Missing the Point

By William Germano. The news from France is grim. Whether you adore France or have a love-hate relationship with all things French, one thing we’ve all been able to agree on is the spelling of  the words hôtel and août.

But l’Académie française, guardian of the French vocabulary, has agreed that la langue can do without  the pointy lid that sits atop certain words.

The plan to remove the circumflex has sparked outcry and bemused commentary. A New York Times op-ed beat me to the punch with its title, “Hats Off to the Circumflex.” Twitter has enjoyed an uptick of remarks under the hashtag #JeSuisCirconflexe, which I hope is deeply ironic. More...