The word "deconfinement" is still not in the dictionary but the new edition of Petit Larousse has introduced into its corpus "antivax", this movement of opinion marked by opposition to certain vaccines or vaccination in general.
A total of 150 new words are entering the 2021 edition of the famous dictionary, available in bookstores on June 3.
The word "coronavirus" has been present in the lexicon for a while, but the new edition tells us, if necessary, "that a new strain, discovered at the end of 2019" is "responsible for a major epidemic".
As the linguist Bernard Cerquiglini who participated in the writing of this new edition of Petit Larousse reminds us, "the French language listens to the world".
The "Ascension"
Among the new words, the word "remontada", that is to say "the unexpected increase in score allowing the losing team to win in a football match, when there was a large difference in points between the two teams », Will certainly bring back bad memories to PSG supporters.
The "hipsterisation" (ie the transformation of a popular place by the arrival in number of hipsters) of the hypercentre of certain big cities makes bloom the "alternative schools" which are sometimes attended by children of "influencers" (person who, by their social position, their notoriety and / or their media exposure, has a great power of influence on public opinion, even on decision-makers) who enjoy the benefits of "flexibilisation".
In the political sphere, Le Petit Larousse introduces the "Black Blocks", the "blockers" and other supporters of "clearance" without forgetting the "illiberals" (opposed to liberalism and its main foundations).
How then to find a certain “coolness” or “hygge”, a word of Nordic origin evoking a feeling of well-being. For that, it would be necessary to learn "lagom", a philosophy of life based on simplicity, naturalness and moderation. Will we go as far as "frugalism", this way of life consisting in living below one's means with the objective of escaping from the consumer society.
Thanks to the dictionary we learn that "zebra" can designate a gifted child.
Even before the new edition of Petit Larousse, we knew that we had to be intractable against "sexist outrages", severely punish "feminicide" and denounce "infox".
Words from several French regions are entering the dictionary. Who does not want to try his luck at the "tirlibibi" (lottery in the North) except obviously, as they say in Savoy, to "play like a cavagne" (play very badly).
The Francophonie enriches the French language as always. We will be wary of the Ivorian "grazer" (con artist operating on the internet) and we will prefer to suck a "nanane" (candy) from Quebec.
In total, the 2021 edition of Petit Larousse has more than 63,500 words and 28,000 proper names.
Among the new entrants are novelist Guillaume Musso, mysterious Italian writer Elena Ferrante, young climate activist Greta Thunberg and American football world champion Megan Rapinoe.
