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Mon dieu! What (French) word is that?

The French guard their language very jealousy.    The encroachment of English into the French language isn't welcome - but a fact.       

"The French may be notoriously touchy about their language, but it seems even the watchdogs of the august Académie Française – whose members, known as "immortals", have had the last word in matters of Gallic language since 1635 – are not averse to accepting entries to their celebrated dictionary.

Whether the offerings of the 2011 XYZ festival of new words will pass scrutiny, however, is another matter. Celebrating its 10th year of promoting neologisms, the festival, held in the Altantic port of Le Havre this weekend, announced its word of the year at the weekend.

The winner was attachiant(e) – a combination of attachant (captivating, endearing) and the slang word chiant (bloody nuisance) to denote someone you cannot live with but cannot live without.

It was followed closely by aigriculteur suggesting a farmer unhappy with his lot in life – as many are – by mixing the French word for farmer with aigri (embittered) and with just a hint of aïe! (French for ouch!).

A particular favourite that made this year's shortlist was bête seller, describing a particularly awful literary work that becomes an instant hit, and the timely eurogner – euro plus rogner (to cut down) – to suggest making savings in the euro zone." 

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