How the word "vaccinodrome" entered the Le Petit Robert dictionary

On April 27, three semi-trailers from a printing plant in Italy deliver their cargo to a warehouse in Loiret.

On board, a heavyweight of dicos, tons of Petit Robert vintage 2022 on sale from Wednesday May 12.

According to our information, in these paving stones is illustrated, page 2668, a novelty in bold type anchored in the news: "vaccinodrome".

"Collective vaccination center set up in a vast space", defines the dictionary, while we take a beating at the Stade de France and at the Vélodrome.

How could this funny noun, unknown to the general public a few weeks ago, be injected so quickly into one of the Pantheons of words?

Flashback.

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At the end of December, Marie-Hélène Drivaud, editorial director of Petit Robert, reads the newspaper, like every morning, on the lookout for linguistic nuggets.

In an article devoted to anti-coronavirus injection sessions in Germany, she came across "vaccinodrome".

Hey there, it reminds him of memories.

The very first appearance in the French press of this neologism dates back to December 2009, in the midst of the H1N1 flu epidemic.

A word left to stay in the common language

At the time, it jumped out in the eyes of the specialists of the publishing house because of a… spelling mistake!

Because "vaccinodrôme" is contaminated by a hat, confusion linked to the spelling of words which are pronounced, like him, with a closed "o", like a phantom or symptom.

The detected term gives rise to the drafting of an internal "file".

But he does not cross the threshold of selection in the bible with 300,000 words and meanings.

And for good reason, the vaccination campaign being a flop, it does not have time to impose itself in everyday language.

PODCAST.

Is the vaccination campaign in France a failure?

But with the Covid-19 pandemic, that's another story.

The noun spreads slowly in articles, on the airwaves, small screens or social networks.

Marie-Hélène Drivaud discusses with her colleague Édouard Trougez, lexicographer project manager.

"It's moving, what do you think?

Another sign of shuddering: connected to the online dictionary, Internet users tap on their "vaccinodrome" keyboard which then integrates the top 50 searches ... unfinished.

Read also Covid, deconfinement, barrier gesture ... the words of the pandemic enter the dictionary

On January 6 at 2:30 p.m., it is debated during the monthly editorial committee. Half of the twelve experts in Molière's language, marketing or documentation are present at the Robert headquarters in Paris, in meeting room 2M57 with glass wall; the other speaks by videoconference. Some, convinced that the vaccinodromes will make a lot of noise, advocate an immediate coronation in the dico. Others fear the flash in our discussions. "It's a bit early to judge, we are not sure that it will last," defends Geraldine Moignard, digital director, suggesting to keep the candidate "under observation".

"In the meantime, we have decided to put it on the market through a post posted on our blog", relates Charles Bimbenet, general manager.

Édouard Trouurez sticks to it.

In front of his raised computer screen with three dictionary volumes, this great linguist of 2m03 points out that "drome" comes from the Greek "dromos", meaning "race".

This suffix is ​​used to "form names of places where one runs" such as a racetrack and, by extension, "to create names of tracks, grounds developed for a specific activity", like an aerodrome or bowling alley.

The "composition" with vaccine gives an idea of ​​speed, of acceleration to catch this damn virus by surprise.

"Bravitude" or "zlataner" retoked

A month later, on February 10, the contender for the twelve letters was again dissected by the jury who thus received his second dose of "vaccinodrome". The curve of its media appearances, measured by a private watch institute, is on the rise. Because on the health war front, it has just gone on the offensive in gymnasiums. The use is confirmed, which removes the ultimate reluctance. During a show of hands, the pros of the dictionary favor his entry into the big leagues.

It is not the classic fate of a word.

Nine times out of ten, he failed, sent to purgatory.

In the past, "bravitude", imagined by Ségolène Royal or "zlataner", a verb synonymous with "winning hands down" inspired by the ex-star of PSG Zlatan Ibrahimovic, have been challenged.

Recently, “vaxxie”, a vaccination selfie, suffered the same fate, considered to be just a fad.

To read also "Vaccinodrome", "autotune", "mythonner" ... the new words of Petit Robert

The definition of the masculine name is written by Marie-Hélène Drivaud and Édouard Trougez, unbeatable in terms of synthesis.

“It's a fairly simple word, in half a day, it was done,” they remember.

There are times that are more fruitful than others to phosphorus on this kind of subject.

“When I'm on my bike or doing the dishes, when the gestures are automatic, the brain is totally available and I can have a great idea,” she smiles.

"Me, it's in the shower," blows his comrade.

Impossible to know who invented "vaccinodrome"

Fruit of back and forth by email, the article, "rather short", includes three lines including a concrete example: "Gymnasium transformed into vaccinodrome." "A first version proposed" vaccinodrome fitted out in a gymnasium "but" fitted out "was already used a line above. The text does not specify who is the inventor of this discovery. "Impossible to know, it can be a politician, a journalist and, with social networks now, anyone," says Édouard Trougez. He judges this word "well formed" on the etymological level. This is not the case with a France Inter auditor. "Is the vaccinodrome the place where vaccines are run, mounted on syringes?" », He is indignant with the mediator of Radio France.

It remains to find a place for the selected without pushing a former admitted to the exit. There is never an outcast in Le Petit Robert, which is "not a killer of words". Deprived of additional pages, the model maker is doomed to computer miracles by playing, among other tricks invisible to the eyes of readers, on the spacing. On March 5, the finalization of the book, enriched in the end by a hundred new words and meanings, was completed and the proof was signed. The files are transferred to the printing house of an industrial area in Milan to give birth, seven weeks later, to a mountain of tens of thousands of cobblestones, each weighing 2.3 kg.

In the meantime, the curve of “vaccinodrome” occurrences in the media has steadily increased, 1,700 in March and another 1,000 more in April. Lexicographers have won their race against time.