On 31/03/2021 16:37, NY wrote:
"Robin" wrote in message
...
But I also think you have a perfect right to lobby for a body similar
to the Académie Française with whatever statutory backing you think
fit.Â* Eg. fines for misusing "screw" and "bolt"

Or "plug", "socket" and (the ultimate abomination) "plug socket" ;-)

Language evolves. France has solved the problem with the Académie
Française which tries to fossilise the language and which wants people
to use a French word rather than one borrowed from English if possible
(eg "ordinateur" versus "computer" or "PC"; "mégaoctet" rather than
"megabyte" etc). At least they allow "le weekend" rather than "le fin de
la semaine" ;-)Â* German is a bit easier in that you just string nouns
together to create a new meaning, without all the "of the" superfluity.


Presumably they now have Le Plug, and La Socket :-)