232:
in-between space that serves some non-binary individuals who see themselves on a spectrum between traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine). At the same time, the phonetic and orthographic similarity iel shares with il and elle allows interlocutors and readers to easily recognise it as a third-person subject pronoun.
240:
some people in non-binary communities reject iel on the premise that it is indeed too similar to standard subject pronouns. They express concern that this similarity could lead people to believe it is a slight mispronunciation or typo (and not its own unique non-binary pronoun) and/or not to notice a
245:
Debates around the pronoun have also focused on the difficulty of introducing gender neutrality into a language where every noun falls into one of two genders. Even in cases where a gender neutral pronoun is used in a sentence, the rest of the words in that sentence would still need to be conjugated
222:
have argued in favour of the pronoun's use, arguing that it makes the language more inclusive and less sexist. Some advocates have also raised concerns that lack of gender neutral options in French might force non-binary people to turn towards languages that do have more prominent gender neutral
231:
While some neologisms have not yet taken off, the personal pronoun iel (pronounced ; sometimes written yel) is indeed surfacing as a promising alternative to il and elle. Phonetically, it blends properties of the binary pronouns il and elle, which suggests a fusion or continuum of the two (an
183:
In August 2019, the
Canadian federal government's Language Portal of Canada stated that "writing in a way that is inclusive of non-binary people is a contemporary linguistic challenge," saying that there was no consensus on best practices. That year, the
880:
331:
who had argued that the pronoun was "woke ideology" and "a manifest ideological intrusion which undermines our common language." Earlier in 2021, Jolivet had sponsored legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of
589:"Respecter la non-binarité de genre en français – Blogue Nos langues – Ressources du Portail linguistique du Canada – Langues – Identité canadienne et société – Culture, histoire et sport – Canada.ca"
308:
has argued that use of the pronoun is "absolutely possible in a social context," but that "it's absurd in a linguistic context because you can't just decide to change a language just like that." The
441:
1029:
210:
added "iel" to its online dictionary. The dictionary's general secretary
Charles Bimbenet stated that the word was still relatively uncommon but had become increasingly used throughout 2021.
393:
323:
argued against the pronoun after the Petit Robert added it to its dictionary, saying that "l'Ă©criture inclusive is not the future of the French language." His comment came in defence of
1011:
91:
514:
844:
759:
551:
532:
937:
185:
919:
298:
569:
188:
advised against standard usage of "iel" and other gender neutral neologisms, proposing instead that writers avoid using gender-specific terms when possible.
741:
169:
901:
974:
283:
had defended use of the pronoun, saying that it can enrich the language and including it "doesn't force anything on those who don't want to use it."
316:
275:
has argued that the French language is often viewed "with the idea that it should never change" and that the "iel" has seen resistance similar to
625:
344:, also argued against the pronoun, saying that "feminism is a grand cause, but it's not a cause that's worth changing the French language for."
647:
173:
428:
Knisely, Kris A. Le français non-binaire: Linguistic forms used by non-binary speakers of French. Foreign
Language Annals. 2020;53:850–876.
881:"Apparition du pronom "iel" dans Le Robert : "C'est un peu surprenant qu'il entre déjà dans un dictionnaire", s'étonne un linguiste"
993:
497:
473:
203:) in its style guide. The broadcaster had previously not used Ă©criture inclusive, and used the pronoun on a case-by-case basis only.
99:
consists of two genders: the masculine and the feminine. To make words or phrases gender-inclusive, French-speakers use two methods:
956:
168:
In April 2018, a group of doctoral students lobbied for the standard usage of "iel" along with other gender neutral language at the
826:
606:
588:
1053:
444:[Hélène Carrère d'Encausse of the Académie française calls the inclusion of "iel" in the Robert: "a publicity stunt".].
411:
684:
862:
224:
96:
272:
336:
in government publications, arguing that it "blurs the message and complicates the learning of the French language."
324:
305:
1063:
1058:
373:
48:
309:
165:
dating back to at least the early 2010s, including alternative spellings such as "iell," "ielle," and "ille."
75:
333:
301:
has called debates over the pronoun "a pretext" that "allows the normalisation of anti-feminist discourse."
200:
71:
106:
solutions strive to include both the masculine and feminine endings in the word. Examples include hyphens (
363:
265:
has stated that use of the pronoun is more prominent in online culture than in traditional media culture.
760:"Gender nonconforming French Canadians hit roadblocks as they seek to make language more gender-neutral"
312:
has rejected Ă©criture inclusive, stating that "in French, the neutral takes the form of the masculine."
