• loaExMachina@sh.itjust.works
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    24 days ago

    In French, the “correct” word for “penguin” is “manchot” /mãʃo/ , and “pingouin” /pɛ̃ɡwɛ̃/ stayed the word for “great auk” for longer… But translating “penguin” as “pingouin” has grown more and more common. First as a mistake, but at that point it’s not clear anymore what is correct or not. Someone a bit pedantic might correct you if you say “pingouin” instead of “manchot”, but is a linguistic mistake still a mistake when it’s understood by the majority?