Linguist Julie Neveux Explores Living French Language in New Book 'Avec la langue'

Linguist Julie Neveux has published a new book titled 'Avec la langue' through Éditions Grasset, examining contemporary spoken French. She distinguishes between written and spoken forms, arguing that oral communication keeps a language alive. Neveux analyzes everyday expressions like 'Quoicoubeh' and terms such as 'situationship,' which describes ambiguous romantic relationships. She critiques excessive standardization, or 'grammatisation,' and finds irony in calling French the 'language of Molière,' since the 17th-century playwright himself played with linguistic rules. Neveux opposes purists who claim French is declining, instead predicting a new language is emerging. Her work includes analysis of phatic conversations, such as discussions about weather that maintain social contact. As an English linguistics researcher at Sorbonne University, she focuses on how French is used in workplaces and romantic contexts. Concurrently, the Institut Français in Lomé, Togo, is celebrating books and author rights throughout April, with a focus on literary mediation. The musical programming features artists Gabi Hartmann and Arat Kilo with their track 'Les larmes d'un temps passé.'