It’s time to do away with this “sexting” business, the French have decided. Not the actual act, of course. Just the word.
L’Académie française, the French government’s top authority on language, have officially created a French word for sexting, Motherboard reports. That word, mes amis, is textopornographie. The word for an actual sexy text message is simply “sexto.” So next time you find yourself exchanging lewd messages with a Francophone, you’ll now be able to speak educatedly about the act.
Another new word that the Académie has introduced this year is “vidéoagression” to replace the British phrase “happy slapping.” (Happy slapping is what Americans call the “knockout game.”) Unfortunately (or fortunately?) they didn’t come up with French words for swagger, foodie or twerk, but there’s always next year.