On the occasion of French Language Week, we question how the language evolves and how new words find their way into the dictionary. French is “ a living language, we have many words which appear, sometimes which disappear », explains Géraldine Moinard, lexicographer and editorial director of Editions Le Robert. Interview.
RFI: What does the work of a lexicographer consist of?
Geraldine Moinard : The job of a lexicographer is to design, write and above all update dictionaries. Updating a dictionary means introducing new words, since the French language is a living language, so we have a lot of words that appear, sometimes disappear. Many words appear and remain in the language and we need to understand them. Our job is to identify these words and add the most representative and long-lasting ones to the dictionary to describe their meaning obviously, but also their spelling and pronunciation. Then, we explain how they are used and give their synonyms. We think of these new words, but there are also all the words that already exist in the dictionary, which already have articles and which we will have to update, because we also have words which already exist, which will take new meanings. For example, “hybrid”. We will be able to define it more as a driving force, but also in the more varied sense which will also apply in the field of work and in meetings since Covid. New expressions also appear like “being in PLS”, which entered the dictionary last year. “PLS” was a lateral security position in the medical field. And then, suddenly, young people will use this expression to designate: being in PLS, basically, I’m at the end of my life! There are also things that exist that will need to be updated. It’s a somewhat invisible work, but very important.
How do you choose the words that go into the dictionary?
We have three main criteria which are frequency, diffusion and sustainability. For frequency, the word must appear, it must be used enough, not just by two or three people, and then see it appear a lot. As far as diffusion is concerned, we see the word appearing in different sources, not just in purely scientific vocabulary. For example, the word “microplastic”. It’s a word that appeared in 2004. We discovered that it designates a small volume of plastic, micro-pieces of plastic which can then be found in fish or in humans. At the start of the research, the term remained confined to the scientific field with a low frequency of diffusion. Then, as the research progresses, we will talk about it in the press, so it will be disseminated. People will hear about “microplastic”, we will find it in the scientific press, but also in the more general popular press. There, everyone will need to understand this word and we see that it remains in use. It takes a few years and it’s not a word that will disappear, because it’s reality and the problem exists. So, we also meet the third criterion which is sustainability. We see that “microplastic” meets three criteria: frequency, we often hear about it and not only in the very specialized scientific press, and finally sustainability, the word is well established and it will last.
How do social networks play in the creation of new words that will enter the dictionary?
I’m not sure that social networks play so much in creation, because we have always created a lot of words. The French language has always been very alive and there are words. There are many that are being created. On the other hand, I think that it plays a very important role in dissemination through the networks, due to the fact that we talk to each other a lot, that information circulates extremely quickly through the networks. So, the word that is created, if it works well and if it proves useful, it will be able to be used very quickly. But before social networks, we had diffusion which was mainly done through more traditional media: the press, television, radio. Today, it is the fourth channel which allows very rapid broadcasting.
Many anglicisms have been used in everyday language for years. How do you explain the influence of English and other languages on French? ?
Yes, for many years! Anglicisms were already seen in the literature of the mid-20th century. There have always been anglicisms, they were not the same. We said a drink for a drink or briefcase to designate a small suitcase. There have always been Anglicisms, but they do not have a very long lifespan. We have plenty of 20th century Anglicisms in our dictionaries and which are today only in The Great Robert, because we don’t use them that much anymore. So, this phenomenon of borrowing is not new. This is a phenomenon that occurs in all languages. We borrow more from English than from other languages because of the place of English in the world. It is a language that is very present in the media, very present both on scientific concepts often written in English or in American series which have a lot of space. So, obviously, there are a lot of Anglicisms, but they are not always very durable. We actually bring in every year Little Robert some anglicisms simply because they end up taking root in the French language and there are not necessarily other words to designate the reality in question. We saw it with the word crush, for example, to designate a little crush, a crush. Today, young people use this word a lot. This is also true for scientific words. Generally, as they come from English, but which are sometimes translated, as the word metaverse in English which will be translated as “metaverse”. There are also anglicisms in the domain of series like spoiler and it’s a bit unavoidable. Even if there are propositions like disclosing, it is spoiler which is mainly employed. So at some point, we’re going to need to understand it and put it in the dictionary.
But there are not only Anglicisms. We notice words in the field of gastronomy that come from all over the world. Specialties that will develop, such as poke bowlfor example, which comes from Hawaiian and Lebanese cuisine, for example, with the tabbouleh. And then, there are also words that come from Africa, which will spread a little more through song and through cultural exchanges. I am thinking, for example, of the goa word that designates a girlfriend who entered into Little Robert two years ago. It is a word that came from Ivory Coast and which also ended up being used in France and in French-speaking countries in Europe. So, after a while, it also enters the dictionary.
What is the influence of Africa in the evolution of the French language?
There are many words that remain used almost mainly in Africa. It’s so vast and we’re so far away, but there are still exchanges. I am thinking of examples like “ambiner” or “grazer”, which entered into Little Robert. Every year we have at least one word that was born in Africa.
How many new words enter the dictionary per year?
There are between 100 and 150 new words or expressions each year. There are also meanings, such as the word “hybrid” which will take on a different meaning from that which already existed or the word “cryptocurrency” which is evolving.
How is the French language evolving?
There are a lot of words that appear. From the moment the language is always capable of creating new words, it evolves. These are not only English entries, we can also see words being created with prefixes, even on Greek prefixes. I was talking about “microplastic” or “reparability”: the words that we manage to form in French, which take and which diffuse. So the language is able to adapt to today’s society. That being said, we can always hear people saying that young people no longer know how to speak. But it’s a speech we’ve always heard. There are already works on the subject at the beginning of the 20th century. I believe that, ultimately, you have to be careful, you have to continue to maintain your language, to consult dictionaries.
You have made a free tool available to Internet users, Little Robert online.
In this online dictionarywe have all the reference of Roberta dictionary which is already quite complete, certainly not quite as complex as Little Robert Or The Great Robert which we will be able to find on subscription. But, the online dictionary is still rich, free, accessible to everyone around the world provided they have an internet connection. It is not always easy to have access to a printed dictionary or to carry it with you. Regardless of the location, with this tool, you have access to a reference source. Among other things, you can consult the meaning of words, the definition, you can listen to the pronunciation, find synonyms, obviously the spelling, combinations of words, that is to say which words are frequently used with this word , conjugations, grammar, etc. There are also a whole bunch of in-depth articles on the French language that decode certain words and present the language in a lively and friendly way. And then exercises to train, to play with the language. It’s a great tool for enriching your vocabulary.
The free online dictionary:
https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com/