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"I'm crazy about digital!"
What I imagine when I hear "digital": FINGERS! Especially in French!
The word "DIGITAL" is obsolete and misused by the French! ⚠️
Let's do better 👇
I defend and use certain anglicisms... But one of them saddens me:
DIGITAL 🙉🙉
Chances are you'll overuse that word! 🙊 Don't worry, I love you anyway! 🥰
This word has become a must in webmarketing!
But is it that good ❓ My answer 👇
Overuse of the word
⚠️ The use of this word everywhere has two dramatic effects:
1- Semantic satiation A psychological phenomenon in which the repetition of a word causes us to forget its meaning.
2- Loss of competitive edge: If everyone's doing digital, it doesn't make you stand out any more, it puts you up against huge competition in terms of SEO!
Double meaning
👉 This word already exists in French with a very different meaning!
In French, "digital" means :
️ "Which belongs to the fingers." Example: Fingerprint.
In English, "digital" means :
️ "Digital technology; digital media, as digital television, digital audio, etc."
-> This refers to computer technology, which evokes the opposition to analog.
ℹ️ In terms of etymology, in English, "digital" comes from "digit", derived from the habit of counting on one's fingers... But in the end, "digital" doesn't have the same meaning in English as it does in French!
Lack of precision
👉 When we use the word "digital", we're talking about computers.
🌊 But it's vague... Too vague.
🏄♂️ Surfing is cool, but being precise is even better!
As quoted by the excellent developer Simon Janvier in LinkedIn comment :
"To misname an object is to add to the unhappiness of this world".
Albert Camus
️ Digital, even taken with its English meaning is too broad to evoke anything concrete.
What to do ❓
Use real English
By replacing a Franglais expression with a true English expression (sometimes it's a question of word order), you'll break the double meaning and awkwardness of the expression.
Examples:
- Digital marketing ▶️ Digital Marketing
- Digital agency ▶️ Digital Agency
- Digital presence ▶️ Digital Presence
- Digital investment ▶️
- Se tourner vers le digital ▶️ Turn to Digital
Use "digital".
⏭ The French equivalent to the word "digital" is of course: NUMÉRIQUE
👉 Simply replace expressions like "digital support" with "digital support".
💡 It doesn't take much longer to write! 💡
Use more precise or alternative words
Examples:
- Internet
- On line
- Social networking
- Operating systems
- Software suite
- Data storage
- Internet communication
- Webmarketing (English, but precise)
Change the meaning of the word
Samuel Haubois, Creative Director, even gives us a new meaning by LinkedIn comment :
I think the origin of the term is what happens at the tip of the finger(s) on a smartphone. From this stems all the other contemporary actions linked to digital technology. But that's a misnomer.
Samuel Haubois - July 21, 2024 - LinkedIn
Digital is about touch devices and more. The Wikitionary (the most up-to-date dictionary and meta-dictionary) doesn't yet mention this usage, but such a meaning would be an excellent way of revitalizing and enriching the meaning of this word. Here's to the creative minds who, like Samuel, will be able to make better use of it in their... digital communication campaigns!
Challenge: Can you find the word "digital" on lrob.fr? Apart from this article, of course!
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