English-language words such as hashtag, grilled-cheese, and parking are now acceptable in everyday French-language conversation in Quebec society, according to guidelines recently updated by the province含羞草研究社檚 language watchdog.

The changes were implemented in January, but the revised dictionary by the Office quebecois de la langue francaise only became widely known recently.

OQLF spokesman Jean-Pierre Le Blanc said Tuesday it含羞草研究社檚 the first time the watchdog含羞草研究社檚 guidelines have been changed since 2007.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e always reviewing words to see if they含羞草研究社檙e acceptable or not,含羞草研究社� Le Blanc said in an interview. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 sure it含羞草研究社檚 several dozen (words) that have been anglicized.含羞草研究社�

Quebec含羞草研究社檚 language office is infamous across Canada for its strict application of the province含羞草研究社檚 language laws.

Every few months a story makes headlines across the country of some language inspector fretting over English-language signage.

The OQLF caused an international stir in 2013 when an inspector warned a popular restaurant in Montreal over its use of the Italian word, 含羞草研究社減asta,含羞草研究社� on menus, as opposed to the French word, 含羞草研究社減ates.含羞草研究社�

But the OQLF, through its website, also offers Quebecers linguistic tools and other resources on how best to use the French-language.

I must confess, I wasn't aware the Qu茅b茅cois called softball "balle-molle" but now I'm rather sad they've dropped the appelation.

含羞草研究社� Evan O'Connell (@evanoconnell)

The recent changes were made by a five-member linguistics committee composed of francophones who reviewed research done by the provincial agency.

In some cases, using both the English or the French equivalent of words got the committee含羞草研究社檚 seal of approval.

For example, the English word, 含羞草研究社減arking,含羞草研究社� may now be used in French, as can its proper French-language equivalent, 含羞草研究社渟tationnement.含羞草研究社�

Under the language bureau含羞草研究社檚 policy, words are reviewed based on a long list of detailed criteria, which include their general usage in Quebec.

Le Blanc said words from other languages have also crept into daily French usage, such as cafe latte, gelato and trattoria.

Benoit Melancon, professor of French literature at Universite de Montreal, said he understands why some Quebecers might be more worried about the use of English words 含羞草研究社� known as anglicisms 含羞草研究社� than people in France.

含羞草研究社淭he French are more comfortable using anglicisms because their language isn含羞草研究社檛 threatened in any way,含羞草研究社� he said in an interview. 含羞草研究社淏ut here, because of demographic reasons, we feel more threatened.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e surrounded by anglophones so it含羞草研究社檚 normal to think that we should protect French more than in other places from words coming from different places.含羞草研究社�

He noted that in France, they use the word 含羞草研究社渇ooting含羞草研究社� instead of jogging.

含羞草研究社淔ooting doesn含羞草研究社檛 exist in English, but it含羞草研究社檚 used as an English word,含羞草研究社� Melancon said.

Melancon gave the provincial language agency top marks for having a 含羞草研究社渞ealistic含羞草研究社� policy which also encourages the use of French words.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not worth going to war over 含羞草研究社済rilled-cheese含羞草研究社� because it含羞草研究社檚 common usage,含羞草研究社� he added.

Some examples of English and French words that are both considered acceptable:

Cocktail or Coquetel

Parking or Stationnement

Grilled-cheese or Sandwich au fromage fondant

Hashtag or Mot-clic

Source: Le grand dictionnaire terminologique

Peter Rakobowchuk, The Canadian Press