From ‘eSports’ To ‘Pro Gamer’: France Bans English Gaming Jargons

The French Ministry of Culture said that the overall video gaming sector was filled with anglicisms.

The French ministry asserted that the change is being done to promote an easier understanding.

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“Joueur professional,” “jeu video de competition,” and “jeu video en nuage,” may soon replace words and phrases like “pro gamer,” “cloud gaming,” and “eSports,” respectively, as the French Ministry of Culture has now decided to rewrite the rules on usage of English video game jargons. While the ministry asserts that the move looks to remove anglicised words for a better understanding of non-gamers, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) called it a “push to preserve language purity.”

The ministry told AFP that the overall video gaming sector was filled with anglicisms that may prove to be “a barrier to understanding” for people who aren’t fluent in gaming lingos. It maintained that the overall idea was to allow the population to communicate more easily. The changes were made in the country’s official journal, making it mandatory for government workers to find replacements for such jargons.

However, AFP pointed out that France “regularly issues dire warnings of the debasement of its language” from other countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Language watchdog Académie Française earlier this year reportedly warned of a “degradation that must not be seen as inevitable.” It is said to highlight terms including train operator SNCF’s brand “Ouigo,” which is pronounced “we go,” along with other phrases such as “big data” and “drive-in.”

The ministry said that gaming websites and magazines have been scoured through by experts to see if French terms already existed. For now, several words have been decided upon to be replaced soon.