Le Bon Usage
Encyclopedia
Le Bon Usage informally called Le Grevisse, is a prescriptive
book about French grammar
first published in 1936 by Maurice Grevisse
, and periodically revised since. It describes the usage of the French language
, primarily in its written literary form.
In 1936, the first edition was published by Groupe De Boeck (then named Duculot). A new edition was published in 1939, and another in 1946. The book was awarded the gold medal of the Académie française
. The high praise of André Gide
in the literary supplement of Le Figaro
in February 1947 contributed to its success.
After the death of Grevisse in 1980, his son-in-law André Goosse
, also a grammarian, took over and published the 12th and 13th (1993) editions. The 14th edition was published in August 2007 in a completely new format.
A password-protected electronic version of Le Bon Usage is available for owners of the print edition.
journalist Guy Lemaire on Grevisse, 2005
Linguistic prescription
In linguistics, prescription denotes normative practices on such aspects of language use as spelling, grammar, pronunciation, and syntax. It includes judgments on what usages are socially proper and politically correct...
book about French grammar
French grammar
French grammar is the grammar of the French language, which is similar to that of the other Romance languages.French is a moderately inflected language...
first published in 1936 by Maurice Grevisse
Maurice Grevisse
Maurice Grevisse was a Belgian grammarian.-Biography:Born in Rulles, a small village in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium, Grevisse at a young age broke with a family tradition of working as blacksmiths by deciding to become a school teacher. He attended the Normal School of Carlsbourg, where he...
, and periodically revised since. It describes the usage of the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, primarily in its written literary form.
Description
Quite complete (1600 pages), it includes numerous examples and counter-examples taken from francophone literature of various periods, including newspapers, to form a reference for teachers of French, and in particular, authors and editors.In 1936, the first edition was published by Groupe De Boeck (then named Duculot). A new edition was published in 1939, and another in 1946. The book was awarded the gold medal of the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
. The high praise of André Gide
André Gide
André Paul Guillaume Gide was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1947. Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.Known for his fiction as well as his autobiographical works, Gide...
in the literary supplement of Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
in February 1947 contributed to its success.
After the death of Grevisse in 1980, his son-in-law André Goosse
André Goosse
André Goosse is a Belgian grammarian born in 1926. The son-in-law of Maurice Grevisse, he took over editing and updating Grevisses' last book, Le Bon Usage. In 1988, he married the Belgian writer France Bastia...
, also a grammarian, took over and published the 12th and 13th (1993) editions. The 14th edition was published in August 2007 in a completely new format.
A password-protected electronic version of Le Bon Usage is available for owners of the print edition.
Editions
- Maurice Grevisse, Le Bon Usage, 14th edition by André Goosse, de Boeck, 2007, ISBN 978-2-8011-1404-9
- Maurice Grevisse, Le Bon Usage, 13th edition André Goosse, de Boeck Duculot, 1993
See also
- French grammarFrench grammarFrench grammar is the grammar of the French language, which is similar to that of the other Romance languages.French is a moderately inflected language...
External links
Official website Biographical notice from the 13th edition Guy Lemaire raconte: Maurice Grevisse RTBFRTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
journalist Guy Lemaire on Grevisse, 2005