Watch Your Language Blog

But is it still legal to parse?

Apparently, the local government in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, has outlawed the use of the gerúndio because of its apparent tie to inefficiency, indicating that something is in the process of being done, but has yet to be finished. (Technically, the gerúndio is translated as the "gerund," but its grammatical function is closer to that of the English present participle.)

It's not uncommon for governments to attempt to regulate language: Germany and France both reanalyzed their languages through the lens of the law, though the laws and proposals usually have more to do with spelling rules or handling the rapid influx of foreign words than they do with attempting to alter grammar. (Incidentally, most German newspapers and magazines rejected the German spelling reforms and reverted to the old style of spelling, while governments and schools currently use the new style.)

It's not all split hairs over language: many countries use governmental regulation to maintain a somewhat happy balance between the many different languages spoken by their inhabitants. Countries with multiple official languages include, among others, Switzerland (French, German, Italian, and Romansch), Kazakhstan (Kazakh for state use and Russian for trade), Belgium (Flemish/Dutch and French), Singapore (English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil), Djibouti (Arabic and French), Finland (Finnish and Swedish), Philippines (Filipino and English), and certain regions of Spain (particularly Basque regions). South Africa has 11 official languages, of which Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and English are the most widely spoken.

India, however, wins the prize, with 23 official languages in its constitution. And, last time I checked, no plans to outlaw any parts of speech. (SUZANNE)


October 9, 2007