A French dictionary included non-binary pronouns despite criticism

USA issues first passport with gender X 1:02

Paris, France (CNN) -

The decision by a leading French dictionary to include an inclusive pronoun in its online edition has sparked angry reactions from lawmakers and advocates of the country's language.

The French dictionary Le Robert decided to add the entry "iel" - a combination of "il" and "elle", which mean "he" and "she" in French respectively - in the online version of its dictionary in October.

It is a "subject personal pronoun of the third person singular and plural, used to refer to a person regardless of their sex," says the dictionary entry.

Along with its plural and feminine form, collectively referred to as "iel, ielle, iels, ielles", this new addition to the French language has drawn strong opposition from some French politicians.

"The Petit Robert, a dictionary that we believed to be a reference, has just integrated the words 'iel, ielle, iels, ielles' on its site, said legislator François Jolivet, of the La République en Marche party of French President Emmanuel Macron, in a tweet this Tuesday.

"Its authors are therefore militants of a cause that has nothing to do with France: #wokisme," said Jolivet.

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His anger resonated with other French lawmakers like Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

"Inclusive writing is not the future of the French language," Blanquer said in a tweet Tuesday.

"Hence, although our students consolidate their fundamental knowledge, they cannot have this as a reference."

CNN contacted the French Academy, the governing body of the French language, for comment.

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal reiterated the government's position "not to use inclusive writing on all official and administrative documents" in his weekly press conference on Wednesday.

Le Robert responded on Wednesday with a statement in which he says he is simply trying to reflect the recent changes he has observed in the French language.

The dictionary admitted that the general usage of "iel" is still low, and the dictionary entry notes that the word is "rare."

But the editorial board thought it would be helpful to include the entry and clarify its meanings so that people can decide whether or not they want to use it.

"Le Robert's mission is to observe and report on the evolution of a moving, diverse French language," the statement said.

In the statement they also affirm that most of the reactions it has received are positive.

The outrage came at a time when France is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the cultural influence of other nations.

This was put to the test when the love of the French for secularism, known as "laïcité" in French, was questioned by many in the United States.

These observations were made with "totally imported social science theories from the United States," which are not compatible with French history, French President Emmanuel Macron said in October 2020.

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