The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French [2 ed.] 9780367376758, 2020019539, 2020019540

Table of contents :
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Table of contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction to the first edition
Introduction to the second edition
Chapter 1 Popular cultural references
Chapter 2 Famous words
Chapter 3 Figurative expressions
Chapter 4 Headline punning
Chapter 5 Literary references
Chapter 6 Historical references
Chapter 7 Mythological and classical references
Chapter 8 Biblical references
Chapter 9 Institutional and academic references
Chapter 10 Pot-pourri
Chapter 11 The skeletons in Marianne’s cupboard
Chapter 12 Metonymy and periphrasis
Chapter 13 Foreign words and expressions
Chapter 14 Acronyms and abbreviations
Chapter 15 Chez les Hurons et les Mohawks
Bibliography
Annex: Facts and figures about the research sources of the book
Index

Citation preview

The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French

Now in its second edition, The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French reveals the hidden cultural dimension of contemporary French, as used in the press, going beyond the limited and purely lexical approach of traditional bilingual dictionaries. Even foreign learners of French who possess a good level of French often have difficulty in fully understanding French articles, not because of any linguistic shortcomings on their part but because of their inadequate knowledge of the cultural references. This cultural dictionary of French provides the reader with clear and concise explanations of the crucial cultural dimension behind the most frequently used words and phrases found in the contemporary French press. This vital background information, gathered here in this innovative and entertaining dictionary, will allow readers to go beyond a superficial understanding of the French press and the French language in general to see the hidden yet implied cultural significance that is so transparent to the native speaker. This fully revised second edition includes: • a broad range of cultural references from the historical and literary to the popular and classical; • an enhanced analysis of punning mechanisms used in the press; • over 3,000 cultural references explained with updated examples; • a three-​level indicator of frequency; • new and expanded chapters on the French of Quebec, institutional and academic references, and English borrowings in areas including IT and medical science; • over 600 online questions to test knowledge before and after reading. The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French is the ideal reference for all undergraduate and postgraduate students of French seeking to enhance their understanding of the French language. It will also be of interest to teachers, translators and Francophiles alike. French students in

khâgne, Sciences-​Po and schools of journalism will also find this book valuable and relevant for their studies. Test questions and solutions are available at www.routledge.com/​ 9780367376758, in addition to three online chapters. These bonus chapters explore figurative expressions involving the names of animals, the language of the law and slang terms. Michael Mould holds an honours degree in Education (psychology) from the University of London and a Master’s degree in English from the Sorbonne, Paris IV. He taught English at the École préparatoire aux grandes écoles de Sainte-​Geneviève in Versailles from 1970 to 1973 and was head of the language and translation department at the corporate headquarters of France Telecom in Paris for over 20 years. He has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists since 1981 and has lived in France for 50 years. Previous publications include L’Anglais des ressources humaines (2003) and Corporate English (1995).

The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French

Second edition

Michael Mould

Second edition published 2021 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2021 Michael Mould The right of Michael Mould to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. First edition published by Routledge 2011 British Library Cataloguing-​in-​P ublication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-​in-​P ublication Data Names: Mould, Michael, author. Title: The Routledge dictionary of cultural references in modern French / Michael Mould.​ Description: Second edition. | London; New York: Routledge, 2020. Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2020019539 (print) | LCCN 2020019540 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Popular culture–​F rance–​Terminology. | French language–​D ictionaries–​E nglish. Classification: LCC DC415.M65 2020 (print) | LCC DC415 (ebook) | DDC 443/​.21–dc23 LC record available at https://​l ccn.loc.gov/​2 020019539 LC ebook record available at https://​l ccn.loc.gov/​2 020019540 ISBN: 978-​0 -​3 67-​3 7677-​2  (hbk) ISBN: 978-​0 -​3 67-​3 7675-​8  (pbk) ISBN: 978-​0 -​4 29-​3 5555-​4  (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Newgen Publishing UK Visit the eResources: www.routledge.com/​9 780367376758

To my wife, Danielle, and to my son, Francis

Even while they teach, men learn. Seneca, the Younger

Contents

Preface  Acknowledgements  List of abbreviations 

ix xi xiii

Introduction to the first edition 

1

Introduction to the second edition 

3

1 Popular cultural references  2 Famous words 

7 76

3 Figurative expressions 

119

4 Headline punning 

176

5 Literary references 

199

6 Historical references 

271

7 Mythological and classical references 

315

8 Biblical references 

353

9 Institutional and academic references 

394

10 Pot-​pourri 

414

11 The skeletons in Marianne’s cupboard 

436

viii Contents

12 Metonymy and periphrasis 

459

13 Foreign words and expressions 

490

14 Acronyms and abbreviations 

557

15 Chez les Hurons et les Mohawks 

589

Bibliography  Annex  Index 

608 610 616

Preface

Many years ago, as an intermediate-​level student of French, I was frequently puzzled by certain sentences I read in the press. Although I understood the individual components of the phrase, I was still at a loss to understand the global meaning behind the words. At best, I was aware of this; at worst, highly significant allusions simply passed me by unnoticed. Certain words I used in conversation would frequently provoke smiles on the face of my interlocutor for a reason that escaped me. There was a sense beyond the words, I  was missing it, and my bilingual dictionary was of no help. A case in point is the word atmosphère, which appeared, and still appears, frequently in newspaper and magazine headlines. My bilingual dictionary gave me extensive translations of the word  –​‘polluted atmosphere’, ‘upper and lower atmospheres’, ‘sterile atmosphere’ –​but absolutely no mention of the hidden cultural significance of the word that is so transparent to the French native speaker. My bilingual dictionary did not tell me that atmosphère, as it is frequently used in the press, is part of: (a) one of the most famous retorts in the history of French cinema; (b) the most famous line ever said by the French actress Arletty; (c) the most famous line from the film Hôtel du Nord. It is precisely this hidden cultural dimension that this book wishes to unveil. In this dictionary, students will find a broad range of high-​frequency cultural references with a three-​level ranking that will enable them rationally to allocate their study time and to concentrate their effort more effectively. The book is primarily aimed at the English-​speaking academic community. It may be used by university students as a self-​study tool, or by lecturers and teachers as a source of course material and as a testing tool. It should prove to be a useful vade mecum for the general reader of the French press (native or non-​native) and I believe that it could constitute a useful reference manual

x Preface

for translators and journalists alike. I would like to think that this dictionary fills a gap in the current commercial offering of dictionaries. There are over 3,000 cultural references within these pages and it is hoped not only that they will enable students to solve many of the culture-​bound comprehension problems they are certain to encounter, but that they will also convey something of the essence of French culture in the broadest sense of the word.

Acknowledgements

I should like to extend my warmest thanks to the various newspapers and magazines for having courteously granted permission to reproduce the hundreds of quotations taken from their respective publications. My thanks go to Le Canard enchaîné, Challenges, Les Dossiers du Canard, Les Echos, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Observateur, Paris Match, Le Point, Télérama and Valeurs actuelles. All of the quotations taken from these publications are protected by copyright. All rights reserved. For their invaluable help in reading the early proofs, and for giving so much constructive criticism, my sincere thanks also go to Malcolm Raddan, Gerald Lees, Liliane Périé and Marie-​Laure Gavriloff. It goes without saying that any mistakes or inaccuracies in the text are mine. It has been said that ‘teachers affect eternity; they can never tell where their influence stops’. I  should like to take this opportunity to thank and remember those people whom I had the honour, joy and good fortune to have as my teachers over the years: Patrick J. Larkin, Marjorie Riding, Dr William Bryant, my numerous teachers at the Alliance Française who gave me their love of the French language, my lecturers at Paris IV Sorbonne, and especially Dr Luce Bonnerot and Professor Alain Jumeau. The fruit of my work is the fruit of theirs. I am indebted to all of my students at France Telecom who, over the years, taught me so much, and particularly Jean Vidal. I should also like to express my gratitude to Samantha Vale Noya and Rosie McEwan, my enthusiastic editors at Routledge, for having been such stimulating people to work with over the period of our project; their enthusiasm was a constant encouragement. My thanks go too to the many people behind the scenes in the Routledge production department. I  am particularly indebted to the project manager, Liz Davey, and my copyeditor Robert Whitelock for their valuable contribution.

xii Acknowledgements

Lastly, I should like to express my limitless thanks to my wife, Danielle, for her support and patience . . . and particularly for her consummate IT skills, without which this book would have been more than a challenge for me to produce. To all, I express my deepest gratitude. Michael Mould

newgenprepdf

Abbreviations

abr. ad

adj. adj. invar. adv. arg. ax. bc

c. cf. cit. conjug. dev. dict. e.g. etc. excl. exp. adj. exp. adv. fam. hist. i.e. imp. interj. interr. IT lit. loc. adj. loc. adv. loc. jurid. loc. nom. loc. prov.

abréviation Anno Domini adjectif adjectif invariable adverbe argotique axiome avant Jésus-Christ circa confer citation conjugaison devise dicton exempli gratia et caetera/cetera exclamatif expression adjectivale expression adverbiale familier historique idem est impératif interjection interrogatif informatique littéralement locution adjectivale locution adverbiale locution juridique locution nominale locution proverbiale

abbreviation in the year of our Lord adjective invariable adjective adverb slang axiom Before Christ for approximate historical dates compare with quotation conjugation motto saying for example and the rest, and so forth exclamatory adjectival expression adverbial expression familiar historical that’s to say imperative interjection interrogative information technology literally adjectival phrase adverbial phrase legal phrase noun phrase proverb

xiv  List of abbreviations

loc. subj. loc. verb. mus. NB nf. nfpl. nm. nmf. nmpl. nmfpl. péj. prép. pron. qqch. qqn. QW sb. st. vpr. vi. vt. vulg.

locution subjonctive locution verbale musique nota bene nom féminin nom féminin pluriel nom masculin nom masculin/féminin nom masculin pluriel nom masculin/féminin pluriel péjoratif préposition pronom quelque chose quelqu’un passage non cité idem quelque chose verbe pronominal verbe intransitif verbe transitif vulgaire

subjunctive phrase verb phrase music note well feminine noun plural feminine noun masculine noun masculine/feminine noun plural masculine noun plural masculine/feminine noun pejorative preposition pronoun something somebody quote withdrawn somebody something pronominal verb intransitive verb transitive verb vulgar

Introduction to the first edition

The research for this book was prompted by two observations. First, even degree-​level students and readers of the French press frequently miss significant elements for the comprehension of a text, not because of their linguistic shortcomings as such, but rather because of their inadequate knowledge of the cultural references used. The second observation concerns the fact that this dimension of understanding is inadequately addressed by bilingual dictionaries. The objective of this book is to provide the readers with a comprehensive list of high-​frequency cultural-​linguistic references that they will meet, not only in press articles but in idiomatic oral French, and to help them go beyond the words in order to appreciate the full cultural significance of what is so obvious to the French native speaker. The research period to prepare this book ran from January 2007 to June 2010. Over that period, four national news magazines and Le Canard enchaîné were analysed on a weekly basis. As for the dailies, each was sampled on a periodic basis (three or four times a week). The titles chosen, Le Canard enchaîné, Les Dossiers du Canard, Les Echos, L’Express, Le Figaro, Marianne, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Observateur and Le Point, provide a broad political spectrum ranging from the right wing to the left, and in terms of style range from the serious world of finance to the humorous and satirical. Nearly 400 issues of the magazines and newspapers above were analysed during this period. Each chapter is a linguistic ‘snapshot’ of expressions found during the research period of two-​and-​a-​half years and does not claim to be an exhaustive list of elements in a given field. The reader will find over 3,000 cultural-​linguistic references. Each entry, in Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8, is accompanied by a full explanation of its origin. There is a related newspaper quote or pun on the entry, as well as an explanation of the context in which the quote was used. In all cases, each entry has been flagged for frequency using asterisks:

2  Introduction to the first edition

*

low to medium frequency; ** high frequency; *** very high frequency. It needs to be emphasized that a weekly eight-​page broadsheet, Le Canard enchaîné, frequently contains a higher proportion of cultural references than a 60-​page weekly news magazine, and that the magazine Marianne is much richer in cultural references (particularly historical) than any of the other news magazines that were studied. It should also be understood that the three-​ asterisk example taken to illustrate ‘bouc émissaire’ (scapegoat), taken from Le Nouvel Observateur, indicates that the cultural reference is very high for all the various publications and that the quote from Le Nouvel Observateur was used quite simply because of the clarity of the example. This book is primarily, although not exclusively, intended for the English-​ speaking student of French; however, I  sincerely believe that many French and other foreign students and readers have a lot to learn from it. It follows that certain English words, used in French, have been explained in detail, as have many other entries that pose no problem for the native English reader. I did not wish to make too many ethnocentric assumptions about the knowledge of the reader, and consequently I would ask English-​speaking readers to bear with me on such points; I  understand that they might find certain explanations irritatingly obvious. The fun factor has been addressed by the inclusion of over 600 questions related to the contents of the various chapters and bearing on the whole spectrum of French culture as seen in the press. This could be useful for both student and teacher. I  hope that this book will contribute to making good the current deficit in the commercial offering of dictionaries, but it is by no means the destination; it is rather a warm invitation to the reader to pursue this fascinating journey. Carro, August 2010

