IN FRENCH, as in English, full stops traditionally belong at the end of sentences. But lately they have been invading the middle of words. Organisers of recent university sit-ins have called on étudiant.e.s (students) to join the blockades. Pressure groups urge their militant.e.s (activists) and adhérent.e.s (members) to take part in rallies. Normally, the forms of these nouns ending with “es” are feminine; those with just an “s” are masculine. The optional “e” between full stops attempts to make them unisex. It is all part of l’écriture inclusive, or inclusive writing—a defiant response to charges of French linguistic patriarchy.
As every student of French knows, the traditional rule is that “the masculine form takes precedence over the feminine”. So an adjective that refers jointly to masculine and feminine nouns—des garçons et des filles intelligents...Continue reading
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