They chose five -- tuning, buzz, talk, chat and newsletter. Alain Joyandet, the Minister for Overseas Cooperation and la Francophonie, announced the winners at a ceremony yesterday. The prize is a trip to spend time at one of the official French culture outposts around the world. The Minister started by deploring the fact that "the French language is not loved enough by our compatriots, especially by our young compatriots."
The prize-winning translations were:
-- tuning (customizing cars) -- le bolidage (from bolide = roadster/race car)
-- buzz -- le ramdam (from Arabic, current in French, for the festivities after sunset during Ramadam)
-- talk (talk show) -- le débat-- chat -- l' e-blabla or la tchatche
-- newsletter -- l'infolettre
And of course this is the same Joyandet who got himself in hot water (l'eau chaude?) for paying 116,500 euros to charter a jet for a jaunt to Martinique. Official business, of course, not e-blabla or tchatche.