Introduction to the second edition

The research period for the second edition ran from March 2019 to March 2020 and involved the analysis of 180 newspapers and magazines from a slightly broader spectrum than that of 2011. Five additional sources were added to the research corpus:  Télérama and Paris Match from the field of culture and entertainment; Challenges from the economic world; Valeurs actuelles from the catholic, political right wing; and Charlie Hebdo from the satirical fringe. For copyright reasons we are unable to reproduce the quotes from Le Figaro, L’Express, Libération, Télérama and Charlie Hebdo. The cultural references found in these newspapers have been illustrated by quotes from the other publications or, in some rare cases, no quote has been given and the letters ‘QW’ terminate the text:  i.e. ‘quote withdrawn’. Beyond the updating of the examples representing the main cultural references, the new book has undergone a number of significant modifications. There are three entirely new chapters consultable at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758: • A chapter bearing on the numerous terms and expressions using the names of animals. This is to be read in conjunction with the chapter on figurative expressions. • An introduction to the language of law. The extent of political corruption in France demands that the reader of the French press possess a basic knowledge of the main indictments, the different courts before which such politicians appear and the various sentences that are handed down. • A comprehensive analysis of the slang one comes across in the press. This chapter is broken down into three parts: the top 100 terms and expressions, a list of the other high-​frequency terms, plus a section where the slang has been broken down and grouped into the major themes of slang –​police, food, criticism, sex, confusion, the inferiorization of women etc. Chapter  3, on figurative expressions, has been enriched with the translation of over 500 new expressions, while Chapter 4, on headline punning, has

4  Introduction to the second edition

been totally revised with a special section on the 100 top polysemic words. In Chapter  5, on literary references, not only have the key sentences from literary sources been highlighted, but they have been placed within the context of the whole verse in question for greater understanding and appreciation. Given the short shelf life of certain famous people it was thought wise to drop Chapter 9, ‘Who’s who’. The former Chapter 10, ‘What’s what’, has been broken down into two separate and enhanced chapters for greater clarity and consistency: i.e. Chapter 9, ‘Institutional and academic references’, and Chapter  10, ‘Pot-​pourri’. The chapters on foreign words and abbreviations have been enriched by the significant additions of English terms made to the French language over the past nine years. Of the four chapters that include quotations from the press  –​literary, historical, mythological and biblical references –​the references are quintessentially the same. About 5 per cent of the original ones were not found in the new research and have been deleted (with a mention of these references at the end of the chapter for consultation purposes). When asked by Routledge to produce a second edition of this book, I  hardly suspected the extent of change I  would find in the subject matter. In many ways, the France of 2020 is substantially different from the France in which I started my initial research in 2007, and I am aware that in some respects this version of the book has a more pronounced political content. Since the publication of the first edition, Islamist terrorism has killed over 260 people in mainland France and has exacerbated interreligious tensions. All kinds of minority groups –​sexual, racial, religious etc. –​are now more widely represented than at the time of publication of the previous edition of this book. The fifteenth-​richest man in the world in 2007 (a Frenchman) is now the third-​richest man in the world, helped in this by the abolition of the tax on high wealth introduced by his friend Emmanuel Macron . . . ex-Rothschild banker and now President of France. According to the State statistics agency, Insee, 10  million French people are living on or below the poverty line, and 3 million depend on charity to eat on a daily basis in a country that is the seventh-​biggest economic power in the world. The demonstrations by the gilets jaunes are a modern manifestation of the same discontent shown by the French at the time of the jacqueries in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and with the same causes: excessive taxation on the average people and gross inequality in the distribution of national wealth. In 2005, the French electorate rejected the Treaty of Lisbon by 55 per cent. In spite of this, the treaty was ratified by Parliament against the will of the people. The gilets jaunes have raised the question: if the will of the French people is not binding on the government, can one speak of French democracy? This question is even more relevant when one considers the police violence directed against those

Introduction to the second edition  5

who protest. Three demonstrators have so far died, and dozens have lost eyes and limbs in police attacks with grenades and flashball-​type weapons since November 2018. Several high-​profile cases of political corruption have served further to undermine the little remaining faith of the public in politics. Several ministers have recently been convicted of corruption; a former President and two former Prime Ministers are on the point of appearing in court on a variety of charges ranging through illicit party funding, bogus jobs, accepting bribes, violation of the code regulating public tenders and embezzlement of public funds, while several have resigned in the wake of revelations concerning conflicts of interest. Since the first edition of this book came out, we have witnessed the decline of the traditional political parties. The former right-​wing Gaullist Party and the Socialist Party are both in ruins. Emmanuel Macron was totally unknown when the first edition of this book came out in 2011. The chapter on acronyms and abbreviations has seen an invasion of terms coming from medical science that were unheard of a few years ago. Fundamental questions are being posed by PMA (procréation médicalement assistée) and GPA (gestation pour autrui) about how far man can interfere with the creation of life. Artificial intelligence (AI) and IT developments have given us a host of new English terms: dark web, big data, dark banking; the impact of algorithms and AI on individual freedom can be seen in facial and vocal recognition techniques used by the police. The densification of security cameras (which proved totally useless in preventing the massacre of 84 people in Nice in 2016) is uncomfortably reminiscent of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, a book that is cited ever more frequently in the French press today. Serious questions are now being asked about the negative impact of modern technology on the mental development of children. The decline in the French education system is one of the most worrying factors in today’s debate. Ecology is now high on the agenda of political platforms, and the words éco-​anxiété and écocide have entered the French language. Global warming is gaining high visibility, as are organic farming and food safety. The concepts of bullshit jobs and switching have made their début on the linguistic stage. Another area that has come to the fore since 2011 is veganism, along with animal rights. Double standards in the judicial treatment reserved for the common people and the political elite are undermining faith in the judicial process. Paedophilia is hitting the headlines more and more frequently. Women’s rights have become a key issue over recent years, not only in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein sex scandals but also because of the fact that every three days in France a woman dies from blows inflicted by her husband or companion. One of the latest words to enter the French dictionary is the term féminicide.

6  Introduction to the second edition

Apocalypse and Armageddon are in the hit-​ parade of biblical cultural references! In a recent study about optimism in various countries, France was very low down on the list, on a par with some third-​world countries! Many foreigners living in France consider that they are living in ‘paradise’, whereas the French themselves are convinced that they are living in hell. The French are the no. 1 worldwide consumers of anti-​depressants. Twenty-​five per cent of the French population is under such medication. For the average Frenchman, as the adorable Maureen Lipman would have it:  ‘Every silver lining has a cloud!’ To conclude, some of our readers pointed out that the first edition of the book was concentrated on the French of mainland France while that of other French-​speaking countries had been neglected. The French of francophone Africa is not essentially different from that spoken in Paris. The big difference is Canada: accent, syntax and vocabulary are significantly different. We have thus tried to correct our linguistic centrism with a small chapter on the French of Quebec that claims only to be an introduction to the subject, and no more. That being said, it needs to be stated that the cultural references of mainland France remain the common linguistic core of the other French-​ speaking countries. Carro, June 2020

Chapter 1

Popular cultural references

Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise.

In this chapter, the reader will find a host of terms taken from a broad spectrum of sources mentioned in the French press: advertising slogans, film titles, lyrics from famous songs, the punchlines of music-​hall classics and children’s playground lore. Such references rarely get a mention in classical, bilingual dictionaries and are rarely, if ever, mentioned in university language courses; and yet they are a very significant part of the French linguistic landscape. As with all of the entries in this book, these expressions are used as such or frequently punned upon or modified in some way. A  translation has been proposed for those general-​interest readers who might appreciate a little help in this area. Although many of these entries date from the 1970s and 1980s, or even from the nineteenth century, they have since become a permanent part of journalistic vocabulary. For cinema buffs, a list of the top French film titles has been given in an annex at the end of this chapter in both alphabetical and chronological order. They, too, are frequently punned upon. This list does not claim to be exhaustive but most of the films that have marked the history of French cinema are there. Some films, deserving a longer explanation, have been included in the main chapter.

‘abreuver nos sillons d’un sang impur’   

  

**

These are words from the national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise’. ‘Un sillon’ is a furrow, while ‘abreuver’ means ‘to drench’ or ‘to soak’. The exact words are Qu’un sang impur abreuve nos sillons.

affinité. Et plus si     

***

‘And possibly more’. These are the words included in a typical ad in the lonely-​ hearts section of a newspaper or website. After mentioning the possibilities

8  ‘Ainsi font, font, font, les petites marionnettes’     

of travel, music and cinema, this expression concludes the ad, implying that the relationship could develop into much more than sharing hobbies if a true affinity can be found between the two people.

‘Ainsi font, font, font, les petites marionnettes’     

***

These are the words and title of a very old nursery rhyme that begins with the following words: Ainsi font, font, font Les petites marionnettes, Ainsi font, font, font Trois p’tits tours et puis s’en vont.

‘Allô maman, bobo’     

***

One of the great successes of the singer, composer and actor Alain Souchon (1944–​ ). A  ‘bobo’ in children’s language is a ‘pain’ or a ‘sore’ etc. See Chapter 14 ‘Bobo’.

‘Alsace et la Lorraine. L’’     

*

These are the words from a jingoistic song of 1930 affirming that the Germans would not take Alsace and Lorraine as they had in 1871. It was annexed by the Germans in 1940.

‘Amoureux des bancs publics. Les’     

**

‘Lovers on a public bench’. The words come from a song written in 1977 and sung by Georges Brassens (1921–​81) that juxtaposes the spontaneity of young lovers kissing in public with the reprobation of the priggish, bourgeois passers-​by.

Approchez Mesdames, Messieurs!     

*

‘Come closer, ladies and gentlemen!’, ‘Step right up!’. This expression is the typical banter of a salesperson at a stand trying to attract customers, or the equivalent of ‘Roll up!’ when used by sb. trying to attract people to a show.

‘Atmosphère . . . atmosphère’ . . .  9

Arroseur arrosé. L’     

***

The meaning of this expression resembles the English ‘hoist with one’s own petard’. It is the title of the second of two films by Louis Lumière (1864–​ 1948) made in 1895 and constituting the first slapstick comedy in the history of French cinema. Lasting 49 seconds, it features a gardener watering the garden. A little rascal puts his foot on the hose and the water stops flowing. The gardener takes a close look at the nozzle of the hose; it is then that the rascal takes his foot off the hose and the gardener is drenched and runs after the mischievous boy.

Arsène Lupin     

**

The gentleman burglar, a fictitious character created by Maurice Leblanc in a collection of short stories, the first of which appeared in 1905 in the newspaper Je sais tout. Over the years, various famous actors have played the television and cinema role.

Asnières. Le 22 à     

**

Famous words from one of the most well-​known sketches by the comic Fernand Raynaud (1926–​73). It is a reference to the time when the French telecommunications network was a national disgrace. In the sketch, ‘le 22 à Asnières’ is a local number that is impossible to reach. Asnières is on the north-​west outskirts of Paris in the département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92). Before 1974, comics used to quip that ‘half of the French population was waiting for a telephone to be installed, and the other half was waiting for the dialling tone’.

Astérix     

***

He is the key character in the Franco-​Belgian comic-​strip created in 1959 by the scriptwriter René Goscinny and the cartoonist Albert Uderzo. Several expressions taken from Astérix are used in everyday French: un village Gaulois résiste, la potion magique, ils sont fous ces Romains!.

‘Atmosphère . . . atmosphère’ . . .     

***

This is one of the most famous retorts in French cinema history. It was made by Arletty, real name Léonie Bathiat (1898–​1992), acting opposite Louis Jouvet (1887–​1951) in the film Hôtel du Nord (1938) and said with the Parisian

10  Au théâtre ce soir     

equivalent of a cockney accent. She was responding to her partner, who had just told her that he needed a change of ‘atmosphère’. The exact line she spoke was: Atmosphère, atmosphère, est-​ce-​que j’ai une gueule d’atmosphère?. ‘Gueule’ is the slang term for ‘gob’, or ‘mug’. See the bonus chapter ‘Slang’ at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758.

Au théâtre ce soir     

**

Au théâtre ce soir was a TV programme created by Pierre Sabbagh that was broadcast from 1966 to 1985 on the channel TF1. The programme consisted of a presentation of a play that had been recorded, and that was running at a Paris theatre at the time.

‘Auprès de ma blonde’     

**

This is the title and part of the chorus of a traditional children’s song that dates from the eighteenth century. It subsequently became a military marching song. NB whatever the colour of her hair, a Canadian’s girlfriend is his ‘blonde’: Au jardin de mon père les lilas sont fleuris, Au jardin de mon père les lilas sont fleuris, Tous les oiseaux du monde viennent y faire leur nid. Auprès de ma blonde, qu’il fait bon, fait bon, fait bon, Auprès de ma blonde, qu’il fait bon dormir.

Avec des si (on mettrait Paris en bouteille)     

***

This expression, ‘with “ifs” we could put Paris in a bottle’, highlights the futility of groundless suppositions.

