France’s Commission d’enrichissement de la langue française* has decided to offer citizens new ways to describe video games in the language of the land.
The Commission’s mission is to create new terms that replace adopted words from foreign languages that become part of common speech in France, so that French doesn’t have gaps in vocabulary.
On Sunday, the French ministry of culture therefore issued new guidance [PDF] about how to discuss video games in French.
French speakers have been encouraged to ditch terms such as “cloud gaming” in favor of “jeu vidéo en nuage”
Retro gaming becomes “rétrojeu video”, or just “rétrojeu”.
French gamers who download additional content for their preferred entertainment will henceforth be acquiring “contenu téléchargeable additionnel”. If that content includes in-game ads, French gamers will be viewing “publicité intrajeu”.
E-sports professionals make their livings as “joueur/joueuse professionnel/professionnelle” and compete in “jeu vidéo de competition”.
The translated terms were published in the Journal Officiel de la République – the equivalent of the government Gazette in other nations. The Journal Officiel shares such Gazettes’ function as the definitive record of government decisions and actions. The Register understands the Journal Officiel is also binding on French government employees, meaning all are required to speak only of “squelettage” instead of the animation technique known as “rigging”.
