Quebec takes mature approach to 'grilled cheese' ban

It's for the grater good

After Caerphilly considering its position, Quebec's French-language watchdog has decided it doesn't give edam about its linguistic ban on using "anglicisms" such as "grilled cheese", a move that has been welcomed as gouda news.

A number of English words whose francophone equivalents have never been adopted by québécois folk are now considered palatable, the Canadian regulator has said.

According to the BBC this week, a cheese toasty need no longer only be described as a "sandwich au fromage fondant". The watchdog also ruled cocktail instead of "coquetel" is legit, and baby-boom can be used instead of "bébé-boum", while softball is fine in place of "balle-molle".

The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) quietly adopted the changes earlier this year.

Spokesman Jean-Pierre Le Blanc said the policy was changed "to keep in the mind the social and linguistic reality of Quebecers. We're legitimising what is already commonly being used."

In 2016, a restaurant called La Mama Grilled Cheese in Quebec City received a letter from the language agency for its now justified use of "grilled cheese".

No doubt the restaurant is celebrating the decision as a feta accompli... ®