A Late Arrival: The Curious Case of ‘W’ in French
The French alphabet, like most European alphabets, finds its roots in Latin. However, unlike many of its linguistic neighbors, French officially resisted incorporating the letter ‘W’ until 1948. This unusual case of delayed recognition makes ‘W’ the most recent addition to the French alphabet. But why was it excluded for so long, and what changed to finally allow it?
The Alphabet Without a ‘W’
French Orthography and the Latin Alphabet
French, being a Romance language, primarily developed from Latin, which lacked a distinct ‘W.’ Instead, classical Latin used ‘V’ for both the ‘V’ and ‘U’ sounds. The introduction of ‘W’ into European languages came through Germanic influences, particularly from Old English and Old High German.
A Letter for Foreign Words
Unlike in English or German, ‘W’ never became an integral part of native French words. Instead, it was reserved for foreign borrowings. Words like wagon (from English) and whisky (from Scottish Gaelic) retained their original spelling but were pronounced with a French adaptation. This meant that, while the letter existed in written French, it was never truly considered a part of the alphabet.
Why 1948? The Official Recognition
A Push for Standardization
The recognition of ‘W’ in 1948 was part of a broader effort to standardize the French language and its orthography. The Académie Française, the institution responsible for overseeing the French language, had long resisted changes that deviated from Latin roots. However, by the mid-20th century, the growing global influence of English, the increased presence of Germanic loanwords, and the importance of international communication necessitated an official decision.
Influence from the Dictionary
The Dictionnaire de l’Académie française, which serves as the official linguistic reference for French, played a crucial role in this change. The ninth edition of the dictionary, begun in 1935 and still in progress in 1948, included ‘W’ as a recognized letter, solidifying its place in the alphabet.
A Practical Example: ‘Wagon’ and Its Journey
One of the most well-known words containing ‘W’ in French is wagon, which refers to a train car. Borrowed from English in the 19th century, the term was widely used in French long before ‘W’ was officially part of the alphabet. The pronunciation, however, was adapted to French phonetics, with many speakers pronouncing it as /vaɡɔ̃/ rather than the English /ˈwæɡən/. Despite its common usage, the presence of ‘W’ remained an orthographic exception rather than a norm.
How ‘W’ Differs in French
Pronunciation Variations
Unlike in English or German, where ‘W’ has a distinct sound, in French, its pronunciation depends on the word’s origin:
- Germanic origin: Often pronounced as [v], as in wagon (/vaɡɔ̃/).
- English origin: Sometimes pronounced as [w], as in whisky (/wiski/).
Usage Today
Even after its official inclusion, ‘W’ remains the least used letter in the French language. It primarily appears in loanwords and proper nouns, such as:
- Week-end (borrowed from English)
- Washington (a proper noun)
- Watt (as in the unit of power, named after James Watt)
Conclusion: A Letter with a Unique Place
The delayed acceptance of ‘W’ in the French alphabet highlights the tension between linguistic purity and the practical realities of language evolution. Though still rare in native vocabulary, ‘W’ now holds an official place in the French linguistic landscape, serving as a testament to the changing nature of language and the necessity of adaptation in an increasingly interconnected world.
