Appalled by the spread of English across the Internet, France has stepped up efforts to invent its own jargon to describe the rapidly changing world of cyberspace and e-commerce.

If the finance ministry has its way, the French will stop calling new Web companies "les start-up" and use the term "jeunes pousses d'entreprises" (young sprouts of companies).

Stock options would become "options sur titre" (options on a share) and marketing managers would be "directeurs de la mercatique", according to a ministry list unveiled last week.

When President Jacques Chirac visited a few newly-launched companies near the Place de la Republique on Thursday, his press office announced a "visite des 12 start-up de Republic Alley".