286:
294:
293:
has stated that opposition to the pronoun "has nothing to do with linguistics. It's purely political."
176:
said that it was sympathetic to opening a discussion on the issue. In 2019, the UQAM student newspaper
442:"«Iel» dans le Robert : «un coup de pub» pour Hélène Carrère d'Encausse, de l'Académie française"
789:"The everyday poetics of gender-inclusive French: strategies for navigating the linguistic landscape"
451:
320:
177:
258:
328:
280:
262:
290:
268:
196:
195:
announced that it had formed a committee to discuss including "iel" and using Ă©criture inclusive (
808:
723:
394:"" He/she ", " il/elle ", " iel " : la transidentité bouscule les façons de se présenter"
250:
1030:"Brigitte Macron critique l'ajout du pronom " iel " dans le dictionnaire en ligne du Robert"
800:
715:
131:
341:
337:
44:
920:"Pourquoi l'ajout du pronom neutre " iel " dans le dictionnaire crée-t-il la controverse"
257:, discussions surrounding the pronoun have been less polarised in Canada than in France.
587:
Gouvernement du Canada, Services publics et
Approvisionnement Canada (August 19, 2019).
87:
1047:
812:
727:
358:
353:
57:
975:""Iel/ielle/ille" : pourquoi et comment utiliser ces pronoms "neutres" ?"
368:
207:
192:
67:
845:"Le mot de l'année 2019 aux États-Unis en est un qui manque cruellement en France"
804:
279:. French Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities
788:
666:
446:
103:
40:
254:
223:
options instead, notably the
English language. According to Kiki Kosnick of
219:
162:
137:
902:"Pourquoi le pronom neutre " iel " suscite-t-il tant de crispations ?"
648:"Malgré la polémique en France, Le Robert défend l'ajout du pronom " iel ""
719:
1015:
1012:
Comment un député LREM a fait ressurgir le débat sur l’écriture inclusive
246:
accordingly, requiring the introduction of neutral word endings as well.
607:"Banque de dépannage linguistique - Désigner les personnes non binaires"
429:
552:"Un groupe propose aux profs de l'UQAM d'adopter un "français dégenré""
703:
276:
533:"UQAM: les militants pour un français dégenré font fi des critiques"
704:"Toward a More Gender-Inclusive and Gender-Neutral French Language"
17:
180:
announced that it was adopting "iel" in its standard style guide.
570:"Le masculin ne l'emporte plus sur le féminin au Montréal Campus"
994:"French dictionary sparks debate with non-binary 'iel' pronoun"
130:). Most writers avoid this practice in official titles such as
626:"Un comité se penche sur l'écriture inclusive à Radio-Canada"
938:"Le pronom iel maintenant dans le dictionnaire Le Robert"
641:
639:
515:"Nonbinary pronoun 'they' sparks French language debate"
140:
solutions contain a feminine word and a masculine word:
646:
ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Société- (17 November 2021).
498:"Le pronom "iel" est une affaire linguistique en cours"
955:
ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Société- (3 December 2015).
92:
Gender neutrality in languages with grammatical gender
624:ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Société- (10 June 2021).
412:"Petit lexique des genres, identités et sexualités"
174:
Syndicat des chargées et chargés de cours de l'UQAM
782:
780:
685:"Un "iel" vieux comme les cultures autochtones"
238:
229:
191:In January 2021, Canadian national broadcaster
896:
894:
550:Teisceira-Lessard, Philippe (April 17, 2018).
531:Teisceira-Lessard, Philippe (April 18, 2018).
8:
147:
141:
125:
119:
113:
107:
61:
51:
33:
827:"Le défi de l'enseignement du pronom "iel""
665:Beauchamp, Aimé Majeau (23 February 2021).
742:"Quand iel doit se tourner vers l'anglais"
299:Conservatoire national des arts et métiers
1036:. November 18, 2021 – via Le Monde.
957:"Un français plus neutre : utopie?"
474:"The Push to Make French Gender-Neutral"
400:. February 5, 2021 – via Le Monde.
863:"Ce " iel " qui dérange et qui dégenre"
385:
186:Office québécois de la langue française
992:Clercq, Geert De (November 17, 2021).
74:but is not officially accepted by the
430:https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12500876
7:
815:– via Taylor and Francis+NEJM.
702:Pilon, Simone (November 29, 2020).
1010:Margaux Otter (19 February 2021),
47:intended as an alternative to the
25:
593:www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca
793:Modern & Contemporary France
472:Timsit, Annabelle (2017-11-24).