Baiser Fanny     

*

This expression originally came from the game of pétanque and is part of Marseille folklore, Fanny being a typical forename for women in this region. ‘Baiser Fanny’ means that one has lost a game of pétanque without having scored a single point. It originated in the nineteenth century, when a young lady, named Fanny, would console the loser of a game by raising her skirts. Later on, it became the tradition for the loser of a game to kiss the backside

beauf nm.  11

of a plaster statue of a woman. (The English mind can only boggle at such things!) NB baiser originally meant ‘to kiss’, ‘to give a kiss to’, but in modern French it is a gross term and equivalent to a four-​letter word. For the former meaning see Act II, Scene v of Molière’s Le Malade imaginaire; a young man asks his father if he is supposed to kiss the young lady to whom he is to be introduced: he says: Baiserai-​je, mon père?

banlieue. Elle court, elle court la     

**

The title of a Franco-​Italian film that came out in 1973, which satirically describes the hellish life of ‘banlieusards’ using public transport to go to work in Paris and return to the far-​flung suburbs in the evening. It is important to realize that in France, rich people live in the inner cities, whereas the less well-​heeled live in the suburbs. ‘Suburb’ is thus an extremely difficult word to translate, given the fact that between England and France the connotation of the same word ‘banlieue’ refers to two diametrically opposite social realities. The situation of Parisian suburban transport is worse today than it was when the film came out, hence the continuing topicality of the expression.

barbichette. Je te tiens par la     

***

This is a nursery rhyme-​cum-​game where two children hold each other’s chins; the first child who laughs receives a little smack. The text goes: Je te tiens, tu me tiens par la barbichette; le premier de nous deux qui rira aura une tapette. It is used today to describe two politicians who each have some dirt on the other and have concluded a pact of non-​aggression in their mutual interest. It is basically reciprocal blackmail.

Bataclan     

**

The name of a concert hall built in 1864 and located at 50 boulevard Voltaire in the 11e arrondissement of Paris. It was here, on 13 November 2015, that three men entered the hall with assault weapons and explosives during a concert of the Eagles of Death. Ninety people died. The État islamique claimed responsibility for the killing.

beauf nm.     

***

This was originally a comic character created by the late Cabu (a famous cartoonist) and is now defined as a petty bourgeois, narrow-​minded, conservative, male-​chauvinist pig. Cabu was one of those who died in the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo on 7 January 2015. See below ‘Charlie Hebdo’.

12 bébé Cadum. Le     

bébé Cadum. Le     

*

‘Cadum’ is the registered trademark of the French soap company set up in 1907 that was later to organize an annual competition (from 1924 onwards) to elect ‘Le bébé Cadum’ of the year. The expression used by schoolchildren today tends to refer to a weak mummy’s boy.

Bécassine     

**

Bécassine is a comic-​strip character created by Jacqueline Rivière and the cartoonist Émile Pinchon. She appeared for the first time in the first edition of the weekly girls’ magazine La Semaine de Suzette, in 1905. Bécassine represents the simple-​minded, ill-​dressed, provincial maid.

Belle Hélène. La     

*

The name of an opéra bouffe by Jacques Offenbach, first put on in 1864 and including many satirical references to the Second Empire (1852–​70) and Napoleon III. He was frequently called ‘le nain’ (the dwarf) because of his short stature. See Chapter 2 ‘bordel’.

‘besoin de personne en Harley-​D avidson. Je n’ai’     

***

‘I don’t need anybody when I’m on my Harley-​Davidson’. Harley-​Davidson was a song created by lyricist and composer Serge Gainsbourg (1928–​91). It was sung by Brigitte Bardot in 1967 and became one of her greatest successes. Harley-​Davidson is the legendary motorbike brand name.

Bibendum     

*

See Chapter 10 ‘Guide’.

‘bicyclette. À’     

*

‘By bicycle’, or ‘on a bicycle’. The very words ‘à bicyclette’ inevitably bring to mind a song recorded in 1968 by Yves Montand, the actor, singer and music-​ hall artist (1921–​91), as does the first line, Quand on partait de bon matin (‘When we used to set out early in the morning’). Quand on partait de bon matin Quand on partait sur les chemins

bizutage nm.  13

À bicyclette Nous étions quelques bons copains Y avait Fernand y avait Firmin Y avait Francis et Sébastien Et puis Paulette . . .

Bidochon. Les     

*

Les Bidochon are comic-​strip characters representing a typical working-​class couple and the everyday problems that they face in the consumer society. They appeared for the first time in 1977 in the magazine Fluide Glacial created by Christian Binet. NB ‘classe moyenne’ in French is NOT ‘middle class’. Notice too that the family name is invariable, as opposed to the English ‘the Smiths’.

Bisounours     

***

This is the name of a children’s cuddly teddy bear. It is the French name of the American fluffy toy popularized in the 1980s, corresponding to the ‘Care Bear’. The ‘Care Bear’ was originally created by the company American Greetings in 1981 as a greetings-​card character. In French, the word bisou is children’s language for a ‘kiss’. ‘Bisounours’ is now frequently used as an adjective to describe a person with naïve or over-​gentle opinions or attitudes.

‘Bizarre! Vous avez dit bizarre?’     

***

Moi, j’ai dit bizarre? Comme c’est bizarre! (‘I said “bizarre”, did I? How bizarre!’). These are the famous words spoken by Louis Jouvet in the film by Marcel Carné Drôle de drame (1937). Jouvet (1887–​1951) was one of the greatest actors of his time, a director and teacher of dramatic art. This line has since become a cult phrase.

bizutage nm.     

*

In a British university, ‘Rag Week’ tends to be used to describe the week of events organized early in one’s first term to raise money for charity (and involving practical jokes on new students). The term, in French, is much more related to the idea of the ‘initiation’ of a new student or freshman. It frequently involved some form of humiliation inflicted on the new student. In this respect, bizutage more closely resembles the American term ‘hazing’, which is a rite of initiation that can go to extreme limits. This type of bizutage was made illegal in France in 1998. The term bizut, or bizuth, refers to the first-​year students or freshmen who undergo such treatment.

14 black, blanc, beur     

black, blanc, beur     

**

This expression came into vogue in the 1990s to describe the multiethnic character of France. It is an echo of bleu, blanc, rouge –​the colours of the French flag. A ‘beur’ is a second-​generation North African, born and living in France. ‘Beur’ is backslang (‘verlan’) for ‘Arab’.

‘Boire ou conduire, il faut choisir’     

***

‘One must choose between drinking and driving.’ A publicity slogan of the Comité de la sécurité routière to combat drink-​driving in 1977.

‘Bon sang, mais c’est bien sûr . . .’     

**

This was the pet phrase used by Inspector Bourrel in the highly successful television series Les Cinq Dernières Minutes, first broadcast in 1958. The series starred Raymond Souplex in the lead role. It was aired on French TV until 1973. In each episode, on discovering the culprit, the police inspector would exclaim, ‘Good God, but of course’. In fact, ‘Bon sang’ was never used by the famous inspector; he used the expression ‘Bon Dieu’. Today, this expression is part of the linguistic landscape.

Bonheur est dans le pré. Le     

**

Happiness is in the Meadow. This is the title of a film by Étienne Chatiliez (1995). It is also the first line of a poem by the French poet Paul Fort (1872–​ 1960) entitled ‘Le Bonheur’. There is an obvious pun possibility with ‘prêt’ in the sense of ‘loan’ or in the sense of ‘ready’.

‘boum. Mon cœur fait’     

***

This is the title of one of the greatest successes of Charles Trenet (1913–​2001). See below ‘Que reste-​t-​il de nos amours?’.

‘bu? Tu t’es vu quand t’as’     

*

‘Have you seen yourself when you’ve been drinking?’ This was the 1991 slogan of the campaign launched by the Comité français d’éducation pour la santé in the fight against alcohol abuse. See above ‘Boire ou conduire, il faut choisir’; see below ‘verre, ça va, deux verres, bonjour les dégâts. Un’. NB In France 40 per cent of fatal road accidents are caused by alcohol or narcotic substance abuse.

‘Cadet Rousselle’  15

bureaucrates de Courteline. Les     

***

See Chapter 5 ‘Courteline’, and ‘courtelinesque’.

‘Buvez, éliminez!’     

*

‘Drink, eliminate!’. The advertising slogan for the mineral water Vittel launched in 1979, and composed by the French entertainer, singer and comic Richard Gotainer (1948–​). Still topical in the light of polluted water tables etc.

‘Ça eût payé’     

***

‘It could have been profitable.’ This is the past conditional, second form. This is another expression that we owe to the comic Fernand Raynaud from one of his songs. It is to be pointed out that in the song, the original text reads ça a eu payé, this being the tense (only used orally) known as ‘le passé surcomposé’. See above ‘Asnières. Le 22 à’.

‘Ça s’en va et ça revient’     

**

The lyrics of one of the greatest successes of the singer Claude François (1939–​ 78), ‘Une chanson populaire’. Often used to describe the movement of crooked politicians who leave the political stage after having been sentenced by the courts, and who reappear later considering that the slate has been wiped clean.

‘Ça use, ça use’     

**

Part of a marching song traditionally used by children in a holiday camp or with the scouts: Un kilomètre à pied, ça use, ça use, Un kilomètre à pied, ça use les souliers. Deux kilomètres à pied, ça use, ça use, Deux kilomètres à pied, ça use les souliers . . .

‘Cadet Rousselle’     

**

Cadet Rousselle, a popular children’s song written in 1792 by Gaspard de Chenu: Cadet Rousselle a trois maisons, [bis] Qui n’ont ni poutres, ni chevrons, [bis] C’est pour loger les hirondelles.

16 café du Commerce. Le     

café du Commerce. Le     

**

This is a very common name for a café or bar in France. Discussions of the café du Commerce type are political, vain, full of clichés and truisms, and lacking in subtlety. It thus refers to a debate of low intellectual quality.

Capitaine Haddock     

***

See below ‘sparadrap du Capitaine Haddock. Le’.

‘Capri, c’est fini’     

**

‘Capri c’est fini’ is a French song written and sung by Hervé Vilard (1946–​). It was a great success when it was released in 1965. It evokes the end of a summer romance, and now, more generally, the end of any happy period.

Castafiore     

**

La Castafiore is a character in the Aventures of Tintin by Hergé. She is a ‘prima donna’ and frequently has capricious moods.

Cave se rebiffe. Le     

**

This is the title of a film by Gilles Grangier (1961), starring Jean Gabin and Bernard Blier. ‘Un cave’, in criminal slang, is a man who is naïve and who does not know the codes of the underworld. ‘Se rebiffer’ means ‘to rebel’ or ‘to fight back’. This is the second part of the trilogy that includes Les Tontons flingueurs and Touchez pas au grisbi. See below Tontons flingueurs. Les, and Touchez pas au grisbi. NB the capitalization of the letters of French film titles is not always consistent.

César. Une compression de     

*

César Baldaccini (1921–​ 98) was a French sculptor who is particularly remembered for his compressions of metallic objects. ‘César’ is the name of the annual French cinema award, the equivalent of the American ‘Oscar’. The trophy is a statuette-​compression of César’s creation.

‘C’est bon pour le moral’     

**

This is the title of a song recorded by the French West Indian group La Compagnie créole that was a great success in 1983. It has since become a

Chasse au trésor. La  17

cult phrase. NB the letter ‘r’ does not exist in Creole and thus ‘moral’ is pronounced ‘mowal’.

C’est celui qui dit, qui l’est     

***

A schoolchild’s reply to an insult. ‘It’s the person who says it, who is it.’

changer de crèmerie     

**

A customer is unhappy about the fact that a dairy is out of stock of Babybel. She threatens the shopkeeper saying that she will change dairy if he has not restocked by midday. Babybel is a cheese with a red wax coating. This expression has now come to mean ‘to take one’s custom elsewhere’.

*

‘Chante rossignol’     

These words come from a traditional French love song, ‘À la claire fontaine’: Chante, rossignol, chante [Sing nightingale, sing] Toi qui as le cœur gai [Thou who art blithe-​hearted] Tu as le cœur à rire [Thy heart is mirthful] Moi je l’ai à pleurer [Mine is tearful]. It is, in fact, a lover’s lament. See below ‘Il y a longtemps que je t’aime’.

Charivari. Le     

*

An anti-​clerical and republican magazine founded in 1832 during the reign of Louis Philippe (1830–​48). The satirical magazine was constantly in opposition to the ‘July Monarchy’ and was often taken to court at a time when the freedom of the press had no legal foundation. Honoré Daumier (1808–​79) was one of the most famous caricaturists who contributed to the magazine. It was last published in 1937. Today, it refers to dissonant noises and tumult. See Chapter 6 ‘Monarchie de Juillet’.

Chasse au trésor. La     

**

La Chasse au trésor was the title of a TV programme created by Jacques Antoine in the early 1980s. Based on three enigmas, the chase is undertaken by contestants transported by helicopter to various regions of France and abroad. It has since been used in an updated version.

18  ‘Chassons le gaspi de chez nous’     

‘Chassons le gaspi de chez nous’     

*

‘Let’s drive out wastefulness.’ This was the slogan of a government publicity campaign to make energy savings in the wake of the second oil crisis in the mid-​1970s. It is still topical thanks to the green movement.

Chaud devant!     

***

In a crowded café, this is the waiter’s traditional cry to make people get out of his way and warn them that he is carrying something hot. It is the French catering equivalent of ‘mind your backs’.

