30 years of the new spelling rules!
The challenges of French spelling are sometimes exploited to exacerbate and perpetuate social inequalities. Is that really the role we want our language to play?
At En Clair, we think differently.
Using language that is more transparent without diminishing its brilliance, and employing a more logical spelling system without losing its richness—that is what will make our language more accessible while ensuring its primary function: living together in harmony!
In fact, the text below follows the new spelling guidelines. Can you spot the corrected words?
The one we still call “the new girl” isn’t actually that young anymore.
The history of the new spelling system actually began more than 30 years ago.
In 1989, prominent French linguists published the manifesto “Modernizing French Spelling” on the front page of the newspaper *Le Monde*. Their argument: spelling must keep pace with societal change.
That same year, a group of experts was tasked with drawing up a list of proposals to eliminate inconsistencies and unnecessary complications in French spelling.
In 1990, the Académie française unanimously approved these corrections.
The Academy, yes… but what about us French speakers? Have we accepted them?
Thirty years later, even though 21st-century technologies could have helped spread the revised spelling throughout the French-speaking world, few people are familiar with it, and many are wary of it.
"A language is alive, and so is its spelling."
This is the central argument of the 10 linguists who signed the 1989 manifesto.
French spelling undoubtedly has its charms, its richness, and its quirks, but like any cultural and political system, if it is to remain alive, it must evolve in accordance with the language it represents and the people who use it.
Let’s take the school system as an example of cultural and political change. Not so long ago, spelling was at the heart of learning. Daily dictations and grammar lessons took up most of students’ time, and they were constantly reminded that “bonhomme” has two “m”s while “bonhomie” has only one, and that hyphens are used exclusively between the tens and ones digits in numbers.
Education has, however, undergone a transformation. Computer science, ethics, social studies, health, the environment, the arts, and foreign languages have taken on considerable importance in the contemporary school system.
Should we reject these new areas of knowledge in order to devote more time to the past participle of “dissolve” and the three masculine nouns that become feminine in the plural? Shouldn’t we instead correct these anomalies to move toward a simpler and more logical spelling system?
There are many myths surrounding the proposed spelling changes.
The recommendations reached the French-speaking community in a trickle, with no overall plan and no method. Under these circumstances, it’s only natural to let one’s imagination run wild and believe the rumors.
Now we have to write “des chevals”—that’s terrible!
No, we shouldn't write “des chevals.” This urban legend, which came out of nowhere, quickly tarnished the reputation of the new spelling system in Quebec, along with other misconceptions.
The circumflex accent is gone! That's it—we won't be able to recognize words anymore.
No, the circumflex accent will not disappear. First of all, let’s celebrate: the circumflex accent remains on the “e”s. It is mainly the “i”s and “u”s —where the accent is not necessary—that are affected. Thus, in certain words, we retain the circumflex accent, for example, when it helps us distinguish between homophones (such as “sur” and “sûr,” “du” and “dû”), but we remove it from “surement,” since it serves no practical purpose.
So yes, we still have to deal with exceptions. But the recommendations reduce the number of exceptions from over 300 to… 7!
We're dumbing things down to make school easier. We're going to write based on how words sound!
No, the purpose of these corrections isn’t to change how sounds are written in order to reduce academic failure. Rest assured: we’re keeping all 46 ways to write the sound |o|! (Yes, you read that right: 46! o, ô, od, oh, ho, op, au, eau, ôt, aut, ault, eaud, aulx, … are you convinced?)
The proposed corrections do not distort the spelling; on the contrary, they make it more logical and consistent.
We have to learn everything all over again!
Not at all. Both spellings coexist, which means you can choose to write “oignon” or “ognon” in a recipe, or “trois cent vingt-et-un” or “trois-cent-vingt-et-un” on a check. However, you must be consistent within a single text and not use both “flûte” and “flute” at the same time!
So why is there so much resistance to the new spelling rules, then?
Several linguists cite the prestige and pride associated with mastery of the language to explain why the new spelling system is not immediately adopted by the general public. The issue of spelling, in fact, goes beyond linguistic concerns and extends into the cultural sphere.
Linguist Marie-Éva de Villers sums up the situation well: “Spelling is sacred, and once you’ve learned it, you don’t want to lose that advantage you have over people who don’t know it very well[1].”
At En Clair, we prefer to use our mastery of the language to promote social harmony.
The new spelling rules directly impact the research we are conducting on the properties of plain language. Our team of simplification consultants truly stands out for its ongoing reflection on the principles of clear and effective communication, and as you can see, our inquiries extend even to the spelling of words!
Many of us have a background in literature, and we all admire Marcel Proust’s work. But when it comes time to draft a contract, a guide, or a letter of engagement, we prefer to rely on the benefits of plain language and simplified spelling to ensure that as many people as possible can understand it. Everyone benefits—and so does our language.
By the way, have you counted the corrected words you've come across while reading?
Not counting the examples, there are 7! That's less than 1% of the words in the text.
Recognize (without a circumflex accent)
Paraitre (without a circumflex accent)
Dropper (with “drop” in the singular)
Reconnaitra (without a circumflex accent)
Will disappear (without a circumflex accent)
Leveling (with the letters “èle” instead of “elle” in the center)
Master's degree (without a circumflex accent)
Would you like to learn more about the new spelling rules, find out what they are, and see which words have been updated?
On the Web, you can visit:
OQLF Language Help Center
The website of the Quebec Group for the Modernization of French Language Standards
The news website created by the Association for New Spelling at the initiative of the Language Modernization Group
At bookstores, you can check out:
The little booklet *Millepatte on a Water Lily:A Guide to Recommended Spelling*, Renouvo, 2003.
*The Comprehensive Guide to Recommended Modern Spelling: Five Centipedes on a Water Lily* by Chantal Contant, 2009.
Sources
[1] In an interview with ICI Première on November 1, 2019. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/tout-un-matin/segments/entrevue/140426/faciliter-accord-participe-passe
Discover clear writing techniques tailored to complex content
Sign up for our training course, “Clear and Effective Writing: How to Be Precise, Understood, and Helpful.”
