. Transcript: Speaker 1 Rachel and these other actors are worried that producers are going to stop hiring them. They’ll think that their troublemy s isor tolet le laandin. Speaker 3 There was this one other big fear, t i really, really didn’t want them to tell us that we’re being communitized.