Chauffe Marcel!      

**

This is an expression originating from a comic sketch of the 1960s in which a man is serenading a woman under her balcony while an accomplice plays the accordion. Each time the music stops, the serenader encourages the musician with the words ‘Chauffe Marcel!’ (‘Get to it, Marcel!). It is sometimes used in the interrogative mood to ask sb. if their work (particularly physical labour) is progressing well.

‘chez ces gens là’     

**

The words of a song (‘Ces gens là’) by the Belgian singer and composer Jacques Brel released in 1966 that describes the hopelessness of the situation of the poor; he sings: Que chez ces gens-​là On ne pense pas, Monsieur On ne pense pas, on prie.

chocolat. Être     

**

The expression refers to sb. who has been taken for a ride, is victim of an injustice or thwarted. ‘Footit et Chocolat’ were a well-​known music-​hall act in the late 1890s in Paris. They were clowns. ‘Chocolat’ was a Senegalese, who was always being beaten by the white man. The racist remarks were always sure to raise a laugh. He was sketched by Toulouse Lautrec, his fellow drinker in the cabarets of Montmartre. He died an alcoholic in total poverty in 1917. Cf. ‘Être marron’ (‘to be had’).

‘comme on nous parle’  19

‘Ciel, mon mari!’     

**

‘Heavens, my husband!’ A  hackneyed theatrical line used by the unfaithful spouse, Lucienne, spoken to her lover on being taken by surprise by her husband. It comes from the vaudeville Le Dindon by Georges Feydeau (1862–​ 1921). This is as well known and humorous in French as is the stock English expression ‘We can’t go on meeting like this.’

Cinq colonnes à la une     

***

This is a newspaper expression. In newspapers, text is spread across five columns. The article on the front page has a headline covering the width of the five columns indicating that it is very important front-​page news. The expression gave its name to one of the most famous news magazines in the history of French television which went on the air for the first time in 1959. It was produced by the legendary team of Pierre Desgraupes, Pierre Dumayet, Pierre Lazareff and Igor Barrère. The last programme was broadcast in 1968.

Cochon qui s’en dédit     

*

In children’s folklore, this is the English equivalent of ‘it’s a deal’.

Cocorico!     

**

This is an onomatopoeic word that resembles the sound that a cock is supposed to make when crowing. It is the French version of ‘cock-​a-​doodle-​ do’. It is also is a cry of victory. To be ‘cocorico’ is to be chauvinistic. See below ‘coq gaulois. Le’.

‘Colonies de vacances. Les Jolies’     

**

Title and words of a song by Pierre Perret (1934–​) that was a hit in the summer of 1966 and was a humorous presentation of children’s holiday camps in France. This song was contemporary with the big American hit by Allan Sherman (1924–​73) on the same subject, ‘Hello Mother, Hello Father’, which also topped the charts in the English-​speaking world in 1966. See below ‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’.

‘comme on nous parle’     

**

‘The way they speak to us’ are words from one of the biggest hits by Alain Souchon, ‘Foule sentimentale’. The song ridicules consumer society and

20 Concours Lépine     

criticizes the ad men for the way in which they address the general public. It was released in 1993. See above ‘Allô maman, bobo’.

Concours Lépine     

***

Louis Lépine (1846–​1933) created the event in 1901. It was the annual exhibition of inventors and took place under the name Concours Lépine. Figuratively, and in a rather derogatory sense, it implies a large number of very disparate articles.

‘Copains d’abord. Les’     

**

‘Chums come first’. This is the title of one of the most famous songs of Georges Brassens (1921–​81), which came out in 1964. It was composed for the film Les Copains, directed by Yves Robert, and is seen as a hymn to friendship. Often used in the context of ‘jobs for the boys’.

coq gaulois. Le     

**

The reason why the French sports emblem is a cock derives from the play on words between two Latin words: gallus (cock) and Gallus (the Gaulois).

corneille. La     

*

La corneille, sur la racine de la bruyère, boit l’eau de la fontaine Molière (‘The crow on the root of the briar drinks the water from the fountain of Molière’). A  useful mnemonic technique thanks to which French children can easily remember the names of their greatest writers: Corneille, Racine, La Bruyère, Boileau, La Fontaine and Molière.

Coué, la méthode     

***

The Coué method takes its name from the work of the French psychologist Émile Coué (1857–​1926). It is based on autosuggestion and positive thinking and leads to a positive attitude on the part of the subject. This method is not so far removed from the concept of the self-​fulfilling prophecy. As it is used in the press, it is the refusal to admit the truth, to be in denial faced with the hard facts of reality.

‘crac, boum, hue!’     

**

The trivial words from a song by the actor/​singer Jacques Dutronc (1943–​) that deals with a secret method for picking up girls: un joujou extra qui fait

‘Debout, les damnés de la terre’  21

crac, boum, hue. The song was entitled ‘Les Playboys’ and was one of the great hits in 1966 in the heyday of what was later to be called the ‘yéyé’ period. The music was composed by Jacques Dutronc and the lyrics by Jacques Lanzmann. See below ‘Yéyé’.

Croix de bois, croix de fer     

**

Croix de bois, croix de fer, si je mens, je vais en enfer. A playground expression used when trying to persuade others that one is not lying. Equivalent to the English ‘cross my heart and hope to die’.

CRS –​ SS     

**

This is one of the memories of the unrest of 1968. The CRS are the anti-​ riot police (Compagnies républicaines de sécurité). Faced with the violence of police tactics, the students in the Latin quarter chanted ‘CRS –​SS’. ‘SS’ was the notorious German term for the ‘Schutzstaffel’, the protection squad set up by Hitler in 1927.

Dalton. Les frères     

**

The Dalton brothers were a gang of four bandits in the comic-​strip Lucky Luke.

Dame pipi     

**

The lowliest of jobs. The ‘wee-​wee lady’ was a woman employed in public or private toilets and who used to be seated at the entrance. She cleaned the premises and, in exchange, she would receive a coin from the patrons; they would leave the ‘tip’ in a saucer on the table at the entrance.

De guerre lasse     

***

De guerre lasse (Weary with War) is the fifteenth novel by Françoise Sagan, published in 1985. The story takes place in 1942 during the Second World War. It was adapted for the cinema by Robert Enrico in 1987. In everyday language the expression means to be discouraged or downhearted.

‘Debout, les damnés de la terre’     

***

‘Arise, damned of the earth.’ These are the words of the first line of the ‘Internationale’. See below ‘lutte finale. C’est la’.

22  ‘Demain, j’enlève le bas’     

‘Demain, j’enlève le bas’     

**

In August 1981, advertising posters could be seen all over Paris showing the picture of a beautiful girl in a bikini. The slogan was ‘On 2 September, I shall take off the top.’ Indeed, a few days later, the same beautiful girl was shown topless, this time the slogan being ‘On 4 September, I shall take off the bottom.’ A few days later, indeed the girl had taken off the lower part of her bikini but was shown photographed from behind. This was in fact an impressive demonstration of the power of advertising to get people’s attention. It is an example par excellence of the ‘teasing’ principle. The campaign was launched by the advertising company Avenir, ‘the company that always keeps its promises’. Now synonymous with ‘tomorrow, I shall reveal everything’.

‘Des pâtes, oui, mais des Panzani’     

**

Famous slogan of the Panzani brand of pasta. The character of Don Camillo (originally played by Fernadel) was used as the basis for the ad. Don Camillo often spoke directly to God. In the ad, God admonishes Don Camillo for his greediness. The latter defends himself by saying Ce ne sont que quelques pâtes Seigneur . . . God replies Oui, mais des Panzani. See below ‘Don Camillo et Pépone’.

Deschiens. Les     

**

Les Deschiens was a TV series broadcast on Canal+ from 1993 until 2002. It depicted the Deschiens family, composed of yokels and bumpkins, and has been criticized for ridiculing the lower classes, particularly by mocking their regional accents.

Don Camillo et Pépone     

**

These fictional characters were created in 1948 by the Italian writer Giovannino Guareschi. Don Camillo is an Italian village priest and Pépone is the communist mayor. A series of films was made of these short stories and starred the French actor Fernandel. Although Don Camillo and Pépone frequently fight, they both have a certain respect for each other, although this is never openly expressed. The films are remembered for the frequent conversations that the priest has with Christ on the cross in the village church. Don Camillo is one of the best-​loved characters in French cinema history. One such conversation with Christ was used in a very successful TV advertising campaign by the pasta company Panzani. See above ‘Des pâtes, oui, mais des Panzani’.

Enfoirés. Les  23

‘Douce France’     

***

‘Douce France’ is a song written by Charles Trenet in 1943; it is an ode to the gentleness of the country of his birth at a time when France was living under German occupation. See above ‘boum. Mon cœur fait’. See below ‘Que reste-​ t-​il de nos amours?’.

Drôle de drame     

***

See above ‘Bizarre! Vous avez dit bizarre?’.

Dupont et Dupond     

**

The identical twins in the comic-​strip by Hergé, The Adventures of Tintin. See below ‘Tintin’.

‘Elle est pas belle la vie!’ [sic]     

**

‘Isn’t life beautiful?’ (‘Ain’t life beautiful?’) This is an advertising slogan of the pork-​products company Fleury Michon. Grammatically speaking, it should have been ‘Elle n’est pas belle la vie?’ or ‘N’est-​elle pas belle la vie?’. It is now a cult phrase.

Emmaüs     

**

A charity organization founded in 1953 by the late Abbé Pierre (Henri Grouès (1912–​2007)) to give shelter and employment to the homeless. It is also a type of Oxfam shop.

Enfants du paradis. Les     

**

A cult film produced in wartime by Marcel Carné between 1943 and 1945. The screenplay was written by Jacques Prévert. This film is considered, by some, to be the best French film ever made. One of the stars of the film, Arletty, was arrested at the end of the war and accused of ‘collaboration with the enemy’ because of her relationship with a German officer (this was known as ‘horizontal collaboration’). In the dock, she defended herself by saying to the judge ‘My heart is French, but my ass is international.’

Enfoirés. Les     

**

Les Enfoirés is the name of a group of artistes and public figures created in 1985 with the objective of singing for the benefit of the charity organization

24  ‘entreprise [ne] connaît pas la crise. Ma petite’     

founded by the actor Coluche, Les Restos du Cœur. See below Restos du Cœur. Les.

‘entreprise [ne] connaît pas la crise. Ma petite’     

***

The title of one of the hits of the singer and composer Alain Bashung (1947–​ 2009) (‘My Little Firm Is Unaffected by the Recession’). This song was later used in a TV ad for a light commercial vehicle produced by Citroën, the Berlingo. Still a very topical expression.

‘Entrez dans la danse’     

***

See below ‘Nous n’irons plus au bois . . .’.

Épinal. Images d’     

***

Originally, they were coloured prints on popular themes such as religion, military uniforms, battles etc., and intended for the illiterate population. The printer Jean-​Charles Pellerin (1756–​1836) was the first to publish such prints, at the time of the French Revolution. He lived in the town of Épinal. Today, the expression refers to a naïve and idealized vision of the world. Épinal is in the northern region now known as Hauts-​de-​France.

‘Et maintenant?’     

**

One of the greatest songs composed by the French singer Gilbert Bécaud (1927–​2001) in 1961, which rapidly became a worldwide success. The title of the English version is ‘What Now My Love?’.

‘Et moi et moi et moi’     

***

These are the words and title of a hit song recorded by ‘yéyé’ star Jacques Dutronc in 1967. The song begins Sept cent millions de chinois [sic], et moi et moi et moi. It could be punned upon with the word ‘émoi’ (emotion, excitement, turmoil etc.). J’y pense et puis j’oublie /​C’est la vie, c’est la vie are the last two lines of each verse of the song. See below ‘J’y pense et puis j’oublie’, and ‘Yéyé’.

Été meurtrier. L’     

**

This is the title of a Jean Becker film (1983) starring Isabelle Adjani and Alain Souchon. Frequently used in the press after the announcement of traffic

fève nf.  25

deaths at the end of the summer vacation or any other violent events in July and August.

‘façon puzzle!’     

***

These words are among the cult phrases of the film Les Tontons flingueurs. Raoul, played by Bernard Blier, is promising a sad end to Fernand, played by Lino Ventura: Je vais lui montrer qui c’est Raoul. Aux quatre coins de Paris qu’on va le retrouver, éparpillé par petits bouts, façon puzzle. Moi, quand on m’en fait trop, je correctionne plus: je dynamite, je disperse, je ventile! See below Tontons flingueurs. Les.

Facteur Cheval. Le     

*

Joseph Ferdinand Cheval (1836–​1924) was a French postman who spent 33 years of his life building his ‘ideal palace’ in his home town of Hauterives in the département of the Drôme (26), which is part of the Auvergne-​Rhone-​ Alpes region. His work was classified as an historic monument in 1969. It is considered to be a masterpiece of naïve architecture.

Fée Clochette. La     

**

This is the name of the character created by J. M. Barrie in 1904 in his play Peter Pan. In English her name is Tinker Bell.

