This bilingual book considers recent developments in French attitudes towards language purism, borrowing, and the incursion of English. The book begins with an essay by French sociolinguist Henriette Walter, and most of the following essays are direct responses to her ideas. All chapters are provided in French and English. Chapter titles include the following: "Le francais, langue d'accueil: chronologie, typologie et dynamique/French -- An Accommodating Language: The Chronology, Typology, and Dynamics of Borrowing" (Henriette Walter); "La metaphore de l'emprunt: implications pour une theorie de l'evolution des langues: Reponse a Henriette Walter/The Metaphor of Borrowing: Implications for a Theory of Language Evolution. A Response to Henriette Walter" (Penelope Gardner-Chloros);"Le dereglement du systeme de pensee francais: l'angoisse secrete des puristes? Reponse a Henriette Walter/Is It the Corruption of French Thought Processes the Purists Fear? A Response to Henriette Walter" (Jean-Marc Dewaele); "La dimension politique de l'emprunt et la reaction francaise. Reponse a Henriette Walter/The Political Dimension of Borrowings and French Reactions. A Response to Henriette Walter" (Dennis Ager); "Le francais, langue d'accueil ou langue sur la defensive? Reponse a Henriette Walter/Is French Really Open to Outside Influences? A Response to Henriette Walter" (Anne Judge); "Itineraires etymologiques. Quelques mots en supplement/Etymological Routes: Some Supplementary Remarks? (Malcolm Offord); "La reforme de l'orthographe en France et en Allemagne: attitudes et reactions/Spelling Reform in France and Germany: Attitudes and Reactions" (Rodney Ball); "Le francais de Belgique filerait-il a l'anglaise?/Is French in Belgium More Susceptible to English Influence? (Emmanuelle Labeau). There is also a review by Jean-Marc Dewaele of the 1997 book "The Vocabulary of Modern French: Origins, Structure, and Function" by Hillary Wise. References are found at the conclusion of each chapter. (KFT)