“Because I had a passion for words. Two points. In secret, comma, in a little notebook, comma, I made a collection of them, comma, like some do for stamps. Final point. Good memory for some, anxiety and terror for others, the phrasing of the teacher during dictation is a memory common to all schoolchildren, current or from a distant past.
And it is to revive some reminiscence that the Comité des Champs-Elysées proposes to organize next Sunday, June 4, the “Grand dictée des Champs”. In all, 1,700 desks and as many chairs will be placed on the “most beautiful avenue in the world” to transform it, for the space of a day, into a giant classroom.
A world record in sight
And the term is not overused, since by displaying full, this dictation would become the largest in the world. A record that the organizers intend to glean since the Guinness book teams will, of course, be invited.
“The Champs-Élysées is the place of major French heritage events, justifies Marc-Antoine Jamet, president of the Champs-Élysées Committee, the place of the Liberation with General de Gaulle who walks down the avenue, the historic arrival of the Tour de France, victory in the Football World Cup in 1998.”
The “Champs” are also “the most beautiful illuminations in the world”, argue the organizers, “scrutinized and imitated from Rio de Janeiro to Hong Kong”, adds Marc-Antoine Jamet.
A giant open-air classroom
A prestige that deserves the greatest and most beautiful according to the organizer: “We wanted to marry these two monuments of French literature and imagination that are dictation and the Champs-Élysées. “A marriage of contrasts, between the simplicity of the exercise, which requires only a sheet, a pen and words, and the grandeur of the avenue, place of all superlatives in the minds of organizers and millions of visitors who walk its cobblestones every year.
To recreate the atmosphere of the classroom, a huge blackboard will be installed in the direction of the Arc de Triomphe, and many readers, including some personalities, will walk the aisles to dictate and recreate the well-known atmosphere of the students. “The spirit is not about competition. It is just as much a tribute to the teaching staff, as an opportunity to share with the family, an experience that grandparents and grandchildren alike have known well. »
Reconcile participants with spelling
A good-natured atmosphere to which the master of ceremonies, Rachid Santaki is very attached. Well aware of the trauma that the exercise may have caused in many students, Bernard Pivot’s successor to the unofficial title of “Monsieur Dictée français” insists on extracting the exercise from the simple diktat of the notes. “The corrections will be made on the principle of self-assessment. The objective is clear: reconcile with spelling, have fun and arouse curiosity. “I want people to say to themselves: ‘It’s a good delirium to redo a dictation on the Champs’. »
In the matter, Rachid Santaki knows about it. Holder of the current world record with a dictation to the 1,473 participants at the Stade de France in 2018, the writer is already enthusiastic about the idea of the event on June 4: “Imagine a classroom of 6,600 m2 in the open air between the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. It is an extraordinary setting. With the bonus of taking part in a world record. »
And in extraordinary event, extraordinary device. Up to three texts, a main dictation and two themes, on which the participants will decide. The latter can be reassured, no dictation by Mérimée on the program. Reputed to be the most difficult in the French language, this text written in 1857 at the request of Empress Eugénie gave Napoleon III and Alexandre Dumas fils cold sweats, who got away with 75 and 24 mistakes respectively. “The planned texts will be originals, specially designed for the occasion”, explains Rachid Santaki. Each of these dictations lasts between 20 and 25 minutes and will be the subject of three readings. A first that allows you to appropriate text. One second slower for writing. And a third for proofreading.
Several personalities expected to read
Those who have made less than four mistakes will be able to ask to have their score validated by one of the many correctors present for the occasion, an independent jury of around thirty teachers selected by Acadomia, partner of the event.
Not enough to lose his Latin in short. Unless you are distracted by the presence of a celebrity at your side. Indeed, if his name is only revealed in a few days, a renowned godfather or godmother will be present for the reading of the dictations. Something to add to the influence and attractiveness of the event.
Those who wish to participate can already get back to training on Prosper Mérimée’s text, reread the autumn morning by Louis Pergaud in There Button War and above all register on the online platform created for the occasion.