Festival de Cannes     

**

The Cannes Film Festival is an international cinema festival that takes place each year at the Palais des festivals et des congrès in Cannes. It was founded in 1946 by Jean Zay, minister of education and fine arts, and Albert Sarraut, minister of the interior. Its foundation was very much a reaction to fascist interference in the selection of films for the Italian film festival La Mostra de Venise. The most prestigious prize awarded is the ‘Palme d’Or’.

fève nf.     

*

‘Une fève’ (broad bean and/​or a small porcelain figurine) is always hidden in either the ‘galette des rois’ or the ‘gâteau des rois’ that are traditionally eaten on Twelfth Night (‘La Nuit des Rois, l’Épiphanie). The ‘galette’ is a flaky

26  ‘flics. 22 v’là les’     

pastry tart filled with marzipan, whereas the ‘gâteau’ is a crown-​shaped bun covered with glacé fruits and coarse sugar. The person who has the portion of the cake bearing the ‘fève’ is declared King or Queen, and wears a cardboard crown for the day . . . and pays for the next cake!

‘flics. 22 v’là les’     

**

It is the tradition, on seeing policemen, to say ‘22 v’là les flics’ (‘22, here they come’, or ‘22, there they are’). It has been suggested that this expression originated in the typesetting department of a printing works. The workers worked in absolute silence in order to avoid typographical errors, known in French as ‘coquilles’. If one forgets the ‘q’ in this word, the result is catastrophic. When the foreman was absent, the workers would begin to chatter, but as soon as he returned sb. would shout the warning ‘22’. It would appear that 22 = C + H + E + F, i.e. the third, eighth, fifth and sixth letters of the alphabet, respectively. If one adds the values, the result is 22.

Fluctuat nec mergitur     

**

This is the motto of the city of Paris. See Chapter 13 ‘Fluctuat nec mergitur’.

Folie des grandeurs. À     

**

Delusions of Grandeur was the title of a comic film directed by Gérard Oury that came out in 1971 and starred Louis de Funès (1914–​83), Yves Montand (1921–​91) and Alice Sapritch (1916–​90). It was inspired by Ruy Blas by Victor Hugo, and the action takes place against the backdrop of imperial Spain. One of the most famous lines from this cult film is Qu’est-​ce que je vais devenir? Je suis ministre, je ne sais rien faire! (‘What is to become of me? I am a minister. I’m no good at anything!’). See above ‘Bicyclette. La’.

France profonde. La     

**

This is a term that refers to the heartland of France, i.e. the rural areas where traditions are tenacious and people are conservative in their outlook.

‘furet du bois joli. Le’     

**

This comes from a children’s song ‘Il court, il court le furet’, which tells the story of a ferret that is rather like the Loch Ness Monster, in that some people say they have seen it but nobody can prove its existence. In debates about

Grands Boulevards. Les  27

unemployment, the old argument of 500,000 jobs that have not been filled is regularly brought out for airing, but so far nobody knows where they are, nor who was in charge of drawing up the related statistics.

Goncourt. Le     

**

‘Le Goncourt’ is the most prestigious French literary prize awarded by the Académie Goncourt, set up by the will and testament of Edmond de Goncourt (1822–​96). The Académie was officially founded in 1902, and the first prize was awarded in 1903. The prize is awarded in early November by the ten members of the Académie, who meet regularly at the Parisian restaurant Drouant. The prize is awarded for the best prose work of imagination written in the French language.

Gorille vous salue bien. Le     

**

‘Gorille’ is a slang term for a ‘heavy’, and this phrase is the last line of the film of the same name directed by Bernard Borderie in 1957 and starring Lino Ventura (1919–​87), one of France’s best-​loved actors. The expression evokes an ironic goodbye.

Grande Vadrouille. La     

***

A cult Franco-​British comedy film, directed by Gérard Oury in 1966, which tells of the misfortunes and peregrinations of two Frenchmen in occupied France who, in spite of themselves, help three British RAF officers shot down over Paris during the Second World War. The film starred Bourvil, Louis de Funès and Terry-​Thomas. It now refers to any long and complicated journey. This film held the French box office record (over 17 million cinema entries) until it was beaten by Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis in 2008. See below ‘p’tit quinquin. Le’. See Chapter 13 ‘Tea for Two’.

Grands Boulevards. Les     

*

Although the Grands Boulevards are not uniquely the work of Georges-​ Eugène Haussmann (1809–​91) under the Second Empire, it was during this period that the centre of gravity of the boulevards of Paris moved from the east to the west and thus to the more affluent quarters of the capital. The Grands Boulevards bring to mind the boulevard des Capucines (2e arrondissement), the boulevard des Italiens (2e and 9e), the boulevard Haussmann (8e and 9e) and the boulevard de la Madeleine (1e, 8e and 9e ). It is in the area of

28  Grosses Têtes. Les     

the Grands Boulevards that the major department stores can be found. NB depending on the side of the street (equal-​number side or odd-​number side) the number of the arrondissement can be different.

Grosses Têtes. Les     

**

This was originally a radio programme combining humour and culture, created in 1977 by Jean Farran, director of programmes at RTL. It is broadcast on a daily basis, and Philippe Bouvard was the presenter between 1977 and 2014. It is now a TV programme, broadcast on the Paris Première channel. Currently, the programme is hosted by Laurent Rouquier.

Gueules cassées. Les     

**

The expression (literally ‘smashed gobs’) was coined by Colonel Picot, the first chairman of a charity set up to help the severely facially wounded soldiers of the First World War. A lottery was launched in order to raise money for this charity. It was, in fact, the origin of the French lottery.

Guignol     

***

Guignol is a French puppet created in Lyon in 1808. It is the equivalent of the British Punch and Judy, ‘guignol’ being synonymous with ‘clown’. By metonymy, ‘guignol’ designates the comic puppet theatre. NB the French TV equivalent of the British TV programme Spitting Image was called Les Guignols de l’Info. Politicians in France are often referred to as ‘guignols’.

Harlequin. Éditions     

**

Specializing in sentimental stories for a female readership, this collection is looked down upon by the literary community. However, one paperback in three sold is a Harlequin book. Over 130 million copies have been sold worldwide. The collection includes 700 titles and is fuelled by over 1,000 writers, all Anglo-​American. They are equivalent to the British Mills and Boon.

Hulot. Les vacances de Monsieur     

***

This is the title of the classic prize-​winning film of Jacques Tati that came out in 1953 and relates the holiday of a rather clumsy but well-​meaning man who is always putting his foot in it. The name is frequently used and punned upon in relation to the ecology defence leader, Nicolas Hulot. Rowan Atkinson

‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’  29

willingly admits to having been inspired by Jacques Tati in the development of his character Mr Bean.

‘Il y a longtemps que je t’aime’     

*

This is the first line of the chorus of a traditional song ‘À la claire fontaine’. Il y a longtemps que je t’aime, /​Jamais je ne t’oublierai. See above ‘Chante rossignol’.

instituteur nm.     

**

Although the word can be translated adequately by ‘primary school teacher’, the connotation is far richer in French. It must be understood that after the separation of Church and State in France in 1905, ‘l’instituteur’ was seen as a lay soldier in the service of the Republic, fighting against superstition and obscurantism. He is the hero in the works of Marcel Pagnol, and ‘les instituteurs’ were collectively called the ‘hussards noirs’ of the Republic. See Chapter 6 ‘hussards noirs’.

‘Internationale. L’’     

***

See below ‘lutte finale. C’est la’.

‘irréductibles. Un village peuplé d’’     

*

‘One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the Roman invaders.’ These famous words introduce each story in the comic-​strip series of Astérix le Gaulois, created in 1959 by René Goscinny (story) and Albert Uderzo (drawings).

‘Je me voyais déjà, en haut de l’affiche’     

***

‘I could already see myself at the top of the bill’. This is the title of an autobiographical song by Charles Aznavour that came out in 1960 and deals with the ambition of a young singer. This title is often used to describe the ambitions of certain politicians.

‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’     

***

This rather contradictory and ungrammatical sentence is the title of a famous song by Serge Gainsbourg sung as a duo with Jane Birkin in 1969. The song

30  ‘Je vous parle d’un temps que les moins de vingt ans’

was quite ‘hot’ for the time in that it was a description of their love-​making. Today, the words refer to a love–​hate relationship and stigmatizes the hypocrisy of sentiments. It is often used to describe the rivalry between members of the same political party.

‘Je vous parle d’un temps que les moins de vingt ans’     

**

When elderly people speak about the past to a young person, it is not rare for them to prefix their remarks with these words, which are the lyrics of a song by Charles Aznavour, ‘La Bohème’ (1966), which begins with the words Je vous parle d’un temps que les moins de vingt ans ne peuvent pas connaître (‘I’m speaking to you about a time that the under-​twenties can have no knowledge of’).

Jeu de main, jeu de vilain!     

**

When children play roughly together, this is the typical warning made by an adult. It means horseplay, or rough and tumble. ‘Let’s have no horseplay’, ‘This is going to end in tears’.

‘joli. Ah, c’est pas’     

*

From a song entitled ‘Grand-​Père’ by Georges Brassens (1921–​81) that tells the story of the funeral of a grandfather who has limited financial means. The line, referring to a kick up the backside that the priest received, goes C’est depuis ce temps-​là, que le bon apôtre, ah, c’est pas joli, ah, c’est pas poli, a une fesse qui dit ‘merde’ à l’autre (‘It is since that day that the good apostle –​oh, it’s not a pretty sight, oh, it’s not at all polite –​has had one buttock that says “shit” to the other’). In French, when one has ‘one eye that says “shit” to the other’ it means that one is cross-​eyed. Consequently, one assumes from the lyrics of this song that the priest had his backside kicked out of place by a member of the old man’s family because he didn’t give their grandfather a decent burial.

‘jolie fleur. Une’     

*

George Brassens again. From a song entitled ‘Une jolie fleur’. Une jolie fleur dans une peau de vache, une jolie vache déguisée en fleur, qui fait la belle et qui vous attache puis qui vous mène par le bout du cœur (‘A pretty flower, dressed in cowhide [‘peau de vache’ is also a ‘bastard’ or a ‘bitch’], a pretty cow dressed

‘Loup, y es-tu?’  31

as a flower; she gently seduces you and ties you up and leads you by the end of your heart’). See above ‘Copains d’abord. Les’.

‘joujou extra. Un’     

**

See above ‘crac, boum, hue!’.

‘J’y pense et puis j’oublie’     

*

Title of a song by the late Claude François (1939–​78), and lyrics of a song by Jacques Dutronc (1943–​). See above ‘Et moi et moi et moi’.

long fleuve tranquille. La Vie est un     

**

The title of a film by Étienne Chatiliez that is both a comedy and social satire, which came out in 1988. It is a story in which a nurse, on duty in a maternity ward (in a spirit of revenge against her lover, the obstetrician of the hospital) switches the identity bracelets of two newborn babies. One comes from the extremely wealthy, Catholic Le Quesnoy family, the other from the poor and semi-​criminal Groseille family. Each family unknowingly brings up the child of the other. Thirteen years after the event, the nurse announces the news in an anonymous letter when she realizes (on the death of her lover’s wife) that he will never marry her. That’s when the fun begins!

‘Loup, y es-​ t u?’     

**

This is a seventeenth century nursery rhyme-​cum-​children’s game. Promenons-​nous dans les bois, Pendant que le loup n’y est pas. Si le loup y était Il nous mangerait, Mais comme il n’ y est pas, Il nous mangera pas. Loup, y es-​tu? Que fais-​tu? M’entends-​tu? One should never underestimate the usefulness of nursery rhymes, not only for developing the memory but for anchoring certain grammatical rules. Behind the apparent simplicity of the text is the alternation between the conditional and the indicative mood. The rhyme continues with the wolf replying, ‘I’m putting on my shoes, I’m buttoning my jacket and then, finally, I’m coming to get you.’

32  ‘loups sont entrés dans Paris. Les’     

‘loups sont entrés dans Paris. Les’     

***

This is a song sung by Serge Reggiani (1922–​2004). It is an allegory of the invasion of France by the Nazis during the Second World War, and of the imminent threat posed by the French National Front Party, renamed Rassemblement National.

Lucky Luke     

***

Lucky Luke is a comic-​strip and cartoon character created in 1946 by the Belgian Maurice de Bévère (1923–​2001), whose pen name was Morris. Lucky Luke is a ‘poor lonesome cowboy’ accompanied by his dog Rantanplan and his faithful steed Jolly Jumper. His sworn enemies are the Dalton brothers. He has given the French language an immortal expression, ‘Il tire plus vite que son ombre’ (He is so quick on the draw that he beats his own shadow), generally translated by ‘the fastest draw in the West’. Each story ends with Lucky Luke riding off into the sunset. To conform to anti-​smoking legislation in France, the cigarette hanging from his lips has been replaced by a stalk of grass.

‘lutte finale. C’est la’     

**

This is the first line of the chorus of ‘L’Internationale’, the anthem of the international socialist movement. It was originally a poem written by Eugène Pottier (1816–​87) during the bloody weeks of the Commune in 1871. The music was later composed by a Belgian, Pierre De Geyter (1848–​1932). See above ‘Debout, les damnés de la terre’. C’est la lutte finale Groupons-​nous et demain L’Internationale Sera le genre humain.

Madame Michu     

**

This is a pejorative term designating the very basic, middle-​aged, unsophisticated French woman in the street.

