Masculin ou féminin?

 

I just came across this article in Le Monde about a curious rule in French in which adjectives and articles are masculine for mixed gender groups, and the movement to update the rule to our more egalitarian times.

The official rule, according the the Académie française, the institution set up by Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII in 1637, makes adjectives masculine because "le genre masculin est réputé plus noble que le féminin à cause de la supériorité du mâle sur la femelle", that is, according to the Académie, male is more noble than female. The article notes that in propogating the language over the centuries, the notion of female inferiority is reinforced.

Incredible that it takes until 2012 to try to update the rule. The proponents of the appeal to change the rule suggest the Greek and Latin rule of proximity should replace the current practice. They suggest that the adjective should agree with the noun that is closer to it.

Here is an example of the old rule:

Les garçons et les filles sont beaux (masculin adjective).

And the new proposed rule:

Les garçons et les filles sont belles (female adjective because it is closer to the word filles).

The proposed rule is flexible, egalitarian, and communicates instead of indoctrinates. The Académie is considering the proposal, but I am not holding my breath. In the meantime, we will have a good discussion in French class and I will look forward to more progressive writing among my students.