Bringing back the language rule!

[goktengri]

well nobody has to listen to people. I'm agree if people can't choose the artist they want, but if they elect somebody by NF, they can't complain later. The singer is free to do whatever he/she wants after he/she was chosen. Personally I would decide whatever should I do myself and not fullfil public's and broadcaster's wishes. ( but that doesn't mean I would ignore their opinions and suggestions, it's different )

 

[A-lister]

This is a very tricky issue and not as black and white as some point it out.

Personally I prefer songs in native languages, because I believe strongly music is a universal language in itself and its the feeling of the music that speaks, not the words. Otherwise Eurovision could have been a poem contest instead.

I also believe that specific linguistic characteristics can make music interesting aswell, whether I understand the words or not.

Also, Eurovision is about representing countries and celebrating European diversity imo. If we can't have the different European languages, then what's the point really?

I think it's very close-minded to not appreciate music for what it is and to appreciate the European diversity, then really is Eurovision the right platform?

With that said, I don't believe in forced language rule, but I do believe that something must be done.

With the juries being brought back we have a record of English only, and I don't think it's a coincidence.

I think either the juries need to go or they need to have guidelines saying that they should encourage use of native languages.

The same goes for ethnic sounding songs, which also juries vote against.

So do we really want Eurovision to be just another music show out of million copies or do we want to keep what's unique with this contest?

 

[sophielou]

Personally I think it's better to let the countries sing in whatever language they want. This is a song contest, not a music festival. It's about finding the best song not showing off your culture. You can chose to do the latter but I see no reason why everyone should be forced to sing in their own national language if they'd rather sing in a language that more people can understand. I hate to say it but ESC has been better since they scrapped the language rule, not to mention somewhat fairer. Some languages just don't sound nice to non-native speakers. Speaking as someone who can only understand English and to an extent French, I'm ashamed to admit (but I'll admit it anyway) that I find songs in languages I don't understand boring. Unless it is a truly beautiful piece of music, I just feel I can't appreciate it as much.

No one can deny that songs that are sung in the regional language, if that language is not spoken by at least three other countries, are at a disadvantage. It wouldn't even out if you forced them to sing in their national language but give unfair advantage to the UK and Ireland. I'm arguing against the language rule even though it would benefit my country. The rule is simply unfair and I genuinely hope they never bring it back.

 

[r3gg13]

I wrote a paper about this issue,

If I learned anything from writing it, it's that this is a difficult issue to resolve.
If we devise a new language rule, or even re-establish the old one, there will be a mismatch between the taste of the public and the language rule. It will feel artificial because the rule does not represent the actual trends in musical taste of the majority.

The bigger issue here, I think, is the appreciation of songs in different languages. Right now, most of the mainstream radio songs are in English as a result of globalization trends in international media. And, people appreciate that, they like the English songs. Even if we look the music charts of various European countries, there will be an English song in the Top 10, without a doubt. Resolving the appreciation issue is another story which I tried to resolve in my paper, but it's ridiculous and it's bound to fail unless we manipulate their ways of thinking

I personally would like an encouragement to use languages other than English in ESC so long as that language represents the nation's culture. I do wish that nations use their own languages in their songs, just because I like it . But, re-establishing the language rule, or even a modified version of it will be unnatural because it goes against the trends in musical taste.

 

[nikolay_BG]

I want the language rule back! And I want it soon. And I want the juries to be out, cause they hate languages different then english.
But I think the TV stations have to put subtitles on the songs from different languages on their broadcast, like YLE does. YLE is putting subtitles on all of the songs that aren`t in finnish. That is a great practise and I think more boradcasters have to do it. Not all of the viewers know english (like my grandma for example, she doesn`t know english).

Eurovision is supposed to bring our continent together. Not to assimilate it, but to bring all the people together. And I can`t find a better way of bringing the nations together then in the language deversity.

For the assimilation of the nations we have EU

 

[Sabiondo]

I want the language rule back! And I want it soon. And I want the juries to be out, cause they hate languages different then english.
But I think the TV stations have to put subtitles on the songs from different languages on their broadcast, like YLE does. YLE is putting subtitles on all of the songs that aren`t in finnish. That is a great practise and I think more boradcasters have to do it. Not all of the viewers know english (like my grandma for example, she doesn`t know english).

Eurovision is supposed to bring our continent together. Not to assimilate it, but to bring all the people together. And I can`t find a better way of bringing the nations together then in the language deversity.

For the assimilation of the nations we have EU

Well do you like to see that the Bulgarian song will be despised by the Westen jury even is a good song as did with the Finich & Turkishs ones in the 80s-90s..???? well i suport your idea

 

[nikolay_BG]

Well do you like to see that the Bulgarian song will be despised by the Westen jury even is a good song as did with the Finich & Turkishs ones in the 80s-90s..???? well i suport your idea

It wont be so different from this year too

 

[lucian-crusher]

You can't force countries to sing in their own language! There are countries where songs in national language barely exist.

