The French language is evolving at breakneck speed. Each week, our language advisor dissects the words and expressions that make the headlines or give us trouble.
Posted at 6:00 p.m.
We sometimes hear “the world are”, with the verb granted in the plural, as in The world are sick, which is the title of a famous monologue by Yvon Deschamps. This is an error that must be corrected, in writing at least.
Even though the name world and the phrase everybody refer to a large number of people, the subject, worldis a singular word and verb agreement must also be singular (we will have the opportunity to look at the agreement of other collective nouns in the coming weeks).
We therefore write Everybody is here, not “are there”. If you prefer to make the verb plural, you must modify your sentence accordingly: they are all there, all the expected people are there.
Another expression which also means everybody Where each person is also abused. We write well everyone not “everyone”. This expression is also used in the singular. Everyone knows that.
However, works like the Dictionary of the difficulties and pitfalls of the French language (Larousse) and Pitfalls and difficulties of the French language (Bordas) recommend avoiding this expression in writing and instead simply using eachWhere allWhere everybody : this case is known to everyone, the story is known to all ; it is accessible to everyone.
The Linguistic Assistance Bank of the Office québécois de la langue française also points out that the use of the name world to designate a certain number of people can be perceived as familiar, in a sentence like: Monday morning, everyone is always late to the meeting. The fact that the verb is given in the singular does not change anything.
In a press article, we will avoid this turn of phrase – acceptable however in a column, where all language registers are allowed. Instead, we write, for example: Monday morning, employees are always late to the meeting.
Finally, to correct a formulation such as “the world are discouraged”, we will write for example people are discouraged.
Elected by acclamation
Many candidates were elected or re-elected unopposed last November. We have also read a lot or heard the expression elected Where re-elected by acclamationnot. Is this expression correct?
Response
The adverbial phrase by acclamation is still sometimes considered faulty in Quebec and if we use it, we will probably be told that it is an Anglicism. However, it appears that this is not the case. In the dictionary of the French Academy, the Larousse or Robert dictionaries, we read that the expression means in particular “without recourse to the ballot”.
the Multidictionary of the French language indicates that one can “nominate, elect, vote by acclamation”, that is to say “nominate, elect, without the need for a ballot”. the Robert & Collins translated “to be elected by acclamation” by: “to be elected by acclamation”.
However, in TERMIUM Plus, the Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic database, we read the following observation: “This expression involves the idea of unanimous choice; it cannot, consequently, apply to a candidate elected because he did not have a competitor. »
In addition, the website of the National Assembly gives the following explanation: “We used to say “elected by acclamation”. This expression recalls the time when nominations took place in a public meeting convened by the “rapporteur-officer” and when the names were proposed orally. If there was only one candidate, he was declared elected under the cheers of the crowd present. »
It may therefore be that we prefer to avoid the phrase by acclamation, even if it is possible to employ it, according to some sources. We can then write that a candidate was elected without opposition, or elected without competition.