French Twitter users are saying "au revoir" to the word "hashtag" in an effort to protect the French language from anglicisms.
Instead, hashtag will be replaced with "mot-dièse," meaning "sharp word" in English. The change comes from the French government agency called the Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie, which is responsible for promoting the French language. The group's main goal is to keep French relevant in the age of the Internet, where most widespread terms have their origins in English.
It's a legal requirement for all government correspondence and legislation to use "mot-dièse," but French Twitter users won't be punished if they use "hashtag" in its place.
This isn't the first time France has changed up its vocabulary to avoid English words creeping into the language. In 2003, France replaced the word "email" with "courriel," and attempted to create new terms for Wi-Fi and blog.
The country's government is actively involved in Internet regulations: In 2011, France banned the words "Facebook" and "Twitter" from television and radio in adherence to a decree prohibiting the promotion of brands. More recently, a French court ordered Twitter to identify users who tweeted racist and Anti-Semitic posts, the New York Times reports.
Some Twitter users are upset over the use of "dièse," saying it represents the slanted musical symbol for a sharp note rather than a hashtag.
What do you think of the French switch from hashtag to "mot-dièse?" Let us know your thoughts in the comments.