787:Kosnick, Kiki (April 3, 2019).
170:Université du Québec à Montréal
70:"). It has been adopted by the
317:Minister of National Education
1:
805:10.1080/09639489.2019.1588869
1000:– via www.reuters.com.
97:Grammatical gender in French
88:French grammar § Gender
340:, wife of French President
273:University of Caen Normandy
218:LGBT+ rights advocates and
134:and favor the next process.
1080:
667:"Masculin, féminin ou moi"
85:
730:– via Project MUSE.
289:in Language Interactions
374:Elu (Portuguese pronoun)
325:La RĂ©publique En Marche!
49:gender-specific pronouns
1054:Gender-neutral pronouns
334:gender-neutral language
201:gender-neutral language
124:), or capital letters (
364:Elle (Spanish pronoun)
304:Radio-Canada linguist
243:
234:
149:citoyennes et citoyens
148:
142:
126:
120:
114:
108:
62:
52:
34:
720:10.1353/tfr.2020.0281
287:Canada Research Chair
206:In October 2021, the
29:Neo-pronoun in French
926:. November 18, 2021.
887:. November 17, 2021.
851:. December 10, 2019.
576:. February 13, 2019.
521:, December 11, 2019.
452:Agence France-Presse
321:Jean-Michel Blanquer
72:Le Robert dictionary
942:ici.radio-canada.ca
908:. 17 November 2021.
869:. 18 November 2021.
833:. 27 November 2021.
748:. January 22, 2021.
691:. 24 November 2021.
611:bdl.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca
504:. 18 November 2021.
263:Sorbonne University
241:distinction at all.
236:He goes on to say:
112:), median-periods (
310:Académie Française
76:Académie Française
708:The French Review
295:Gwenaëlle Perrier
251:Catherine Lalonde
225:Augustana College
161:The pronoun is a
16:(Redirected from
1071:
1064:2010s neologisms
1038:
1037:
1026:
1020:
1008:
1002:
1001:
989:
983:
982:
971:
965:
964:
952:
946:
945:
934:
928:
927:
916:
910:
909:
906:www.20minutes.fr
898:
889:
888:
877:
871:
870:
859:
853:
852:
841:
835:
834:
823:
817:
816:
784:
775:
774:
772:
771:
756:
750:
749:
738:
732:
731:
699:
693:
692:
681:
675:
674:
662:
656:
655:
643:
634:
633:
621:
615:
614:
603:
597:
596:
584:
578:
577:
566:
560:
559:
547:
541:
540:
528:
522:
512:
506:
505:
494:
488:
487:
485:
484:
469:
463:
462:
460:
459:
438:
432:
426:
420:
419:
408:
402:
401:
390:
329:François Jolivet
281:Élisabeth Moreno
157:History of usage
151:
145:
132:Governor General
129:
123:
118:), parentheses (
117:
111:
65:
55:
37:
21:
1079:
1078:
1074:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1069:
1068:
1059:French language
1044:
1043:
1042:
1041:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1009:
1005:
991:
990:
986:
981:. May 13, 2021.
973:
972:
968:
961:Radio-Canada.ca
954:
953:
949:
936:
935:
931:
918:
917:
913:
900:
899:
892:
879:
878:
874:
861:
860:
856:
843:
842:
838:
825:
824:
820:
786:
785:
778:
769:
767:
758:
757:
753:
740:
739:
735:
701:
700:
696:
683:
682:
678:
664:
663:
659:
652:Radio-Canada.ca
645:
644:
637:
630:Radio-Canada.ca
623:
622:
618:
605:
604:
600:
586:
585:
581:
568:
567:
563:
549:
548:
544:
530:
529:
525:
513:
509:
496:
495:
491:
482:
480:
471:
470:
466:
457:
455:
440:
439:
435:
427:
423:
410:
409:
405:
392:
391:
387:
382:
350:
342:Emmanuel Macron
338:Brigitte Macron
216:
178:Montréal Campus
159:
94:
84:
45:French language
30:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1077:
1075:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1046:
1045:
1040:
1039:
1021:
1003:
984:
966:
947:
929:
911:
890:
872:
854:
836:
818:
799:(2): 147–161.
776:
751:
733:
714:(2): 193–205.
