Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel
hm, really ? because it seems to me all the "antagonism" is coming from people opposed to the word, actually. in fact it's quite surprising to observe some of the reactions.
as for the use of liseuse in french, ebooks in general are just starting out here, and almost no-one knows about them. therefore, it's quite normal that *no* word has become common usage yet. however, "liseuse" is used by most of the french blogs talking about dedicated reading devices. the general public has no idea what an ebook is to start with, whatever word you choose, you have to explain it anyway.
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Well said (again)...
I'm not French and can barely pronounce Bonjour, but the word "liseuse" really appeals to me for some reason. I think it's cool, and why shouldn't non-English regions have their own term for something like an eReader instead of importing the English? Seems a bit arrogant of the English-speaking countries to demand that the rest of the world adopts the English term.
It's not uncommon for devices to be "renamed" in non-English speaking countries. The first time I was in Germany I didn't know what the hell a "Handy" was until someone explained it was what Germans call a mobile phone. And even in English-speaking countries there is often some disagreement - in most places a mobile phone is a mobile phone, but the term often used in the US is cell phone. Sure, yanks can figure out what you mean when you say mobile, and the rest of the world can figure out what a cell or cell phone is, in context.
I did a quick google for the term "liseuse" and found this which may be of interest (I underlined an interesting sentence in the quote below, which sort of makes adoption of the term liseuse somewhat justified):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liseuse_desk
Quote:
A Liseuse desk is a medium sized writing table with a small hinged panel in the middle which can spring up by the aid of a mechanism or be propped up at a desired angle to facilitate reading, or writing on its slanted surface. Many have lateral panels which swing out on both sides to give a larger desk surface.
The name comes from "liseuse" which is the feminine form of "liseur" in French. This is often translated as "reader" but it is used normally to describe a person who really likes to read, while a simple reader is called "lecteur" or "lectrice" in the feminine gender. This is one indication of who this type of desk was originally marketed to.
The Liseuse is an antique desk form which was popular in France during the 18th century and produced again in the first part of the 19th century. It was copied in several continental countries and in the United Kingdom.
Many Liseuses are polyvalent pieces of furniture with a double or triple use. Geared towards an 18th century feminine market for the most part, they often have drawers made specially for storing toiletry and cosmetics in addition to the drawer or drawers containing paper, quill, ink and other writing implements.
See also the list of desk forms and types.
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Anyway, just to make waves I'm voting in favour of the word...
