Summary It annuls and replaces "terminal de poche", required -- in theory at least -- since 2009.
PARIS (AFP) - Smartphones may have become ubiquitous in France, but the country s language mavens hope there s still time to keep the word from becoming ensconced in everyday speech.
The Enrichment Commission for the French Language has come up with what it considers a more suitable expression: "le mobile multifonction", or the multifunction cellphone.
It doesnt exactly trip off the tongue, but it fits with the commission s remit: Keep foreign words out of French.
The ruling was published in France s official journal on Friday, meaning that government texts will have to use the new term.
It annuls and replaces "terminal de poche", required -- in theory at least -- since 2009.
The commission, which works hand in hand with the language guardians at the Academie Francaise, also advised "reseau dorsal" for backbone network and "fibronique" for fiber optics.