694:
676:
657:
635:
616:
598:
579:
561:
542:
523:
507:
502:France Culture
489:
464:
433:
421:
403:
384:
383:
381:
378:
377:
376:
371:
366:
361:
356:
349:
346:
259:Mathieu Avanzi
215:
212:
158:
155:
154:
153:
143:toutes et tous
135:
83:
80:
28:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1076:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1035:
1031:
1025:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1004:
999:
995:
988:
985:
980:
976:
970:
967:
962:
958:
951:
948:
943:
939:
933:
930:
925:
921:
915:
912:
907:
903:
897:
895:
891:
886:
882:
876:
873:
868:
864:
858:
855:
850:
846:
840:
837:
832:
828:
822:
819:
814:
810:
806:
802:
798:
794:
790:
783:
781:
777:
765:
761:
755:
752:
747:
743:
737:
734:
729:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
698:
695:
690:
686:
680:
677:
672:
668:
661:
658:
653:
649:
642:
640:
636:
631:
627:
620:
617:
612:
608:
602:
599:
594:
590:
583:
580:
575:
571:
565:
562:
557:
553:
546:
543:
538:
534:
527:
524:
520:
519:The Connexion
516:
511:
508:
503:
499:
493:
490:
479:
475:
468:
465:
453:
450:(in French).
449:
448:
443:
437:
434:
431:
425:
422:
417:
413:
407:
404:
399:
395:
389:
386:
379:
375:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
359:Singular they
357:
355:
354:Hen (pronoun)
352:
351:
347:
345:
343:
339:
335:
330:
326:
322:
318:
313:
311:
307:
302:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
282:
278:
274:
271: of the
270:
266:
264:
260:
256:
252:
249:According to
247:
242:
237:
233:
228:
226:
221:
213:
211:
209:
204:
202:
198:
194:
189:
187:
181:
179:
175:
171:
166:
164:
156:
150:
144:
139:
136:
133:
128:
122:
116:
110:
105:
102:
101:
100:
98:
93:
89:
81:
79:
77:
73:
69:
64:
59:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
36:
27:
19:
1033:
1024:
1014:
1006:
997:
987:
978:
969:
960:
950:
941:
932:
923:
914:
905:
884:
875:
866:
857:
848:
839:
830:
821:
796:
792:
768:. Retrieved
766:. 2021-01-08
763:
754:
746:Francopresse
745:
736:
711:
707:
697:
688:
679:
671:onfr.tfo.org
670:
660:
651:
629:
619:
610:
601:
592:
582:
573:
564:
555:
545:
536:
526:
518:
510:
501:
492:
481:. Retrieved
478:The Atlantic
477:
467:
456:. Retrieved
454:. 2022-02-23
445:
436:
424:
415:
406:
397:
388:
369:Ri (pronoun)
314:
306:Guy Bertrand
303:
291:Nicole Rosen
285:
269:Mathieu Goux
267:
248:
244:
239:
235:
230:
217:
208:Petit Robert
205:
193:Radio-Canada
190:
182:
167:
160:
121:Ă©tudiant(e)s
115:étudiant·e·s
109:Ă©tudiant-e-s
104:Orthographic
95:
32:
31:
26:
1034:Le Monde.fr
924:Vanity Fair
849:Le HuffPost
447:Le Parisien
416:Elle Québec
398:Le Monde.fr
319:since 2017
41:neo-pronoun
1048:Categories
885:Franceinfo
770:2021-06-14
483:2021-06-14
458:2022-10-28
380:References
127:Ă©tudiantEs
86:See also:
82:Background
979:RTBF Info
867:Le Devoir
831:Le Devoir
813:150540928
728:235025267
689:Le Devoir
574:La Presse
556:La Presse
537:La Presse
255:Le Devoir
220:feminists
163:neologism
138:Hendiadys
764:Montreal
348:See also
998:Reuters
315:French
297:of the
261:of the
214:Debates
60:") and
43:in the
811:
726:
277:Verlan
172:. The
90:, and
1016:L'Obs
809:S2CID
724:S2CID
39:is a
53:elle
801:doi
716:doi
327:MP
253:of
58:she
35:Iel
18:Iel
1050::
1032:.
996:.
977:.
959:.
940:.
922:.
904:.
893:^
883:.
865:.
847:.
829:.
807:.
797:27
795:.
791:.
779:^
762:.
744:.
722:.
712:94
710:.
706:.
687:.
669:.
650:.
638:^
628:.
609:.
591:.
572:.
554:.
535:.
517:.
500:.
476:.
414:.
396:.
227::
199:;
197:fr
146:,
78:.
68:he
66:("
63:il
56:("
1019:.
963:.
944:.
803::
773:.
718::
673:.
654:.
632:.
613:.
595:.
558:.
539:.
486:.
461:.
418:.
152:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.