Madame Sans-​G êne     

***

‘Madame Sans-​Gêne’ was the nickname of Catherine Hubscher (1753–​1835), the wife of Maréchal Lefebvre, duke of Danzig, famous for her frankness,

marièrent et eurent beaucoup d’enfants. Ils se   33

which was severely frowned upon by the entourage of Napoleon. It is also an historical comedy by Victorien Sardou and Émile Moreau, created in 1893. Frequently attributed to certain French women politicians who are lacking in subtlety.

**

maillot jaune. Le     

Le maillot jaune is the yellow jersey worn by the cyclist who occupies the first place in the ranking of the positions during the Tour de France.

‘Mais ça, c’était avant’     

***

Phrase that has become ‘cult’ since the television advertising campaign of Krys, the optician, in 2012.

‘Maman les p’tits bateaux . . .’     

*

This is a children’s song that was created in the late nineteenth century. Maman les p’tits bateaux Qui vont sur l’eau Ont-​ils des jambes? Mais non, mon gros bêta S’ils en avaient, ils marcheraient!

marche ou crève     

**

Either we march or we die (of hunger). Often used by artisans who cannot afford to be ill, since they have poor social security coverage.

‘Margot dégrafait son corsage. Quand’     

*

‘When Margot unbuttoned her blouse [to breastfeed her little cat]’. These are words from the song ‘Brave Margot’ by Georges Brassens, which tells the story of a shepherdess who breastfeeds an orphan kitten! See above ‘Copains d’abord. Les’, and ‘jolie fleur. Une’.

marièrent et eurent beaucoup d’enfants. Ils se     

*

This is the classic ending to a French fairy tale. In English ‘They lived happily ever after’, whereas in the French version, worried as the French always have

34 ‘Marseillaise. La’     

been about negative demographic trends, ‘They got married and had lots of children.’

‘Marseillaise. La’     

***

The anthem was composed by a French army officer, Joseph Claude Rouget de Lisle, on the night of 25/​26 April 1792. The song had been requested by the mayor of Strasbourg, Baron de Dietrich, as a military song intended for the volunteer force of the Rhine army following the declaration of war by the King of Austria. It was originally called ‘Chant de guerre pour l’armée du Rhin, dédié au Maréchal Lukner’. The name ‘La Marseillaise’ comes from the fact that the song was adopted by the volunteers from the ‘Midi’, the south of France (in this case Montpellier and Marseille), who were the first to publish the song. They arrived in the Tuileries in 1792 singing this song. The Parisians immediately adopted it as ‘La Marseillaise’. It became the national anthem in 1795.

Même pas mal!     

***

‘It didn’t even hurt!’ The typical schoolboy reply to an aggressor in the playground after receiving a punch.

Mère Denis. La     

**

Jeanne Marie Le Calvé (1893–​1989), called ‘la Mère Denis’, was one of the most emblematic characters appearing in French advertising during the 1970s. She was the star of an ad for the washing machine company Vedette. With her old washerwoman style and country accent she was known by everyone. Her advertising text has now become a cult phrase in French: Ça, c’est vrai ça (‘That’s absolutely true’).

‘Mère Michel. La’     

*

C’est la Mère Michel qui a perdu son chat. This is one of the most well-​known French nursery rhymes, telling the story of Old Mother Michel who has lost her cat.

midinettes. Les     

*

This word refers to the young female workers in the Paris dressmaking industry, so called because many of them originally came from the Midi, i.e.

‘Mon ami Pierrot’  35

the south of France. It can be pejorative. If a girl has the tastes of a ‘midinette’ it implies that she is immature and simple-​minded.

‘Mille tonnerres/​ s abords!’     

*

‘Ten thousand thundering typhoons!’, one of the exclamatory remarks made by Captain Haddock in the comic-​strip series The Adventures of Tintin, created by the Belgian artist and story-​teller Hergé (pen name of Georges Remi (1907–​83)). See below ‘sparadrap du Capitaine Haddock. Le’.

Milou     

*

See below ‘Tintin’.

‘misère serait moins pénible au soleil. Il me semble que la’     

**

The lyrics of a song by Charles Aznavour, ‘Emmenez-​moi’ released in 1968: Emmenez-​moi au bout de la terre Emmenez-​moi au pays des merveilles Il me semble que la misère Serait moins pénible au soleil

Môme. La     

**

This was the nickname of Édith Piaf (1915–​63), the music-​hall artiste. She was born Edith Giovanna Gassion and took the nickname ‘Piaf’, which is French for ‘sparrow’, a typically Parisian bird.

‘Mon ami Pierrot’     

**

‘Au clair de la lune’ is a popular French children’s song dating from the eighteenth century, ‘Mon ami Pierrot’ constituting the second line of the song. The first verse reads thus: Au clair de la lune, Mon ami Pierrot, Prête-​moi ta plume Pour écrire un mot.

36 ‘Mon beau sapin’     

Ma chandelle est morte, Je n’ai plus de feu; Ouvre-​moi ta porte, Pour l’amour de Dieu. NB ‘Pierrot’ is the hypocoristic form of ‘Pierre’. Hypocoristic is often a diminutive form of a name but not necessarily: e.g. the hypocoristic form of ‘John’ is ‘Jack’. In any case, it connotes affection or endearment.

‘Mon beau sapin’     

**

This is the title of a Christmas song of German origin, ‘O Tannenbaum’: Mon beau sapin, roi des forêts /​Que j’aime ta verdure. The music is used by the international workers’ movement in the song ‘The Red Flag’. NB ‘sapin’ is a fir tree and is the cheapest wood from which coffins are made. Hence ‘ça sent le sapin’ means that the end is in view for st. or sb.

‘Mon truc en plumes’     

*

This is the title of a song sung by Zizi Jeanmaire (Renée Marcelle) in 1961. A classical dancer by training, she was in fact famous for being a music-​hall dancer, singer and chorus-​girl captain. ‘Truc’ is a ‘whatsit’, a ‘widget’, and the ambiguity leaves a lot of room for double entendre. ‘Zizi’ is the children’s word for a penis. The expression ‘double entendre’ is neither used nor understood in France.

Monsieur est trop bon.     

***

A hackneyed phrase from the theatre. It is the servant’s stereotypical (and rather fawning) reply to a master who has shown him a certain degree of generosity.

muguet. Le     

*

‘Lily of the valley’ is a flower that one gives to one’s friends and family on 1 May as a charm to bring good luck. In France, and only on 1 May, anybody is allowed to sell lily of the valley in the streets without a licence.

‘My tailor is rich’     

**

This sentence is known by every Frenchman. They are the very first words of the original Assimil self-​tuition language course in English, L’Anglais sans

‘Nous n’irons plus au bois . . .’  37

peine (English without Tears), which first appeared in 1929. The complete sentence is ‘My tailor is rich but my English is poor.’

Ne tirez pas sur le pianiste     

*

‘Don’t shoot the pianist.’ This can be a request for indulgence towards sb. who is doing his/​her best, or a request not to accuse the fall guy, but to accuse the real guilty party instead. In his book Impressions of America, Oscar Wilde (1854–​1900) reports having seen a sign in a saloon in the town of Leadville that read ‘Don’t shoot the pianist. He is doing his best’ (Merci de ne pas tirer sur le pianiste. Il fait de son mieux).

Ni putes, ni soumises     

***

The translation of this movement, ‘neither whore nor submissive’, contains a pun; ‘une fille soumise’ may be interpreted as a registered prostitute. It is the name of the French feminist movement founded by Fadela Amara in 2003 with the objective of fighting all forms of violence towards women:  rape, forced marriage, conjugal violence, pressure to give up studying, pressure to wear the Islamic veil etc.

‘Noir c’est noir’     

*

French adaptation of the song ‘Black is Black’, recorded by the Spanish group Los Bravos in 1966, which went to no.  2 in the UK charts, topping 1  million in worldwide sales. The French version was recorded by the late Johnny Hallyday in the same year.

‘Non, je ne regrette rien’     

**

Title of one of Édith Piaf’s most famous successes. This song came out in 1960. See above ‘Môme. La’.

‘Nous n’irons plus au bois . . .’     

***

This is the title and first line of a children’s song. The original text reads: Nous n’irons plus au bois, les lauriers sont coupés, la belle que voilà ira les ramasser. Entrez dans la danse, voyez comme on danse, sautez, dansez, embrassez qui vous voudrez. It is unlikely that the people who sing this song are aware of its origin. This text refers to the sexual practices prevalent at the court of Versailles under Louis XIV. The thousands of workers employed to build the château brought in their wake hordes of prostitutes. It was said that the forest

38 nouveau est arrivé. Le ‘X’     

of Versailles was like an open-​air brothel with as many prostitutes as there were trees. Their activity was restricted by royal order but they simply took to exercising their trade in special houses. Braids of laurel were a common feature on the walls of such buildings in the grounds of Versailles. Louis XIV, who was alarmed at the spread of venereal disease, had these establishments closed, hence the words of the song!

nouveau est arrivé. Le ‘X’     

**

‘The new “x” has arrived.’ This is a reference to the publicity surrounding the first sale of the young red wine ‘Beaujolais nouveau’, which traditionally takes place on the third Thursday in November. The Beaujolais vineyards lie north of Lyon.

Nouvelle Vague nf.     

*

‘New Wave’. A short-​lived movement in the French cinema world (late 1950s and early 1960s). The word was first used in an article by Françoise Giroud in L’Express in 1957. The names that come to mind in relation to this movement include François Truffaut, Jean-​Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Roger Vadim and Claude Berri.

On a gagné!     

**

This is the football supporters’ ritual chant following the victory of their team.

‘On est foutu, on mange trop’     

*

‘We’re done for, we’re overeating.’ Words of a satirical song entitled ‘Papa Mambo’ about obesity, composed and recorded by Alain Souchon in 1978. This song is very topical in the light of obesity among the young in France. See above ‘Allô maman, bobo’, and ‘comme on nous parle’.

‘On ira tous au paradis’     

*

‘We Will All Go to Heaven.’ The title of a famous song (1972), written and sung by the French composer and singer Michel Polnareff, which provoked quite a scandal in the early 1970s by suggesting that even prostitutes would have their place in paradise.

Paris brûle-t-il?  39

‘On nous cache tout, on [ne] nous dit rien’     

***

This is the typical paranoid refrain indicating the man in the street’s distrust of the government, since e.g. the cover-​up of the Chernobyl accident, during which the French authorities maintained that France had not been contaminated, the radioactive clouds having either stopped at the French frontier or bypassed the country. This expression now has a permanent place in the sketches of the French standup comic, Anne Roumanoff.

Paname     

*

This is the affectionate slang term used by Parisians to refer to Paris. It is said to come from the fashion of wearing the Panama hat by the workers of Paris in the early days of the twentieth century.

‘Parce que tu le vaux bien’     

***

‘Because you’re worth it.’ This is the advertising slogan of l’Oréal, the cosmetic products company. Originally, ‘Parce que je le vaux bien’.

pari de Pascal. Le     

*

Briefly put, ‘Pascal’s wager’, says that one had better say that one believes in God, since if God exists, one wins, and if God doesn’t exist then one has lost nothing. Hence the advantage in believing.

Parigot tête de veau     

**

There has always been mutual contempt between Parisians and people from the provinces. This insult against Parisians can be heard in the provinces all over France. ‘Parigot’ is slang for Parisian, while ‘tête de veau’ is literally ‘calf’s head’; it is one of the most common of France’s famous offal dishes, and was the favourite dish of the late Jacques Chirac.

Paris brûle-​t -​i l?     

**

This is the title of a René Clément film that was released in 1966. It was based on the book by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which was published in 1964. It tells the story of the last days of the German occupation of Paris,

40 ‘Paris s’éveille’     

particularly 25 August 1944. The title is the question that Hitler is supposed to have asked General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Greater Paris. The French capital, its bridges and monuments had been mined by the German army with the intention of blowing up the city on evacuation. General von Choltitz refused to obey the order to destroy the city. The expression was recently used in the wake of the gilets jaunes violence that began at the end of 2018.

‘Paris s’éveille’     

*

A song composed by Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Lanzmann and Anne Ségalen. It was released in 1968 and sold over 100,000 copies in France. It is a beautiful evocation of early-​morning Paris.

‘Passe ton bac d’abord!’     

**

‘Pass your high school exams first!’ This is the traditional advice or order of parents to their children, particularly when the children have plans for their future that differ from those of their parents.

Père Fouettard. Le     

***

The term ‘bogeyman’ is very well known in north-​eastern France, Holland and Germany. On St Nicolas’ Day, 6 December, ‘Le Père Fouettard’ accompanies St Nicolas on his rounds. St Nicolas distributes gifts to well-​behaved children, whereas Le Père Fouettard whips the children who have been naughty. He is always dressed in black, with horns and a devil’s tail.

Perfide Albion     

***

‘Perfidious Albion’. This is an eighteenth-​century expression referring to England’s habitual treachery in its dealings with other countries in general, and France in particular. ‘Albion’ (Celtic in origin) is said to be the name the Roman soldiers gave England on approaching the south coast and on seeing the chalky White Cliffs of Dover for the first time, albus being Latin for ‘white’.

