André Goosse facts for kids
André Goosse (born April 16, 1926, in Liège, Belgium – died August 4, 2019) was a famous Belgian grammarian. A grammarian is someone who studies and writes about the rules of a language. André Goosse was the son-in-law of Maurice Grevisse, who wrote a very important French grammar book called Le Bon Usage. After Grevisse passed away, Goosse took on the big job of updating and editing this famous book.
In 1988, André Goosse married France Bastia, who was also a Belgian writer. He was a professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain, a university in Belgium. He also led the Conseil international de la langue française, an international group focused on the French language.
Contents
Early Studies and Discoveries
André Goosse began his studies by looking closely at the writings of Jean d'Outremeuse. Jean d'Outremeuse was a writer from Liège who lived in the 14th century. Goosse's work was guided by Omer Jodogne, another important scholar.
This research became Goosse's main project, which he finished in 1959. This detailed study was then published as a book in 1965.
Updating French Grammar
One of André Goosse's most important contributions was his work on Le Bon Usage. This book is like the ultimate guide to the French language. It explains all the rules of grammar, spelling, and how to use words correctly.
Goosse took over the task of updating this huge book. In November 2007, he finished editing the 14th edition of Le Bon Usage. This edition was a complete rewrite, meaning he changed and updated almost everything. He once said it was like putting together 2,000 pieces of a puzzle!
Changes to French Spelling
André Goosse also wrote about important changes to French spelling. In 1990, a report called Les rectifications de l'orthographe (which means "corrections to orthography") was published. Orthography refers to the correct way of spelling words.
Goosse wrote a book in 1991 called La « nouvelle » orthographe, Exposé et commentaires. This book explained these new spelling rules. He wanted to make the discussion about these changes easier to understand. He felt these changes were not a "reform" but more like "developments." These developments aimed to fix confusing parts of the language and make dictionaries more consistent.
Other Important Works
In 1997, André Goosse worked with Daniel Blampain, Jean-Marie Klinkenberg, and Marc Wilmet on another notable book. This book was titled Une langue, une communauté. Le français en Belgique. It explored how the French language is used in Belgium.
Royal Academy and Later Life
André Goosse was also involved with the Académie de Langue et de Littérature françaises de Belgique. This is the Royal Academy of French Language and Literature in Belgium. He served as the secretary of this important academy from 1996 until 2001.
André Goosse passed away on August 4, 2019, at the age of 93. He left behind a great legacy in the study and understanding of the French language.
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André Goosse
