Here you will find the abstracts of the articles published in the Online Handbook. These articles discuss concepts that are inductively deduced from linguistic cultures and include fundamental language-critical topics such as “language criticism and language norms”, “language criticism and standardization”, “language criticism and language purism”, “language criticism and language institutions” as well as “language criticism and language ideologies”. You may access the comparative articles reflecting these topics by means of language comparisons and cultural comparisons (for German, English, French, Italian, and Croatian) via the tab “language criticism in European comparison”.
Recent article:
Language Ideologies and Language Criticism in French
Abstract. In France, the term language ideology generally has a negative connotation. One of the most prominent language ideological debates, which has also received an analogous level of public attention, surrounds the issue of the language standard. Within this debate, it is not rare for other languages and other variants of the French language (often collectively described quite non-specifically with the term patois) to be disparaged. Along with this emphasis on the language standard, language ideological discussions and discourses address aspects anchored in the imaginaire of many speakers, including the notion of the unique clarity of the French language. However, in the spirit of language purism, language ideological discussions, in which the Académie française continues to be involved to a certain extent, also include the rejection of borrowed words, particularly Anglicisms. Presently, the issue of écriture inclusive (‘inclusive written language’) is also being debated in terms of language ideology. Arguments citing potential confusion, illegibility, or possible difficulties in pronunciation play a major role in the assessment or rejection of inclusive writing. Within numerous language ideological debates, demands are being voiced for an authoritative decision on the part of the Académie française.
We will link the full, citable article at the beginning of October 2025.
Language institutions and language criticism in French
This abstract and article are only available in German and French.
Read and download the complete quotable article here in German and here in French.
Linguistic purism and language criticism in French
This abstract and article are only available in German and French.
Read and download the complete quotable article here in German and here in French.
Click here to read the article “Linguistic purism and language criticism in European perspective”
Standardisation and language criticism in French
This abstract and article are only available in German and French.
Read and download the complete quotable article here in German and here in French.
Click here to read the article “Standardisation and language criticism in European perspective”
Critique of language norms in French
This abstract and article are only available in German and French.
Read and download the complete quotable article here in German and here in French.
Click here to read the article “Critique of language norms in European perspective”