Were the unruly tourists at the cricket in Dunedin on Wednesday, or did we Kiwis make and leave this mess? Do we now have to run ourselves out of town? Photo / Supplied
Vive la France
Custodians of the French language are reportedly on the verge of enacting a linguistic "revolution" by finally accepting that job titles take the feminine form. For centuries, members of the hallowed Academie Française — created in 1635 to "fix the French language, giving it rules, rendering it
pure and comprehensible by all" — had refused to accept that words such as professeur (teacher) or ingenieur (engineer) be made professeure or ingenieure for women.
They repeatedly argued that to add an "e" would "end up with proposals that are contrary to the spirit of the language". But according to l'Express, the Academie will announce on February 28 its intention to include "feminised" versions of such occupations alongside the longstanding masculine nouns. Bernard Cerquiglini, an eminent linguist who has written a book on the subject called Le Ministre est enceinte (The minister — masculine form — is pregnant), said the Academie's position had become untenable. "I think a large part of the Academie realised it could no longer stick to a stance that was, in fact, misogynistic." (Via Daily Telegraph)
Small pleasures
1. Back scratch by someone with natural nails. I start drooling every time.
2. When you're cutting wrapping paper and the scissors start gliding.
3. Sliding into clean cool bedsheets after you've shaved your legs.
4. When you hit a tennis ball just right and it goes THWOP.
5. When you've been busting for the loo for the hours and you finally get to go.
6. When the bit of water that was stuck in your ear finally comes out.
