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Sorry, Foodies. In Quebec, You Have To Call Yourselves Something Else

Quebec Now Has Its OWN Word For 'Foodie'

“It sounds like a superhero if you ask me.”

Quebec restaurateur Massimo Lecas might consider himself a foodie, but he’s not a fan of the word the province’s language watchdog has recently come up with to replace it.

“Cuisinomane” is the term the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) now prefers to describe "a person who is passionate about food and cooking", instead of "foodie", which it deems an Anglicism.

Speakers can also use phrases like "cooking enthusiast", "passionate about food", or "good food lover", suggests the organization.

This isn't the only informal English word the government office, which is the authority on French terminology used only in Quebec, has sought to replace. "Selfie" and "Cloud computing" are just two of the many slang terms with new French versions, according to a video from the Montreal Journal.

Individuals or businesses won't face penalties if they don't use the new words, so "cuisinomane" is only a suggested replacement.

Lecas, whose restaurant, Buonanotte, garnered attention back in 2013 when the OQLF decided its menu contained too many Italian words, told CBC’s “As It Happens” that these kinds of incidents are bad for business owners trying to promote Quebec. He also thinks it's just silly.

"We lag so far behind when it comes to just common French language, that we don't need to attack ourselves on making up names replacing hamburger, souvlaki, pizza, pasta, foodie," he said.

The OQLF said Quebecers wanted a French alternative to "foodie", but many of the Twitter users who commented on the introduction of "cuisinomane" clearly weren't among them.

Translation: "It gives the impression that food is going to be murdered."

What do you think? Does it make sense for Quebec to have its own version, or is this silly? Let us know in the comments below.

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