Just look at the Top 40 of the most played Romanian songs in and count the songs in Romanian language:

..........................................................................
21. Shift feat. Kamara & Do Re Mi - Pe cuvant
22. Guess Who feat. Demoga - Tot mai sus
..........................................................................
32. DJ Project feat. Giulia - Mi-e dor
33. Doc feat. VD, Deliric 1, Nwanda & Cedry2k - Muzica
34. Boier Bibescu vs. Don Baxter - Dan Spataru
...........................................................................
36. Camuflaj - Pe drumul meu

So only 6 songs in Romanian out of 40 and 5 of them are Hip-Hop songs. So how can you ask Romanian artists to sing in Romanian when they don't even know how that sounds?
And probably there are more countries in this situation....

 

[Yamarus]

There should be heavy incentives for countries that song in their national language anyway. It doesn't surprise me to see Iceland send an English entry every time, but it kills me to see Francophone Belgium send English songs when there are so many great French-speaking artists out there.

 

[Sabiondo]

Also an petition for Bring Back the language rule its up since the last year.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/28/bring-back-culture-to-eurovision/

Just they need 100.000 signature and they wear this to EBU



And here are his facebook group as well: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129973300352177&v=wall

 

[Sabiondo]

but it kills me to see Francophone Belgium send English songs when there are so many great French-speaking artists out there.

Im sure that soon they will seend an great song in french soon

 

[nikolay_BG]

I signed the petition. It`ll be great if many people from this forum sign it too

 

[94ayd]

I've done it, too! There is nothing better than hearing all the beautiful languages Europe has to offer. I mean the EU is encouraging the use of national languages. Can't it influence the EBU? And I just can't believe at the comments coming from some of you (British and German speakers, of course). A song in a language other than English sounds boring?! Are you for real... What do you call a song in English then - UBER dull, forgettable piece of nothing combined with blandness...

 

[CC92]

Signed. Can one also sign against the 'jury' somewhere? I made a comment there.

 

[sophielou]

There should be heavy incentives for countries that song in their national language anyway. It doesn't surprise me to see Iceland send an English entry every time, but it kills me to see Francophone Belgium send English songs when there are so many great French-speaking artists out there.

This I do agree with. I thought Belgium's entry this year was... there are no words. No good words anyway. I understood they were trying to do something clever there but it didn't work very well. I think they might have qualified if they had a nice French song rather than unimpressive English songs. French is a beautiful language and makes lovely music. I probably say that because as a British person French is probably the only language I understand to a degree other than English.

I think the fairest thing is for the artists to represent the sort of music people in that country listen too. I see no purpose in forcing artists to perform songs in their own language if artistically they would prefer their song to be sung in English. That said if English-spoken songs aren't widely listened to in the country the artist represents, then the song doesn't feel as genuine. But what I said before I still believe - Eurovision is a song contest, not a music festival. Artists want to win, not show off their culture. It's understandable that many of them choose to sing in English.

At least you can rely on France to lead Eurovision in the principle "We will always sing in French!" They tried English once, hated it and never did it again.

 

[nikolay_BG]

Yes, I read many comemnts in youtube specially from british people for the polish song that they don`t like it because it`s in polish. This is more then arrogant I should say. English isn`t the only language in this world.

Also the poilish song was cuted from the juries because it was on polish.

Ever since we have juries, they back up only songs on english. Why? Are they payed by BBC to do that? I dunno, but I seriously feel that there is some coruption in this juries. Specially when they gave big points to Italy and Sweden this year - songs in english.

Leave the brits to sing in english and let`s not break their language anymore

 

[sophielou]

If the BBC was corrupting the juries then wouldn't they have bribed them to give more than 50 points to the UK entry?

I don't think there is any corruption in the juries. I just think that in the music industry English songs are easier to sell to other countries because it is simply a wider spoken language so they are more used to dealing with those songs.

In Britain's defence we did give 8 points to Poland in the Semi-Final, so I think you were just dealing with the angry minority on YT. I myself was not mad on the Polish entry, I could take it or leave it. I admit I felt I could have appreciated it more if I understood what she was saying but it was the tune that didn't gel with me. I was just indifferent to it on all fronts. Now Bulgaria... I liked their entry. I'm sorry they didn't qualify.

And part of Italy's entry was sung (partly) in Italian, so that doesn't count as a full English song.

 

[nikolay_BG]

So you say that you would apreciate the song more if it was on english? Magdalena Tul presented Poland. What has the english language have to do with Poland in general? The song was westernized and americanized enough on musical level. If the song was on english it`ll be like all of those songs that you listen on the commercial radio. Lifeless, souless, boring and forgetable.

It`ll be just like the dutch song this year - lost and forgoten.

 

[doctormalisimo]

So you say that you would apreciate the song more if it was on english? Magdalena Tul presented Poland. What has the english language have to do with Poland in general? The song was westernized and americanized enough on musical level. If the song was on english it`ll be like all of those songs that you listen on the commercial radio. Lifeless, souless, boring and forgetable.

It`ll be just like the dutch song this year - lost and forgoten.

You seem to be forgetting the Polish song had a terrible stage presentation and Magdalena's vocals were not great.

Also, Poland wasnt the only country in the semis that miserably failed. The English song representing the Netherlands came last. And the song that won semi 1 was half in Greek...

 

[Grinch]

I prefer the old language rule but not %100. Israel for example, their entries are in Hebrew but they put some English in it also so we can understand what he/she is singing about.

ESC 2011 was awful! Almost all the songs were in English!