Coq gaulois

French reading practice with side-by-side translation

 Reading comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.

Le coq gaulois The Gallic Rooster
Destiné à devenir symbole de la Gaule et des Gaulois grâce à un jeu de mots (le mot latin « gallus » veut dire et « coq » et « gaulois »), le coq date de l’Antiquité, quand il apparaissait sur les monnaies gauloises.
Translation

Destined to become the symbol of Gaul and the Gauls thanks to a play on words (the Latin word "gallus" means both rooster and Gallic), the rooster dates back to Antiquity, when it appeared on Gallic coins.

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Au XIVe siècle, le coq symbolisait la France en Allemagne, et il figure à côté du Roi de France sur les monnaies et les gravures à partir du XVIe siècle. Lors de la Révolution française, le coq se trouve sur des assiettes et sur le sceau du Directoire.
Translation

In the 14th century, the rooster symbolized France in Germany, and was featured next to the King of France on coins and engravings starting in the 16th century. During the French Revolution, the rooster was found on plates and on the Directory’s seal.

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Cependant, Napoléon 1er ne l’aimait pas – selon lui, « Le coq n’a point de force, il ne peut être l’image d’un empire tel que la France ». Ce n’est qu’avec une ordonnance de 1830 que le coq gaulois allait être de nouveau apprécié et apparaître sur les boutons d’uniformes et les drapeaux de la garde nationale. À la fin du XIXe siècle, il est devenu presque officiel, ornant la grille du parc du Palais de l’Elysée et la pièce d’or de 1899.
Translation

Nevertheless, Napoleon Bonaparte didn’t like it – to him, "The rooster has no strength, it cannot be the image of an empire like France." It was only with an 1830 edict that the Gallic rooster was once again appreciated and had to appear on the National Guard’s uniform buttons and flags. At the end of the 19th century, it became all but official, decorating the Élysée Palace’s gate and the 1899 gold coin.

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Le coq gaulois reste un symbole non officiel sur le sceau de l’État, qui date de la Seconde République.
Translation

The Gallic rooster remains an unofficial symbol on the State seal, which dates back to the Second Republic.

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Le coq gaulois
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Le coq gaulois

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