>Ah - you don't think it's a little off that a tiny, obscure and exclusive group of 70-100 year olds, dressed up in costumes from a bygone era, gets to decide what goes into your official dictionary?

No.

>"Words shoot up like geysers from your pen, tumble in cascades, swirl about, bump into each other, are never at rest"

Better that, than the mix of pop culture references and business weasel words, the English have become.

I don't think, by your comment, that you understand the sentiments of continental Europeans in general, and the French in particular.

>For a republic, you sure seem to keep a fair share of antiquated institutions and traditions around

A republic is its traditions. Else it's just a market contract.