When Hilary Swank took a picture of herself with a smartphone at the Cannes film festival, French journalists struggled to describe her act (Adam Sage writes). Some said she had taken an “autoportait” (a self-portrait), others “une photo d’elle-même” (a photo of herself), reports The Times.
Now Le Petit Robert, France’s most respected dictionary, has offered them a helping hand by announcing that it is to include the word “selfie” in its next edition. If a word is in the dictionary, it can be used in French school exam papers.
The term is already in use among younger people, but is a source of bafflement to their elders, who are struggling to cope with the modern English that is invading France.
Le Petit Robert defines “un selfie” as a “digital self-portrait generally taken with a smartphone and published on social networks”. The words “hashtag”, “tweep” (meaning Twitter followers) and “troll” (someone who sparks internet debate, rather an a old Norse demon) are also to be included in the 2015 edition.
Read more of this report fom The Times (subscription-only).