From The Sublime To The Ridiculous

Living in California, classifying the finding of any reference to Spanish language or culture as a any degree of a challenge would be ludicrous, but change the pretense to similar allusions to those exact aspects of French culture, and logic is rendered to the contest. Really, that's just an elaborate way of saying that it's easier to find something with a Hispanic touch than it is to find one with a French twist, no pun intended. Considering the purchase of a notably vast territory, the Louisiana Purchase (link below), once allowed us to double the physical size of our country, that puzzles me a bit. Though such references definitely prove themselves more common amidst the streets of those states within its confines, especially that which keeps its namesake, finding them out west remains more of a rarity. Attribute it to the extent of my French exposure, but I feel I have a particular knack for noticing any such public display or reflection, especially if I regard them as a misrepresentation. Last Friday materialized as just such an occasion, or event.

While driving down Market Street in downtown Riverside, I spotted an adult-centered boutique, and I just had to pull over to snap a picture. It may sound immature, but I found myself literally chuckling, and I felt an absolute compulsion to share the experience with a few key people in my life. Though I don't feel much concern of reproducing an image of a public display of this sort, since one of the employees seemed to be standing outside smoking, I made sure to obtain her consent, and I snapped a couple quick pictures for "a project". Due to the visible age of the lettering, I can only hypothesize that the owners of this establishment decided to give its name a French connotation. I don't know if it was an allusion to the 1972 Claude Berri flick, but, if it was, the spelling is incorrect. Either way, I think it's a failed attempt, but an attempt at what?

Through this French connection, I think they were attempting to accomplish two things, attach themselves to the perceived romanticism of the French language as well as the perceived distinction people grant it. Whether I believe the first aspect is a result of a misinterpretation of the Roman base of its dialects or not, I cannot deny its acceptance. Americans, in particular, tend to regard French as a beautiful language whose smooth words and pronunciations can melt the hearts of the fairer sex, and I can't deny that I have abused this knowledge at one or more instance, but they also attach a sense of a more exploratory sexual culture. Strangely, this fact puts it in direct conflict with the second part of my argument. Franco-centric culture remains regarded, worldwide, as a highly refined civilization with an appreciation of the finer things in life, and this is where I think they truly missed the boat.

Somehow, I just can't allow myself to associate any such level of distinction to an industry that lives in the shadows of my views of society. Whether they hail from true French roots or not, there are numerous ways in which such an attachment proves positive, from fine dining establishments like Le Cirque (link below) to retailers of finer goods like Le Petit Vendome in Los Angeles (link below) and Le Chateau in New York (link below). However, in this case, it just doesn't help. I am aware of the existence of such things as the Moulin Rouge, but those are aspects of every culture, and I don't think it should lend credibility to this. Adding the French masculine article, le, or any other form of French notation. doesn't remove any of the societal subversion which I attach to such a practice. Whether or not this store has a French-sounding name, those who walk through those doors will still be shopping for goods of a sexual nature. Though I don't have anything against such goods, I can't comfortably link the terms "discretion" and "distinction". Even though, generally, as the blog of the same name (link below) suggests, everything sounds better in French, I still don't think this can push all the way into the grounds of positive. Better than disreputable doesn't necessarily mean prestigious.

In the end, though the effectiveness of such application is somewhat based on the root and clarity of the words chosen, the largest portion of that possible success can be attributed to the subject matter. Since, in essence, this post refers to the use and misuse of French culture, I believe it might be appropriate to close with a mention of one of its most notable figures, Napoleon Bonaparte. Some 200 years ago, he explained that "du sublime au ridicule il n'y a qu'un pas," which translates to meaning that, much like my views on these misappropriations of the French tongue, it's just one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Links:
National Park Service: Louisiana Purchase
Le Cirque: Website
Le Petit Vendome: Website
Le Chateau: Website
Better In French: Blog