Editing Language policy in France (section)

===Third Republic===
In the 1880s, the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic]] sought to modernize France, and in particular to increase [[literacy]] and general knowledge in the population, especially the rural population, and established free compulsory [[primary education]].

The only language allowed in primary school was French. All other languages were forbidden, even in the schoolyard, and transgressions were severely punished.<ref>Lodge 2001: 218</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=June 2022}} After 1918, the use of [[German language|German]] in [[Alsace-Lorraine]] was outlawed. In 1925, [[Anatole de Monzie]], Minister of public education, stated that "for the linguistic unity of France, the [[Breton language]] [[language death|must disappear]]." As a result, the speakers of minority languages began to be [[vergonha|ashamed when using their own language]] – especially in the educational system – and over time, many families stopped teaching their language to their children and tried to [[language shift|speak only French with them]]. {{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} In neighbouring [[Belgium]], a parallel [[Francization of Brussels|policy to expand the use of standard French also took place]].