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French Finance Ministry Bans Use of English Business Words

HeadlineMar 07, 2000

In other internet news, the French Ministry of Finance has announced it’s banned from official French civil service use many common English language business words such as “startup” and “email.” The goal, according to a detailed ministry statement issued yesterday, is to limit the spread of the English language throughout the internet. The ministry disclosed that government documents and civil servants have been directed to use the phrase a “_jeune pousse_,” or a young plant, for “startup” and use the phrase “_courrier électronique_” for “email” in all official government communications. The announcement comes as two French newspapers, Libération and Le Monde_, noted last week that French President Chirac often used Anglo computer terms. Last week he referred to some companies as “_les startups_” and to their managers as “_les startupistes.”

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