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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 7, 2018 15:20:44 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 7, 2018 16:06:00 GMT
The Académie Française is indeed a fabulous institution and a national treasure, even if it is obsolete. I don't see why it needs to be rich, though.
In modern times, it really has very little influence on the evolution of the language -- just like in other countries, the news media and popular culture are the source of modern words. Interestingly enough, a new word was proposed just yesterday (but not by the Académie) to replace the excessive use of the English language term "fake news." It is now suggested that people use the term "infox". It is a merger of the words "infos" (news) and "intoxication" but I find the resulting "fox" inside the word to be quite appropriate.
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Post by lagatta on Oct 7, 2018 16:29:16 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Oct 7, 2018 16:30:36 GMT
I've heard infox but also intox used in that sense...
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 7, 2018 17:02:03 GMT
They wanted a new term because an "intox" could be just about anything, such as urban legends or celebrity gossip.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 7, 2018 17:36:40 GMT
I find the resulting "fox" inside the word to be quite appropriate. Ha -- that's what I immediately thought of as well. I applaud the idea of honoring the mother tongue to the degree of having such a thing as the Académie Française. Lack of respect for ones language leads not only to inelegance of expression, but to imprecision in speech and writing -- surely something to be avoided. In the words of one the Immortals quoted in the article: “We are not here to stop change, but to push language in the way of greatest eloquence, resourcefulness, and beauty; to steer it in the direction of the best French possible.” A noble goal!
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