Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-12-05
TO REFORM FRENCH

The Interesting news comes ffou
france that important reforms arc con
tomplated In the photography u TN,
French language. After much dis
cussion the members OF the Academic
Fnucalse have resolved to propos,
not less than 1900 changes and 10 Issue
a pamphlet containing these, Tor the
bcnUlt Of the public.
ltia stated that the Academic has
taken this step as a concession 10
public pressure in the matior. Petitions
from great number Of literary insll.
tuiiona were received, and among
others from tho Iusii,ut do France,
which Il considered second iu import.
nuoo only 10 the Aoad, mic itself This
accounts Tor the pfompiucss with
which the acaicmlcInus, contrary TO
custom, seem 10 have autsi this ume.
Among the proposed changes are the
following. m viii b. discarded whore
It has the sound Of rlurals will DO
formed only by the addition Of an TO
tho singular. Generally an effort g..
wards simpllfication viii be- made.
Tor Will be rOis, Js usus Is 10 take the
place ofys rcur, and No on. u has also
been decided 10 Introduce some Eng.
iish words Tor which the French Ian.
guage has no true equivalents, ~ Tor
Instance One (home), - me (splcenl
THIS will give some idea u the PRO.
posed fc'ormatoty measures, although
full understanding OF thom can be
obtained only when tho announced
brochure appears.
One Of the objects OF the French
academy, as sol forth la IL statutes, IL
the publication Of the language. "The
principal junction Of the academy shall
DO 10 labor with all care and diligence
10 give certain rules 10 our language,
and 10 render II pure, eloquent and
capable OF treating the arts and scl.
cncu.." Ina lottor to Cardinal Rich.
elirui 10 whom tho academy owes il
Official recognition n not its existence,
It was stated that the memuers pro.
posed "tl cleanse tho language from
the Impurities Il has contracted In the
mouths Of the com on people, from
tue JargOn Of tho lawyers, nom the
miausngts OF ignorant cour,Iers ana
the abuses Of the pulpit" Itis there.
lore strictly within tho scope Of this
famous institute Of learning to take tue
initiative Ia a matter OF this kind.
Tho great question, however, IL.
what are tho prospects VI fucceai? tx.
pcrloucu teaches that Efforts TO change
languages by the imposition Of new
hwHand rules generally fail. speoeu
follows certain Laws Of DEVELOPMENT,
ua every other growth OF civilization,
but It 10 necessarily slow, a century !
often being required 10 mark any great |
difference. II people Ia general arc
conservative In anything, they |
are as regards tho medium ny |
which they communicate their
thoughts % each other It's much |
easter Go continue tho Inconvenience |
with which ono Is made familiar |
almost from the earliest days OF CHILD. /
hood, than 20 adopt radical ohauges iu
after years. A good illustration Of this
is, iog instance, the present condition
Of The wilton language VI Norway.
5oou niter that country had been
separated lrln Denmark. patriots con-
ceivut the ltog Ui creating OUT Ut tue
various Norwegian dialects, ~ sp0kcu
By 'hu mass OF the ueoplc, written
language, distinct IA fFom Danish
'nl Swedish, Some d, tho iluguists o.
.ue country spuu, years On this work.
but tho Written language OF the |
country i1 today, as 10 was half
century ago essentially Danish.
similar Instances might bg pointed ont
rom botn ancient aud modern history.
The French academy itself We
are told, has repeatedly muo. .
Loo iis attempts % make nov
aW Tor the language of tho country.
sun mo- one will underestimate tho
Importance of this prescott uIlU; lF'
lutoniy nro REFORMS highly urgI.IIl
Doc French, but quite a5 much, .. u1,
more, iu other IoIaJuI hasut-v, AMI
% point out iu waIal direction tnn
desirable alteration mus. r., aud {.