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  • The French Academy wants you to remember, this virus is feminine

    La Marianne, symbol of the French Revolution

    La Marianne, symbol of the French Revolution

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serge.arsenault@gmail.com May 17, 2020 10:04 am

Very entertaining, but totally off the mark...

A virus (M), a syndrome (M), and a sickness (F) are three different things...

"COVID" and "COVID19"  are the names of a disease (coronavirus disease). In French "disease" is  "maladie", which is feminine. 

"Coronavius" is the name of a virus, and in French "virus"  is masculine - LE virus, and LE coronavirus.

And the SRAS is a syndrome, which in French is masculine.

 

Reply to serge.arsenault@gmail.com at 10:04 am
cherylgarabet1@rogers.com May 17, 2020 11:32 am

Some points of clarification/correction. It's la COVID-19 because the "D" represents disease ("maladie" in French, which is feminine). It's the acute disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (le coronavirus SARS-CoV-2). In addition to being very stubborn and steadfast with their rules, the French can also be very logical and precise in their linguistic decisions.

Reply to cherylgarabet1@rogers.com at 11:32 am