‘Petit Papa Noël’     

**

Title and opening line of the chorus of a Christmas song first recorded in 1946 by Tino Rossi (1907–​83). This is as much of a classic at Christmas time in France as ‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby is in England and the USA.

‘petons/tétons. Elle avait des tout petits’  41

Petit Nicolas. Le     

**

A children’s story created in 1959 by René Goscinny (1926–​77) and illustrated by Jean-​Jacques Sempé. It tells the story of a child brought up in an urban environment with all of the typical aspects of a child’s life, friendship at school, first love etc. It was the nickname of former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Petit Poucet. Le     

**

The child hero in the French version of Hansel and Gretel.

‘P’tit Quinquin. Le’     

**

A ‘quinquin’ is a small child in the ch’ti dialect. ‘Le P’tit Quinquin’ is the name of a lullaby written in 1853 by Alexandre Desrousseaux:  Dors min p’tit quinquin, /​Min p’tit pouchin, /​Min gros rojin! /​Tu m’fras du chagrin /​ Si te n’dors point j’qu’à d’main (‘Sleep my little one, my little chick, my big grape, I shall be upset if you don’t sleep until tomorrow’). The Ch’tis are the inhabitants of the départements of the Nord (59) and the Pas-​de-​Calais (62), now known as the Hauts-​de-​France.

petits chanteurs à la croix de bois. Les     

**

The name of a young boys’ choir founded in 1907. Today, it is not only a choir but a boarding school providing education from the primary up to the mid-​secondary level. The choir is internationally famous and gives concerts all over the world.

‘petits trous, des petits trous. Des’     

***

Words from the song by Serge Gainsbourg Le Poinçonneur des Lilas, which underlines the soul-​destroying job of the ticket inspector punching holes into Métro tickets. See above ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’. See below ‘Sea, Sex and Sun’, ‘Sois belle et tais-​toi’.

‘petons/​t étons. Elle avait des tout petits’     

*

‘Petons’ (tootsies) alternates with ‘tétons’ (nipples) in the song ‘Valentina’ (1925), made famous by the music-​hall star Maurice Chevalier (1888–​1972). (The British mind can only boggle again at the things the French write songs about!)

42  ‘pétrole, mais on a des idées. En France, on n’a pas de’     

‘pétrole, mais on a des idées. En France, on n’a pas de’     

**

‘In France, we don’t have any crude oil, but we do have ideas.’ Slogan first used in a TV publicity campaign in the wake of the first oil crisis in 1974. Still frequently used.

peu, beaucoup, passionnément. Un     

**

This is the French equivalent of ‘S/​he loves me, s/​he loves me not’, said while plucking off the petals of a flower.

Pieds Nickelés. Les     

***

Originally the name of the three characters (Croquignol, Filochard and Ribouldingue) in a comic-​ strip series created by Louis Forton and first published in 1908. They are small-​time swindlers and lazy good-​for-​nothings who are not very intelligent.

‘plombier. C’est le.     

**

This is the punchline of one of the most famous sketches of the French comic Fernand Raynaud (1926–​73). A plumber comes to visit a client. He knocks at the door but the client is absent. However, from within, the client’s parrot asks ‘Who is it?’, to which the plumber replies ‘It’s the plumber.’ Every time the plumber says ‘It’s the plumber’, the parrot repeats the question ‘Who is it?’. Finally, the plumber has a heart attack and collapses on the staircase. Two elderly ladies come down the stairs and see the dead body. One asks the other ‘Who is it?’. The parrot in the flat cries out ‘It’s the plumber.’ The term ‘plombier’ has not been a neutral term since the French secret service (Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST)) tried to bug the premises of Le Canard enchaîné in 1973. This constituted a Watergate-​type scandal and is often referred to in the press. ‘Un plombier’ now refers to a secret agent who bugs a room. See above ‘Asnières. Le 22 à’. See below ‘Pourquoi tu tousses, Tonton?’.

Plus belle la vie     

***

This is a popular soap that deals with the daily life of the inhabitants of an imaginary quarter in Marseille called Le Mistral. It has been on TV nightly since 2004 on the channel FR3. The title lends itself to the play on words ‘poubelle la vie’, ‘poubelle la vue’.

‘Prolonger le métro jusqu’à la mer’  43

‘poids des mots, le choc des photos. Le’     

***

The slogan of the popular news magazine Paris Match: ‘The weight of the words, the shock of the photos’.

Poil de Carotte     

*

The autobiographical novel written by Jules Renard (1864–​1910) that was published in 1894. It tells the tale of an unloved, ginger-​headed boy, the ‘Poil de Carotte’ of the title, the victim of parental humiliation and indifference.

‘poor lonesome cowboy’     

**

See above ‘Lucky Luke’.

‘Pourquoi faire simple quand on peut faire compliqué?’     

***

‘Why choose an easy solution, when there is a more complicated one available?’ One of the mottos of the cartoon characters ‘Les Shadoks’. (The French are incorrigible Shadoks.) See below Shadoks. Les.

‘Pourquoi tu tousses, Tonton?’     

***

One of the most famous lines in a sketch by the French comedian Fernand Raynaud. The simple-​minded nephew is stopped at the airport customs desk and has to explain the presence of ‘white powder’ found in his suitcase. He phones his mafioso uncle, and every time he mentions the word ‘powder’, his uncle coughs to cover up his embarrassment. Invariably, when sb. coughs in France, it is followed by the question Pourquoi tu tousses?. See above ‘Asnières. Le 22 à’, ‘Ça eût payé’ and ‘plombier. C’est le’.

Professeur Tournesol     

**

He is one of the main characters in Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin. He is the absent-​minded professor.

‘Prolonger le métro jusqu’à la mer’     

*

Eternal candidate at presidential elections under the Third Republic, the comedian Ferdinand Lop (1891–​1974) suggested extending the Métro as far as the sea, as an election promise.

44 Promis, juré, craché     

Promis, juré, craché     

*

An expression used by children to reinforce a promise made. In the past it was customary to seal an agreement or deal by spitting in one hand and shaking the hand of the other person. Today, it is often used to underline the empty promises of politicians.

‘Prosper, youp-​ l a-​ b oum’     

**

The title of a song composed by Vincent Scotto in 1935, with lyrics by Géo Koger and sung by Maurice Chevalier. The song tells the story of the activities of ‘Prosper’, a pimp whose little business is thriving. He is the king of the asphalt. (No comment.)

Quai des Brumes   

**

See below ‘T’as de beaux yeux, tu sais!’    

‘Quand on n’a que l’amour’     

***

‘Quand on n’a que l’amour’ is a song by Jacques Brel written in 1956. It is a title frequently punned upon, e.g. Quand on n’a que le mur (text about the Berlin wall, © Le Canard Enchaîné no. 4636); and Quand on n’a que l’humour (humour is a good way of improving morale in times of crisis; © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4608).

‘Que reste-​t -​i l de nos amours?’     

**

The title of one of the greatest international hits by Charles Trenet, which was released in 1942. The title of the English version is ‘I Wish You Love’. See above ‘boum. Mon cœur fait’, and ‘Douce France’.

‘Quelque chose de Tennessee’     

*

One of the late Johnny Hallyday’s great successes. ‘We All Have Something of Tennessee within Us.’

quille! C’est la     

*

This is the expression that used to be shouted out by newly demobilized soldiers after their national service. ‘Une quille’ is a skittle but was used as

Restos du Cœur. Les  45

a synonym for ‘demob’. National service was abolished in France under Jacques Chirac in 1996.

Rantanplan     

**

See ‘Lucky Luke’.

‘rate qui se dilate. J’ai la’     

**

These are the words of a music-​hall song, ‘Je ne suis pas bien portant’, one of the classics of French comedy, which was a great success in 1932. It was sung by the comic singer Gaston Ouvrard (1890–​1981). The music is by Géo Koger and the lyrics are by Vincent Scotto. It relates the health problems of a newly conscripted soldier. Each part of the body is mentioned and rhymes with a particular complaint: J’ai la rate qui se dilate, j’ai le foie qui n’est pas droit etc. (‘My spleen is swollen, my liver is not straight’ etc.).

Ravi. Lou     

**

This is the Provençal term for ‘the village idiot’. He is depicted at the Christmas crèche as the simple-​minded boy whose arms are always raised in admiration of the infant Jesus. It was frequently used as the nickname of Jean-​Claude Gaudin, former mayor of Marseille.

République-​ B astille     

**

This is the route frequently followed by demonstrators when there is a large public demonstration, e.g. against the government. Place de la République is in the third arrondissement while place de la Bastille is in the 4e arrondissement.

Restos du Cœur. Les     

***

These restaurants were created as a non-​ profit-​ making association (loi 1901)  by the comic Coluche in 1985, with the aim of providing a free, hot meal to people in need. In 1985 the Restos provided 8  million meals. Between 2017 and 2018 they provided 130 million meals. The association is supported by Les Enfoirés; see above. In France over 9 million people live below the poverty line, and 3 million depend on three charities to eat, namely Les Restos du Cœur, Le Secours Catholique and Banques Alimentaires. See ‘Loi 1901’ in the online chapter ‘Legal Terminology’, www.routledge.com/​ 9780367376758.

46  Salut les copains     

Salut les copains     

***

The title of a magazine intended for teenagers of the ‘yéyé’ period. It was created in 1962 and was also the name of a pop-​music radio programme on Europe 1 created in 1959 by Frank Ténot et Daniel Filipacchi. See below ‘yéyé’.

Sapeur Camember. Les Facéties du     

***

The pranks of ‘le Sapeur Camember’ were among the first examples of French comic strips (1896) written by George Colomb alias ‘Christophe’ (1856–​1945). Camember is a simple-​minded soldier who tries to speak very good French but usually ends up by uttering absurdities. He belongs to the corps of ‘génie militaire’, which can be translated either by ‘military engineering’ or more ironically by ‘military genius’.

sardine qui boucha le vieux port. La     

**

This expression refers to the tendency of the Marseillais to exaggerate. In fact, it is a ‘true’ story. In 1779, the English released some French prisoners (during the Anglo-​French conflict in India) who were then put on board a French frigate, Sartine. The ship was named after a minister of the navy under Louis XVI. The ship was sailing under a flag of truce but for some unknown reason, it was attacked by the English navy at Cape St Vincent, off the coast of Portugal. Badly damaged, the ship succeeded in reaching the port of Marseille but could not reach a normal mooring position. It was stranded at the entrance to the port. Its size effectively blocked maritime traffic for a few days. The locals seized upon this story and it has since become the ‘sardine’ that blocked the port of Marseille.

‘Sautez, dansez, embrassez qui vous voudrez’         

*

Words accompanying a traditional children’s ‘rondo’ : ‘Jump, dance and kiss whom you will.’ This comes from the song ‘Nous n’irons plus au bois’. See above ‘Nous n’irons plus au bois . . .’.

‘Savez-​vous planter des choux . . .?’      Savez-​vous planter des choux, à la mode, à la mode Savez-​vous planter des choux, à la mode de chez nous?

**

‘sinon rien. Un X’  47

This is a popular children’s song that goes back to the Middle Ages at a time when cabbage was becoming a part of the staple diet of the agricultural labourers. Young children are told that babies are born in cabbages, and in this respect it is claimed that the rhyme is in fact a bawdy song that refers to sexual intercourse.

‘schmilblick. Faire avancer le’     

**

This expression means ‘to help move things forward’. It was the name of a famous TV game in which contestants had to make guesses about a mystery object. It became one of the most successful sketches of the late comedian Coluche.

Schroumpfs. Les (the Smurfs)     

*

These are comic-​strip characters created by the Belgian Peyo in 1958. These little blue creatures live in a vast forest. Their enemy is Gargamel the evil sorcerer.

‘Sea, Sex and Sun’     

**

Title of a song by Serge Gainsbourg (1928–​91) recorded in 1978. It is used today to give a humorously succinct description of a successful holiday, according to the criteria of some people. See above ‘besoin de personne en Harley-​Davidson. Je n’ai’, and ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’.

Shadoks. Les     

***

‘Les Shadoks’ are the characters in the TV cartoon of the same name created by Jacques Rouxel (1931–​2004). They are plump birds with long legs and very small wings whose motto is ‘Why choose an easy solution, when there is a more complicated one available?’. The series of three-​minute episodes went on the air on French TV between 1968 and 1973. ‘Et les Shadoks pompaient’ was a famous phrase in the series. The voiceover was provided by the late (and loved) Claude Piéplu (1923–​2006).

‘sinon rien. Un X’     

***

The famous advertising slogan for the aniseed-​based apéritif Ricard. The slogan was based on the reply to the question ‘What will you have  ?’, the answer being ‘A Ricard, otherwise, nothing’. The advertising campaign was launched in 1984 by the agency Young and Rubicam.

48  ‘Sois belle et tais-toi’     

‘Sois belle et tais-​t oi’     

**

‘Be beautiful and keep quiet.’ The title and lyrics of a song by Serge Gainsbourg, the French composer and singer. See above ‘besoin de personne en Harley-​Davidson’, ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’ and ‘Sea, sex and sun’. It is also the title of a film by Marc Allégret that came out in 1958.

souris dansent. Les     

*

‘Quand le chat n’est pas là, les souris dansent.’ The French equivalent of ‘When the cat’s away, the mice will play.’

