France’s linguistic watchdog issues edict: it’s not esports, it’s ‘jeu video de competition’

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A number of phrases borrowed from English to describe the world of gaming have been banned by France's national linguistic watchdog.

Government workers should not refer to sports as esports.

The Journal officiel, the official legal almanac of the government, was used to publish the changes. The changes are binding for government employees.

The battle to maintain the purity of the French language has been going on for hundreds of years. The institution was founded in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, who wanted to centralize the functions of the French state. As a result of this, the Acad's duties include the promotion of French literature as well as the maintenance of the country's official dictionary.

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English-language terms in French have been influenced by the dominance of the US tech sector. In the past, the Académie has had to invent a number of French equivalents for words and phrases born from new technology.

In a report published earlier this year, the academy warned that the use of English and Franglais could have disastrous effects on the French language.

The report said that many anglicisms are used in place of existing French words or expressions.

The work of the Acad 9 mie doesn't wield authority over French speakers themselves. Linguists have found that attempts to stamp out English loanwords are not always successful.