FRENCH POLITICIANS: ABSTRACT NOUNS AND CLARITY.

FRENCH POLITICIANS: ABSTRACT NOUNS AND CLARITY. The Economist for December 15 says that one of the novelties of France under Nicholas Sarkozy is “the decline of the abstract noun.” The article claims that French leaders have always used lots of abstract nouns and notes that, “In one speech Mr. Sarkozy’s predecessor, Jacques Chirac, squeezed 13 abstract nouns—unity, liberty, humanity and more—into a single sentence.” Sarkozy apparently favors lots of verbs, but few abstract nouns. I used to listen to the French news a lot while driving in to work, and it struck me that the most frequent praise for a French leader’s speech was that it was “clear.” “What did you think of the President’s speech?” “He was very clear.” I have never heard any American politician’s speech characterized as “clear.”