«Parlez français, soyez propres» For a reinterpretation of the North-Catalan language conflict school at the end of the nineteenth century

In the end of nineteenth century, the Catalan region of France adheres to the republican ideal. The lay, free and compulsory school gives the exclusive Catalan-speaking people the hope of social advancement through learning French. But paradoxically, teachers violate school rules using Catalan in class and punish students who do not use French. Lluís Pastre, a regionalist teacher, tries unsuccessfully to propose an educational alternative, combining direct method and translation method. Today, when the phrase «Parlez français, soyez propres» [Speak Frenche clean], emblematic of that time has been interpreted wrongly, Northern Catalonia is still struggling to overcome her school language conflict that still exists but with an inversion terms.