Franck Ribery: a symbol of all that has gone wrong with the French language, purists say

Certain British footballers are known for their nonsensical musings and grammatical blunders — but few can match Franck Ribéry, the French winger.

“In terms of sensations, I didn’t feel anything,” he once told a reporter. “The Marseilles stadium is always full, home and away,” he told another. They are just two of the many comments that have made him a symbol of all that has gone wrong with the French language, purists say.

Jean Maillet has responded with a campaign against “linguistic crimes”. He published a book yesterday with a suitably dramatic title: Langue Française: Arrêtez le Massacre (Stop the Massacre).

An opinion poll released with the book suggests that sporting figures are seen as the worst culprits, with 78 per cent of respondents blaming