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Thursday, the forty "Immortals" have adopted by a large majority a report favorable to the feminization of trade names. RFI / Pierre René-Worms

The French Academy adopted this Thursday, February 28 to " a large majority " a report on the feminization of trade names stressing that there was " no obstacle in principle to feminization " names of trades and professions. The text adopted by the academicians explains that it is " a natural evolution of language, constantly observed since the Middle Ages ".

As everyone knows, the French Academy is the eye-catching guardian of the good use of the French language. According to her, all evolutions promoting the place of women in society are to be considered, so it is true for trades names.

The old institution does not intend to draw up an exhaustive list of the names of trades and their feminization, any more than strict rules. She knows that it is the vitality of language that will decide.

The French academy thus retains in its report hitherto taboo words as "professor". It wishes to make it clear that the use of these forms in "eure" which is debated does not pose a threat to the structure of the language provided that the final "e" mute is not pronounced. In this spirit, the Academy also accepts "author", "author" and "writer".

The feminization of trade names is a measure already in force for some forty years in many French-speaking countries such as Belgium, Switzerland or the Canadian province of Quebec.

► (Re) read: France: the French Academy publishes its dictionary on the internet