The change in the spellings and dropping of accents in over 2,000 words has caused French students concern about the reliability of the textbooks here at McIntosh. Written in 2004, the French textbooks are over ten years outdated and now not reliable for accurate spelling and accents.

According to theguardian.com, the French Academy changed “ 2,400 French words to simplify them for school children.” Now instead of onion being spelled the traditional way oignon, it can also be spelled ognon for a simpler spelling. The guardian states, “The aim was to standardize and simplify certain quirks in the written language to make it easier to learn.”

Sophomore Jayna Lobl said, “McIntosh’s French textbooks are over a decade old, and in that time the French Academy has changed the spelling and accents of words. The outdated textbooks can affect the accuracy of a students writing, therefore, affecting and changing the students understanding of the written language.”