Note culturelle: l’Académie française
L’Académie française (The French Academy) is an institution whose purpose is to standardize the French language. This means that its 40 members are in charge of making sure the rules and proper use (le bon usage) of the language are taught and respected.
L’Académie is indeed comprised of 40 members, male or female, informally called the immortals (les immortels) because they are elected for life. They can be elected from any walk of life, regardless of their education. In 2015, Haitian-Canadian novelist and journalist Dany Laferrière was inducted into L’Académie.
L’Académie publishes an official dictionary of the French language, and it announces new words that make their way into the dictionary. One of the new words was smiley which entered the dictionary in 2019. The latest edition of the dictionary, the 9th edition, was published in 2012.
The French Academy was created in 1634 by a famous cardinal and minister to King Louis XIII, le cardinal Richelieu. In 1635, it became official by King Louis XIII.
Some famous immortels throughout history are Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Louis Pasteur.
Here are some additional readings to learn more about the French Academy:
