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.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.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 Academie 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 Academie Française Maurice Druon wrote that “language is a living thing”, adding: “Work should begin again in 30 years, if not earlier.”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 (centipedes)
Porte-monnaie becomes portemonnaie (wallet)
Des après-midi becomes des après-midis (afternoons)
Source: TF1
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