https://sputnikglobe.com/20211120/iel-france-divided-after-dictionary-introduces-gender-neutral-pronoun-1090886964.html
Iel: France Divided After Dictionary Introduces Gender Neutral Pronoun
Iel: France Divided After Dictionary Introduces Gender Neutral Pronoun
Sputnik International
Lawmaker François Jolivet, member of the governing party La Republique En Marche!, wrote a letter to the French Academy, dubbing the dictionary’s decision to... 20.11.2021, Sputnik International
2021-11-20T16:37+0000
2021-11-20T16:37+0000
2021-11-20T16:37+0000
france
europe
lgbtq
gender neutrality
brigitte macron
la republique en marche
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Brigitte Macron, the first lady of France, has voiced her opposition to the gender neutral pronoun "iel", which has been added to the French dictionary Le Petit Robert. Iel is a combination of two other pronouns Il (he) and elle (she). Gender neutral pronouns are used by members of the LGBTQ+ community to refer to transgender individuals or non-binary people.Mrs Macron, who is a French schoolteacher, did not approve of the new word. "There are two pronouns, he and she. French language is so beautiful and two pronouns is good", she said.While her statement sounded relatively neutral, some politicians didn’t mince their words when commenting on the news. Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said no cause justifies "the crushing of the French language". Mr Blanquer and other members of the governing party accused the dictionary of "wokeism".However, not all politicians opposed the inclusion of the new pronoun. Elisabeth Moreno, minister delegate for gender equality, called the dictionary’s move "progress for people who want to recognise themselves in this pronoun". "I don't see what it takes away from those who don't feel like using it", she said.People online were also divided on the issue. Some criticised the introduction of the new pronoun, claiming it poses a threat to the French language.Tweet: "Comments from the far left make me want to vomit. The French language has deteriorated sufficiently for several years. Those who speak of evolution want to destroy an entire section of French culture to satisfy a political fantasy of extreme inclusion".Tweet: "Of course inclusive writing is so relevant, so beautiful, so easy to write and read! And why will you tell me? Because some morons have forgotten that manners and language are not linked and that the plural makes the masculine neutral in French! Idiocy".Other netizens deemed that the introduction is useful and is a sign that the language is evolving.Tweet: "I do not understand the criticism of this pronoun. I, who hate the woke ideology, have no problem making the French language evolve towards a neutral genre. It is a living language. It's better than the midpoint. Non-binary doesn't necessarily mean woke".Tweet: "Brigitte Macron hurts all those for whom 'iel' is a recognition! 'Iel' is progress, not an obligation".Still others noted that other languages have gender neutral pronouns.Tweet: "This iel is a reappropriation of the French language (which has ALWAYS evolved, for that it says living language eh). At one time, we had a neutral pronoun, which we lost over time. And a lot of countries have one in their language, so why not us?"Iel is a "personal subject pronoun of the third person singular and plural, used to refer to a person of any gender". "The use of the pronoun iel in inclusive communication", reads the dictionary.Charles Bimbenet, the director of Le Petit Robert, has denied that the introduction of the gender neutral pronoun is a form of inclusive activism. He said the role of the dictionary is to reflect changes in the language and how it was actually used. According to Bimbenet, in recent months the "iel" pronoun has been increasingly more used.
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france, europe, lgbtq, gender neutrality, brigitte macron, la republique en marche
france, europe, lgbtq, gender neutrality, brigitte macron, la republique en marche
Iel: France Divided After Dictionary Introduces Gender Neutral Pronoun
Lawmaker François Jolivet, member of the governing party La Republique En Marche!, wrote a letter to the French Academy, dubbing the dictionary’s decision to add a new pronoun as an ideological intrusion that "destroys" the country’s values. He also accused the dictionary’s authors of being "woke".
Brigitte Macron, the first lady of France, has voiced her opposition to the gender neutral pronoun "iel", which has been added to the French dictionary Le Petit Robert. Iel is a combination of two other pronouns Il (he) and elle (she).
Gender neutral pronouns are used by members of the LGBTQ+ community to refer to transgender individuals or non-binary people.
Mrs Macron, who is a French schoolteacher, did not approve of the new word. "There are two pronouns, he and she. French language is so beautiful and two pronouns is good", she said.
While her statement sounded relatively neutral, some politicians didn’t mince their words when commenting on the news. Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said no cause justifies "the crushing of the French language". Mr Blanquer and other members of the governing party accused the dictionary of "wokeism".
However, not all politicians opposed the inclusion of the new pronoun. Elisabeth Moreno, minister delegate for gender equality, called the dictionary’s move "progress for people who want to recognise themselves in this pronoun".
"I don't see what it takes away from those who don't feel like using it", she said.
People online were also divided on the issue. Some criticised the introduction of the new pronoun, claiming it poses a threat to the French language.
Tweet: "
Comments from the far left make me want to vomit. The French language has deteriorated sufficiently for several years. Those who speak of evolution want to destroy an entire section of French culture to satisfy a political fantasy of extreme inclusion". Tweet: "Of course inclusive writing is so relevant, so beautiful, so easy to write and read! And why will you tell me? Because some morons have forgotten that manners and language are not linked and that the plural makes the masculine neutral in French! Idiocy".
Other netizens deemed that the introduction is useful and is a sign that the language is evolving.
Tweet: "I do not understand the criticism of this pronoun. I, who hate the woke ideology, have no problem making the French language evolve towards a neutral genre. It is a living language. It's better than the midpoint. Non-binary doesn't necessarily mean woke".
Tweet: "Brigitte Macron hurts all those for whom 'iel' is a recognition! 'Iel' is progress, not an obligation".
Still others noted that other languages have gender neutral pronouns.
Tweet: "This iel is a reappropriation of the French language (which has ALWAYS evolved, for that it says living language eh). At one time, we had a neutral pronoun, which we lost over time. And a lot of countries have one in their language, so why not us?"
Iel is a "personal subject pronoun of the third person singular and plural, used to refer to a person of any gender". "The use of the pronoun iel in inclusive communication", reads the dictionary.
Charles Bimbenet, the director of Le Petit Robert, has denied that the introduction of the gender neutral pronoun is a form of inclusive activism. He said the role of the dictionary is to reflect changes in the language and how it was actually used. According to Bimbenet, in recent months the "iel" pronoun has been increasingly more used.
"In addition, the meaning of the word 'iel' can not be understood by reading it alone (…) and it seemed useful to us to specify its meaning for those who meet it, whether they wish to use it or on the contrary … reject it", Charles Bimbenet wrote.
