New Pronoun Causes Debate in French Society
2021-11-28
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1Le Robert, one of France's leading dictionaries,
2 said recently that it added a new pronoun to its online list of words.
3The publication's researchers noticed growing usage of the pronoun in recent months.
4The pronoun is "iel."
5It can be used with non-binary people - people who do not identify themselves as male or female.
6In English,
7"they" has been in use for several years by people who do not identify themselves as male or female.
8Some well-known people - including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris - put their pronoun on Twitter,
9in emails and on documents.
10This shows readers which pronoun to use with them.
11The move by Le Robert created debate in a country where the rules of language are very important.
12It also has created debate in the French press and on social media, with several politicians taking issue with the term.
13The French government is against the idea.
14The Education Ministry resisted earlier attempts to make such changes in language teaching at schools.
15Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer does not support teaching what is called inclusive writing.
16That is writing that uses new kinds of pronouns such as "iel."
17"Inclusive writing is not the future of the French language," Blanquer wrote on Twitter recently.
18He added that he supported parliament member Francois Jolivet's protest against Le Robert's move.
19In a letter to the Academie Francaise,
20Jolivet wrote that the use of the words "iel, ielle, iels and ielles" would lead more people to accept the "woke ideology,"
21which would destroy French values.
22Jolivet added that the dictionary's action "undermines our common language...and divides users rather than uniting them."
23Le Robert director Charles Bimbenet said dictionaries include many words that express different ideas.
24But the dictionaries themselves do not necessarily support these ideas.
25Since the word "iel" is used more and more, it is useful to include the term in the dictionary.
26Bimbenet added,
27 "The Robert's mission is to observe the evolution of a diverse French language as it evolves and to report on it.
28Defining the words that speak of the world is to help understand it better."
29I'm John Russell.
1Le Robert, one of France's leading dictionaries, said recently that it added a new pronoun to its online list of words. 2The publication's researchers noticed growing usage of the pronoun in recent months. 3The pronoun is "iel." It can be used with non-binary people - people who do not identify themselves as male or female. 4In English, "they" has been in use for several years by people who do not identify themselves as male or female. Some well-known people - including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris - put their pronoun on Twitter, in emails and on documents. This shows readers which pronoun to use with them. 5The move by Le Robert created debate in a country where the rules of language are very important. It also has created debate in the French press and on social media, with several politicians taking issue with the term. 6The French government is against the idea. The Education Ministry resisted earlier attempts to make such changes in language teaching at schools. 7Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer does not support teaching what is called inclusive writing. That is writing that uses new kinds of pronouns such as "iel." 8"Inclusive writing is not the future of the French language," Blanquer wrote on Twitter recently. 9He added that he supported parliament member Francois Jolivet's protest against Le Robert's move. 10In a letter to the Academie Francaise, Jolivet wrote that the use of the words "iel, ielle, iels and ielles" would lead more people to accept the "woke ideology," which would destroy French values. 11Jolivet added that the dictionary's action "undermines our common language...and divides users rather than uniting them." 12Le Robert director Charles Bimbenet said dictionaries include many words that express different ideas. But the dictionaries themselves do not necessarily support these ideas. Since the word "iel" is used more and more, it is useful to include the term in the dictionary. 13Bimbenet added, "The Robert's mission is to observe the evolution of a diverse French language as it evolves and to report on it. Defining the words that speak of the world is to help understand it better." 14I'm John Russell. 15Geert De Clercq reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 16_________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18dictionary -n. a book that contains words listed in alphabetical order and that gives information about the words' meanings, forms and how to say them 19woke - adj. paying attention to perceived injustice or racism in society 20undermine - v. to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way 21evolution -n. a process of slow change and development 22diverse -adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other