The Controversial Connotations of the French Word Inclusive

David A. Andelman, a contributor to CNN and a two-time winner of the Deadline Club Award, is a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. He is the author of "A Red Line in the Sand: Diplomacy, Strategy, and the History of Wars That Might Still Happen" and blogs at SubStack's Andelman Unleashed. Previously, he served as a foreign correspondent and bureau chief in Europe and Asia for The New York Times and Paris for CBS News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. For more opinion pieces, visit CNN.

Since 1986, the 40 "immortals" of the French Academy, who are responsible for preserving the integrity of the French language, have been diligently working on the ninth edition of the French dictionary. They are painstakingly going through each letter.

David A. Andelman

They announced their most recent funding round, which focused on "sommation to spermatophytes," earlier this year. After completing the Rs in November 2012, they started working on the Ss in December 2017.

While working on the latest installment, the Academy noticed that certain terms such as "sous-maitre, sous-maitresse" (deputy master, deputy mistress) have become commonly used and therefore have been included in the official dictionary.

However, Senator Pascale Gruny is determined to change this. She has recently initiated a legislative proposal that would require everything, or rather everyone in official documents, to be referred to in the masculine form.

She refers to it as eliminating inclusiveness from the world, or at least a portion of it. Her accompanying memo states that "in order to safeguard the French language and maintain clarity and understanding," legislative intervention is required.

In essence, even if France were to elect a female president, she would still be referred to as Le Président (instead of La Présidente).

Banning the addition of feminine endings to nouns, which would make them applicable to both sexes instead of using the masculine, is included in this measure.

Homeless families asserted their right to housing by relocating to City Hall Square on November 5, 2022 in Paris, France.

Paris perpetuates a lamentable Olympic legacy as the French Senate recently endorsed the proposal to prohibit gender-inclusive terminology in official French documents. The vote, with 221 in favor and 82 against, paves the way for Members of Parliament to determine its fate as law, but a specific date for the voting remains undisclosed.

Gruny, one of the senators who proposed the bill, successfully convinced the Senate that important matters like language inclusivity should not be solely controlled by a conservative and long-standing group of individuals in the French Academy. Despite the fact that the Academy published its initial dictionary in 1694, a mere 59 years after starting its work, it has taken several decades, and even up to a century in some cases, for the Academicians to officially incorporate language revisions into print. (By the way, they are still making final adjustments to the eighth edition, which dates back to the 1930s.)

The French Senate, now appearing as a legitimate arm of state power, has assumed control over the situation. This prompts an important query: Could this action potentially serve as a legislative tool to eliminate the oppressive rule of the French Academy? It's worth mentioning that this group convenes only once a week, on Thursday mornings, with the aim of modernizing a language that likely requires some simplification.

During an interview this week, I asked Gruny a question. To my surprise, she was horrified and immediately raised her hands to emphasize her disagreement. She strongly emphasized the fact that the French Constitution, specifically Article 2, explicitly states that the official language of the Republic is French.

A rally took place in Paris on Thursday, March 23, 2023, where protesters marched to voice their concerns. It was the first mass demonstration organized by French unions since President Emmanuel Macron controversially raised the retirement age without parliamentary voting, igniting public anger. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Christophe Ena/AP

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Gruny expressed to me from her Senate offices, which overlooked a section of the Jardins de Luxembourg, that she views the progress made in achieving equality between men and women as a long-standing struggle.

Upon entering her offices, I reached out my hand and addressed her as "Senatrice Gruny?" In response, she formed a smile and gently shook her finger, correcting me by saying, "No, no, I am not a senator."

In this highly polarized French government and society, it is not surprising that much of the discussion has become political. This will undoubtedly make the bill a contentious issue as it progresses through the National Assembly. The left strongly opposes the idea of eliminating feminisms, with Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing populist France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party, declaring, "The French language should be accessible to all its speakers."

The right embraces it, even the epitome of centrism, French President Emmanuel Macron, suggested that the proposed bill may not be a bad idea. He has embraced all efforts to establish French as a central language for the world. In fact, last month, the Macron government lodged two complaints with the European Union's top court, alleging that European bureaucrats are frequently hired based on tests conducted solely in English, which is a clear case of discrimination.

As part of his continuous campaign to promote the use of French globally, the French president has taken further steps. Coinciding with the passage of Grunys bill in the Senate, Macron recently inaugurated the Citè International de la Langue Française (The International City of the French language) at the historic Chateau de Villers-Cotterêts. This majestic castle, constructed in 1532 by King François I upon his return from captivity in Spain, now serves as a symbol of the French language's significance. Don't miss out on our complimentary weekly newsletter!

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Macron emphasized in his inauguration of the Cité the importance of preserving the French language while also upholding its grammar and syntax. He expressed the need to resist external influences and maintain the language's foundations. Interestingly, in French, every noun is classified as masculine or feminine, making it challenging for non-native speakers to navigate. For example, a newspaper is referred to as "un journal" (masculine), while television is "la télévision" (feminine).

As someone who has consistently used and studied French throughout my adult life, I must admit that I find its intricate gender system challenging and sometimes illogical. Frankly, I would be delighted to see French evolve into a more inclusive language, although I remain skeptical about the likelihood of this happening in the near future.