In a predictably bold twist of fate, the keepers of the classic French dictionaries, Petit Larousse and Le Petit Robert, have shocked grammarians around the world by formally inducting “selfie” into the dictionary.
Earlier today, Kim Willsher of The Gaurdian reported that selfie, along with about 300 other words were added to the official vernacular of record.
It’s too early to tell whether or not elders of the French population will embrace the world of the selfie as whole-heartedly as younger Millennials and even younger Gen Z’ers, but one thing is absolutely certain: the reach of the mighty selfie is now thoroughly embedded in French youth culture.
Given the proclivity of French monarchs towards self-portraiture, from the Louis to the Henrys to the Bonapartes, it’s no wonder that the term du jour was not recognized earlier. After all, the halls of French palaces have, for hundreds of years, hung the prized paintings of selfie-style artifacts. From fat cats to kings, from queens to teens, selfies are the new form of expression and communication coin of the realm.
As words in dictionaries go, inclusion is usually something that occurs after a word has been used sufficiently and with generally accepted meaning in a population. With billions, if not trillions, of selfies being taken on mobile phones around the world, we’re happy to see editors getting hip to the selfie news game.
