Results 1 to 21 of 21
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat
    Hans Mann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Last Online
    01-07-2016 @ 05:52 AM
    Location
    Land of Laughs
    Posts
    5,757

    Fury as France changes 2,000 spellings and ditches circumflex

    French linguistic purists have voiced online anger at the loss of one of their favourite accents – the pointy little circumflex hat (ˆ) that sits on top of certain vowels.

    A change in the spelling of some 2,000 French words will come into effect in new primary school textbooks being released for the start of the school year in September, the education ministry and publishers have announced.

    The circumflex accent will become optional for many words, as will other spelling changes that have purists rubbing their eyes – such as onion, which can now be spelled “ognon” as well as the traditional “oignon”.

    The changes, which have caused uproar on French Twitter, were first approved by the prestigious guardians of the French language, the Académie Française, in 1990.

    Since then both versions have been accepted, but the new spellings only began appearing in official documents in the past few years.

    The 2015 official bulletin on new school teaching curricula refers to the 1990 changes as the gold standard for teaching spelling.

    “What is new is a more explicit reference” to the reformed spelling in official material, said Sylvie Marce of the textbook publisher Belin. Some publishers had already made the changes.

    The changes were made to fix spelling anomalies and inconsistencies, according to a website devoted to the recommended spelling.

    It adds hyphens, takes them away, tweaks spellings and removes the circumflex from the ‘i’ and the ‘u’ where the accent makes no change to accent or meaning.

    The circumflex is “one of the main causes of errors and its usage is random”, said the website.

    But many are not convinced.

    “I will continue to use the circumflex, and to judge those who don’t,” wrote one Twitter user.

    The hashtag #JeSuisCirconflexe (I am circumflex) – a nod to the Je Suis Charlie phrase that swept social media after the attack on Charlie Hebdo in January last year – went viral in France.

    In other changes, “week-end” becomes “weekend” as in English, but the word “leader” takes on a more French spelling of “leadeur” in the recommended spelling.

    “This has been the official spelling in the Republic for 25 years. What is surprising is that we are surprised,” said Michel Lussault, president of the school curriculum board.

    “There were strange spelling anomalies linked to historic shifts so the Académie really made sure these changes were understandable,” he said.

    It was not an upheaval, he added, more a “clean-up”.

    When making the new spelling recommendations in 1990, the then “perpetual secretary” of the Académie Française Maurice Druon wrote that “language is a living thing”, adding: “Work should begin again in 30 years, if not earlier.”

    10 spellings that will change

    Oignon becomes ognon (onion)

    Nénuphar becomes nénufar (waterlily)

    S’entraîner becomes s’entrainer (to train)

    Maîtresse becomes maitresse (mistress or female teacher)

    Coût becomes cout (cost)

    Paraître becomes paraitre (to appear)

    Week-end becomes weekend (weekend)

    Mille-pattes becomes millepattes (centipede)

    Porte-monnaie becomes portemonnaie (wallet)

    Des après-midi becomes des après-midis (afternoons)

    Source: TF1

    Not the oignon: fury as France changes 2,000 spellings and ditches circumflex | World news | The Guardian

  2. #2
    Newbie

    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Last Online
    26-07-2016 @ 09:23 PM
    Posts
    37
    This language is so stupid anyway...

  3. #3
    En route
    Cujo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Last Online
    24-02-2024 @ 04:47 PM
    Location
    Reality.
    Posts
    32,939
    It's because the muslim refugees.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat
    wasabi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Last Online
    28-10-2019 @ 03:54 AM
    Location
    England
    Posts
    10,940
    The headline is too sensational "Fury" Bollocks , fury in France is blocking ports and setting fire to tyres on roads.
    The French have taken this change just like the English, by moaning in private.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat
    billy the kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last Online
    19-11-2016 @ 07:57 PM
    Posts
    7,636
    The french invited french teachers from around the world 7 or8 yrs ago to discuss changes to a complicated language.
    This must be the fruits of the get together.

  6. #6
    R.I.P.
    patsycat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Last Online
    08-11-2017 @ 09:54 PM
    Location
    Geneva
    Posts
    7,387
    I never got my head around writing French. I can speak and read, but writing is a non non!!! Shise, it's my second language.

    But, in my defense, every job i ever had i was employed as the "English mother tongue secretary" so i would help my French speaking colleagues with their English and they would help me with my French.

    It's the accents and the masculine Feminine thing that gets me. It's not a complicated language to learn to speak. But then i learned it from age nine.

    What the hell am i going to do with the chapeau button on my keyboard now!! ^^^^^^^^^

    In fact, the ten spellings in the OP is probably how i would write them anyway. and how many times do you write about waterlillies?!!
    Last edited by patsycat; 06-02-2016 at 05:18 PM.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat

    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Last Online
    25-03-2021 @ 08:47 AM
    Posts
    36,437
    "Those French. They have a different word for everything!"

    - Steve Martin

  8. #8
    Member
    Bettyboo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 05:39 PM
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    34,272
    The French are stupid, they control the language through the


    Quote Originally Posted by Hans Mann
    prestigious guardians of the French language, the Académie Française
    same as the stupid Thais do...

