It is always such an exciting time when the two major French Dictionaries, Le Petit Robert and Larousse publish their annual new editions and announce which are the new words accepted into the dictionaries, and thus into the French language.
What has always been interesting, is how the French do everything in their power to avoid accepting, willy-nilly, anglicised words. They do try to reflect, at all times, the French language as it is used, but if there is a good French word already, they will try to influence francophones to use the French equivalent rather than the popular Anglicism. Notably are words adopted in the electronic world of computers, PC’s, hardware and software. For example, the word ‘software’ has now, finally, after many years, popularly been spurned and replaced by the French ‘logiciel’ –
This year, many of the new words have to do with conservation and environmental concerns – and I am thrilled that there is now a word for someone like myself – I am now officially a locavore – that is someone who chooses to consume only locally produced and in-season fruits and vegetables in order to support sustainable development.
Other words include
• Saladerie : restaurant seling salads
• Citron : a ‘lemon’ – a dud – a car or other piece of equipment that has numerous defects
• Coloc : a flatmate, someone who shares your rent
• Footeux/Footeuse : After the World Cup, not surprising that the words for football fans/supporters are now official.
• Bioclimatique, biogas – bio meaning ‘organic’
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