French authorities on Monday continued their centuries-long battle to keep the language clean by revising the rules for using English slang for video games.
While some expressions find obvious translations – “pro-gamer” becomes “joueur professionnel” – others seem more tense as “streamer” is transformed into “joueur-animateur en direct”.
The Ministry of Culture, which is involved in the process, told AFP that the video game sector is full of anglicisms that could act as a “barrier to understanding” for non-gamers.
France regularly issues harsh warnings of humiliation on the other side of the English Channel, or rather the Atlantic.
The centuries-old guardian of language, the Française Academy, warned in February of “degradation that should not be seen as inevitable”. It highlights terms, including the SNCF train operator’s brand “Ouigo” (pronounced “we are going”), along with clear imports such as “big data” and “movement”.
However, Monday’s changes were published in the Official Gazette, making them mandatory for civil servants.
Among the several terms that need to be given official French alternatives were “cloud games”, which became “jeu video en nuage” and “eSports”, which will now be translated as “jeu video de competition”.
The ministry said experts had searched video game websites and magazines to see if French terms already existed. The overall idea, the ministry said, is to allow the population to communicate more easily.
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