    This just stops the language from organically moving, and always makes it a power struggle; hence the language will always be 'out of date'.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    59,983
    Quote Originally Posted by Hans Mann
    When making the new spelling recommendations in 1990, the then “perpetual secretary” of the Académie Française Maurice Druon wrote that “language is a living thing”, adding: “Work should begin again in 30 years, if not earlier.”
    Indeed.

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat
    billy the kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last Online
    19-11-2016 @ 07:57 PM
    Posts
    7,636
    French is a lot easier than English to learn.

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat CaptainNemo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Last Online
    18-07-2020 @ 11:25 PM
    Location
    in t' naughty lass
    Posts
    5,525
    It's a bugger to type... I was trying to do one earlier for "role"; pretentious? moi?

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat
    BobR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Last Online
    19-03-2020 @ 02:26 AM
    Posts
    7,762
    What's the big deal, it'll be like British and American English in which you have 2 different spellings for many words and both are correct.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat
    billy the kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last Online
    19-11-2016 @ 07:57 PM
    Posts
    7,636
    I nkow hwat oyu eman mma.

  14. #14
    Member

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Last Online
    30-04-2023 @ 12:37 PM
    Posts
    186

    Ridiculous

    Quote Originally Posted by billy the kid View Post
    French is a lot easier than English to learn.
    I often read ridiculous things online but this is the best of the month !

  15. #15
    A Cockless Wonder
    Looper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 11:30 PM
    Posts
    15,187
    Quote Originally Posted by Bettyboo View Post
    The French are stupid, they control the language through the

    Quote Originally Posted by Hans Mann
    prestigious guardians of the French language, the Académie Française
    same as the stupid Thais do...

    This just stops the language from organically moving, and always makes it a power struggle; hence the language will always be 'out of date'.
    Have to agree. Language has a natural tendency to evolve. I did not use a subject (I) at the start of the first sentence. English strictly requires a subject. I have noticed people dropping subjects more frequently. Maybe English could become a null subject language like Spanish in the future.

    Quote Originally Posted by patsycat
    It's the accents and the masculine Feminine thing that gets me.
    I am trying to learn Russian. It is very complicated since each noun comes in a variety of cases. i.e. the spelling and pronunciation of each noun changes when the noun is the subject (nominative case), object (accusative case), possessor (genitive case), means of doing something to the accusative object (instrumental case), indirect object (dative case), relating to directionality (locative case).

    I am thinking of developing and learning my own simplified version of Russian which doesn't use cases. If I am still understood I might author and publish a guide to simplified Russian.

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat
    billy the kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last Online
    19-11-2016 @ 07:57 PM
    Posts
    7,636
    Quote Originally Posted by JournalistsAreLiars
    I often read ridiculous things online but this is the best of the month !
    Talkin Feb, another 21 days to go.

    It's what i got told. How many brits who can't even speak or write english proper like.

  17. #17
    Thailand Expat
    panama hat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Last Online
    21-10-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Way, Way South of the border now - thank God!
    Posts
    32,680
    Quote Originally Posted by thailanddogerator
    This language is so stupid anyway...
    Because you're too stupid to learn it

    Quote Originally Posted by billy the kid
    It's what i got told. How many brits who can't even speak or write english proper like.
    French is easier because it follows logic, unlike English which has more exceptions to rules than inclusion

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat
    billy the kid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last Online
    19-11-2016 @ 07:57 PM
    Posts
    7,636
    Yes got regular 90% + in my french.
    Only 65% in english
    50% in Irish.

    My french teacher was a Christian Brother and was right good at impersonating french folk which got a lot of laughs in class.
    Unfortunately he ended up in an institution many yrs later. Bless him. a good guy.

  19. #19
    Thailand Expat VocalNeal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 10:48 PM
    Location
    The Kingdom of Lanna
    Posts
    12,992
    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    I am trying to learn Russian.
    I did that in school. The headmasters sister-in-law was German and somehow got mixed up with Russian troops. (never fully explained)
    Anyway I was crap at it and my German was better than my French.

    Good luck. I didn't have the benefit of the availability of Russian hookers to help me.
    Better to think inside the pub, than outside the box?
    I apologize if any offence was caused. unless it was intended.
    You people, you think I know feck nothing; I tell you: I know feck all
    Those who cannot change their mind, cannot change anything.

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat Black Heart's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Planet Cylon
    Posts
    3,019
    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    I am trying to learn Russian.
    We hope you will post your experiences in the "Language" thread in the Lounge.



    It is very complicated since each noun comes in a variety of cases. i.e. the spelling and pronunciation of each noun changes when the noun is the subject (nominative case), object (accusative case), possessor (genitive case), means of doing something to the accusative object (instrumental case), indirect object (dative case), relating to directionality (locative case).
    Yes, I've heard it's challenging.

    I am thinking of developing and learning my own simplified version of Russian which doesn't use cases. If I am still understood I might author and publish a guide to simplified Russian.
    Now this, with all due respect, is laziness.


  21. #21
    Philippine Expat
    Davis Knowlton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Philippines
    Posts
    18,204
    I think 'fury' should be replaced in the title of this thread with 'mildly miffed'.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •