In a landmark event, the long-awaited ninth edition of the Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française was presented to President Emmanuel Macron at the Collège des Quatre-Nations in Paris. This gathering of the French Academy, composed of 40 esteemed members known as immortels, symbolizes nearly four decades of effort culminating in this latest edition, the first major update since the eighth edition was completed in 1935.
Initially commissioned in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the Academy set out to establish rules for the French language and create a definitive dictionary. However, the meticulous process has been notably slow, with linguists highlighting that the pace of progress leaves much to be desired. “The effort is praiseworthy, but so excessively tardy that it is perfectly useless,” declared a group of linguists in the Liberation newspaper.
Despite introducing 21,000 new words reflecting changes from the 1950s to the present, the ninth edition struggles to stay relevant amidst rapid language evolution. Notably absent are modern terms such as tiktokeur, vlog, smartphone, and émoji, which have become staples in contemporary conversation.
Interestingly, while the dictionary does accommodate emerging trends like female job titles for ambassador and professor, it still defines marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman—a definition that contradicts current societal norms in France. Critics argue that the dictionary cannot serve as a reliable resource when it falls behind current language usage, particularly compared to more agile digital counterparts.
Collaboration within the Academy remains a weekly ritual under the presidency of Amin Maalouf, who oversees the discussions on definitions crafted by outside specialists. However, some scholars, including English poet Michael Edwards, have voiced their dissatisfaction over the lack of inclusion of nuanced terms in the language, exemplified by his failed push to add the word improfond (undeep).
Overall, while the ninth edition of the Dictionnaire de l’Académie Française has achieved a significant milestone, it opens the door to ongoing conversations about the future of the French language and the process of documenting its evolution in a digital age.