‘Souris verte. La’     

**

This is the title of a nursery rhyme about ‘la souris verte’. The nursery rhyme begins La souris verte, qui courait dans l’herbe. It can be punned upon in texts dealing with the ecologist, or ‘green’, movement. The first verse is as follows: Une souris verte Qui courait dans l’herbe Je l’attrape par la queue Je la montre à ces messieurs Ces messieurs me disent Trempez-​la dans l’huile Trempez-​la dans l’eau Ça fera un escargot Tout chaud.

‘Sous le soleil exactement’     

***

This is the title of a song composed and sung by Serge Gainsbourg. It came out in 1967. Frequently used in holiday brochure advertising. See above ‘besoin de personne en Harley-​Davidson. Je n’ai’, ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’ and ‘Sea, sex and sun’.

Sous vos applaudissements Mesdames, Messieurs!     

*

‘With a warm round of applause, ladies and gentlemen !’ The typical phrase of a compère at the end of an artiste’s act.

‘T’ar ta gueule à la récré’  49

‘Souvenirs, souvenirs’     

*

‘Memories, memories’. The first recording success of the late Johnny Halliday (1960) at the beginning of the ‘yéyé’ period. See below ‘Yéyé’.

sparadrap du Capitaine Haddock. Le     

***

A reference to the character in the comic strip album by Hergé, The Adventures of Tintin. Sparadrap is an adhesive medical dressing for small cuts and abrasions that is difficult to get rid of because it sticks to the fingers. This is a reference to an episode in L’Affaire Tournesol in which Captain Haddock becomes more and more short-​tempered given the impossible task of getting rid of the sticky plaster. Today, it refers to any embarrassing affair that just will not go away.

‘Sur le pont d’Avignon . . .’     

*

The title, first words and chorus of a well-​known children’s ‘rondo’ about the bridge of Avignon: Sur le pont d’Avignon On y danse, on y danse, Sur le pont d’Avignon On y danse tous en rond.

‘Sur la plage abandonnée’     

*

Sur la plage abandonnée Coquillages et crustacés Qui l’eût cru déplorent la perte de l’été Qui depuis s’en est allé. This comes from a song ‘La Madrague’, inspired by the property that Brigitte Bardot acquired in St Tropez. The song was released in 1963 and sung by her.

‘T’ar ta gueule à la récré’     

**

‘T’ar’ is a contracted form of ‘tu vas voir’, while ‘gueule’ is a slang term meaning ‘gob’, or ‘mug’. The complete expression is a schoolboy threat made to a classmate and referring to injury to the face (gob) that the classmate is going to suffer come playtime. The words come from the song by

50  ‘T’as de beaux yeux, tu sais!’     

Alain Souchon ‘J’ai dix ans’ (1974). Sometimes written as ‘Gare ta gueule’. See above ‘Allô maman, bobo’, ‘comme on nous parle’ and ‘On est foutu, on mange trop’.

‘T’as de beaux yeux, tu sais!’     

***

Immortal words from the 1938 film by Marcel Carné Quai des brumes, based on a novel by Pierre Mac Orlan, Le Quai des brumes, published in 1927. This phrase remains one of the most famous lines in the history of French cinema, spoken by Jean Gabin (1904–​76) to Michèle Morgan (1920–​2016).

‘Téléphone pleure. Le’     

*

This is the title of one of the greatest hits of the late Claude François (1939–​ 78), which topped the charts in 1974. Recently used in the context of the wave of suicides that has shaken Orange, the French telephone operator. Between January 2008 and March 2010, 40 employees took their own lives, most of them at their place of work in the wake of a system of terror management implemented by the CEO, Didier Lombard. ‘En 2007, je ferai les départs d’une façon ou d’une autre par la fenêtre ou par la porte.’ Didier Lombard said these words on 20 October 2006, before the association of senior telecom managers. Indeed, some staff members died by throwing themselves out of the window at their place of work. Lombard was ultimately sentenced for moral harassment and has lodged an appeal. During the trial, he didn’t once show any compassion to the families of the deceased.

‘Temps des cerises. Le’     

**

Although this song was written by Jean-​Baptiste Clément in 1866 (consequently well before the French defeat at Sedan in the Franco-​Prussian War of 1870) it has since become the song intimately associated with the Commune, the insurrection of Paris that was savagely crushed by the army during the bloody week of 22–​8 May 1871. See Chapter 6 ‘Commune’, and ‘Sedan’.

tentation de Venise. La     

*

The temptation of Venice is a dream that each of us is said to have. It is by no means an impossible pipe dream, but for various reasons we refuse to make the dream turn into reality. The temptation comes when things are going badly. It was the title of a book written in 1993 by the former Prime Minister Alain Juppé after he had been found guilty of corruption by the French courts and

Touchez pas au grisbi  51

received a suspended 14-​month prison sentence and one year’s ineligibility in politics. He is now a member of the Conseil constitutionnel!

Tintin     

***

The name of the comic strip character created by Hergé in 1929 in the series entitled The Adventures of Tintin [and Milou]. Other characters include Captain Haddock, Professor Tournesol, the detective duo Dupont and Dupond, and Tintin’s dog Milou (‘Snowy’ to English readers). NB ‘tintin’ is also an exclamatory term meaning ‘nothing doing’ or ‘no way’. ‘Faire tintin’ means ‘to go without’.

‘Tonnerre de Brest!’     

*

One of the exclamations of Captain Haddock in the Adventures of Tintin series, created by Hergé. See above ‘sparadrap du Capitaine Haddock. Le’, ‘Professeur Tournesol’ and ‘Tintin’.

Tontons flingueurs. Les     

***

This is the title of another cult film, made by George Lautner in 1963 and starring Bernard Blier (1916–​ 89), Lino Ventura (1919–​ 87) and Francis Blanche (1921–​74). This film contains many of the most famous lines in French cinema history. ‘Tonton’ is the child’s word for uncle (‘nunky’) and a ‘flingueur’ is a contract killer or hit man. In this film, two rival gangs do their best to eliminate each other. The verb ‘flinguer’ is frequently used in French politics in the figurative sense of the term, i.e. ‘to shoot sb. down in flames’. See above ‘façon puzzle!’, and Cave se rebiffe. Le.

‘Touche pas à mon pote’     

***

‘Don’t touch my pal.’ This is the slogan of ‘SOS Racisme’, an association founded in 1984 by Julien Dray and Harlem Désir that fights all forms of racism. The logo of the association is a yellow hand with these words written on the palm.

Touchez pas au grisbi     

***

A film by Jacques Becker starring Jean Gabin and Lino Ventura that came out in 1972. ‘Grisbi’ is the slang term for money, i.e. loot, dosh, dough. See above Cave se rebiffe. Le, and Tontons flingueurs. Les. The title should read (grammatically speaking) Ne touchez pas . . .

52 Toujours plus     

Toujours plus     

**

‘Never enough’. The title of a book written by the journalist and writer François de Closets in 1984 that highlights what is wrong with France, the French and French politicians. Used to describe sb. who is never satisfied.

Toute ressemblance . . .     

**

Toute ressemblance avec des personnes existant ou ayant existé est purement fortuite (‘Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely accidental’). This is the standard legal disclaimer that is mentioned in a film of fiction.

‘Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise’     

***

‘Everything Is Quite All Right, Madame la Marquise’. One of the greatest successes of Ray Ventura (1908–​79), songwriter and band leader. In this song, the Marquise is away on holiday and phones home to the château for news. Her butler begins by saying that everything is OK and then says ‘apart from one tiny thing . . .’, and there follows an account of the series of catastrophes that has befallen the château during her absence. When sb. is blindly optimistic in a critical situation, this sentence is used ironically.

train peut en cacher un autre. Un     

***

‘The passage of one train may hide the passage of another’, meaning that just because one train has passed doesn’t mean that there isn’t another one coming. This notice is always displayed at a railway level crossing in France and is frequently punned upon.

tranquille comme Baptiste     

*

This expression apparently dates from the time of the French Revolution. Baptiste was the forename given to the simpleton in a farce who remained impassive even while being jeered at. His character dates from the eighteenth century.

‘trois petits tours et puis s’en vont’      See above ‘Ainsi font, font, font’.

**

‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’  53

Un ‘x’, un     

***

In the crowded and noisy café, the waiter shouts the customer’s order to the bar and repeats the number of beers or coffees concerned just in case the barman has not heard the first part of the order, e.g. ‘Un demi, un’.

Vélib’     

**

Launched by the Paris City Hall in July 2007 (and managed by the industrial group J.  C. Decaux), Vélib’ (‘Vélo’ + ‘lib[erté]’) is a self-​service bike rental scheme, now in all the large cities in France, which enables someone to hire a bike in one part of a city and leave it at another ‘station’ in another part of the city. Problems of vandalism, bad maintenance etc. have led several towns to discontinue the service.

verre, ça va, deux verres, bonjour les dégâts’. ‘Un     

***

‘One glass is OK, two glasses mean trouble.’ The 1984 slogan of a publicity campaign launched by Le Comité français d’éducation pour la santé (1972–​ 2002) to combat drink-​driving. Frequently punned upon and used in totally different contexts.

‘Vie en rose. La’     

**

‘Life seen through rose-​coloured spectacles.’ One of the most famous songs by Édith Piaf recorded in 1946.

vie est un long fleuve. La     

**

See above ‘long fleuve’.

‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’     

***

This is the first line of the chorus of a song, Le Zizi’ by Pierre Perret that came out in 1974 following the decision by the education authorities to introduce sex education in schools. Considered to be ‘unbroadcastable’ it sold 500,000 copies. It is subtitled ‘education sexuelle’. Zizi is a French child’s word for penis or willy. This title hit the headlines in February 2020 with the Griveaux affair in which Benjamin Griveaux sent a sex tape (showing his private parts)

54 ‘Voyages, voyages’     

to his mistress over the internet. Candidate for the Paris municipal elections, he was forced to ‘se retirer’.

‘Voyages, voyages’     

**

The title of a song sung by Desireless (Claudie Fritsch-​Mentrop), her first 45, which was an amazing success for her in France and abroad. It received golden disc status in 1987 with over 500,000 copies sold.

‘Y’a d’la joie’     

**

One of the biggest successes of Charles Trenet (1913–​2001). The song was one of the great hits of 1937. See above ‘boum. Mon cœur fait’, ‘Douce France’, and ‘Que reste-​t-​il de nos amours?’.

Yéyé     

**

This is the abbreviation of the ‘yeah yeah’, of the Anglo-​American music fashion of the early 1960s. It was first used in 1963 by Edgar Morin in Le Monde to describe the French new wave in music, with its idols such as Salvatore Adamo, Richard Anthony, Michel Berger, Dalida, Joe Dassin, Nino Ferrer, Claude François, France Gall, Johnny Halliday, Françoise Hardy, Eddy Mitchell, Michel Polnareff, Sheila and Michèle Torr.

Zéro de conduite     

*

‘Zero for behaviour’. This is the typical remark of a teacher on a pupil’s end-​of-​term report. It should be noted that ‘conduite’ may be understood as ‘behaviour’ or as ‘driving’. It is also the title of a film by Jean Vigo (1933). Considered, at the time, to be ‘anti-​French’, its projection was forbidden until 1945.

Zizi. Le     

*

See above ‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’.

‘Zorro est arrivé’     

***

Zorro (the word means ‘fox’ in Spanish) is the nickname of a fictional character created in 1919 by Johnston McCulley; he is the masked justicier who combats injustice in Spanish California in the nineteenth century. The full

‘Zorro est arrivé’  55

name of the character is Don Diego de la Vega. Over the years, he has been played by some of the greatest names in cinema history, including Douglas Fairbanks, Alain Delon and Antonio Banderas. ‘Zorro est arrivé’ is also the title of a 1964 funny song by the late comic Henri Salvador. The expression is used to describe a terrible fix where the hero saves the situation in the nick of time.

THE TOP FILM TITLES The table that follows this page gives a reasonably broad selection of films that stand out in the history of French cinema. Some films deserve a more detailed explanation and are to be found above. Several films are not French but are frequently referred to or punned upon in the press. I chose 2008 as the cut-​off  date.

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Adieu Poulet

1975

Pierre Granier-​Deferre

Police drama

Affreux, sales et méchants

1976

Ettore Scola

Dramatic comedy

Air de famille. Un

1996

Cédric Klapisch

Comedy, family drama

Lumière brothers

Documentary

Lino Ventura, Patrick Dewaere, Victor Lanoux, Julien Guiomar Nino Manfredi, Francesco Original title Brutti, Anniballi, Zoe Incrocci, sporchi e cattivi Adriana Russo Agnès Jaoui, Jean-​Pierre César for Catherine Bacri, Jean-​Pierre Frot: best second role Darroussin, Catherine Frot, Claire Maurier, Wladimir Yordanoff Film lasts 5 minutes

Louis Malle

War drama

Arrivée d’un train dans 1896 la gare de La Ciotat Au revoir les enfants 1987 Beau Serge. Le

1959

Claude Chabrol

Drama

Belle de jour

1967

Luis Buñuel

Psychological drama

Belle et la bête. La

1946

Fantasy

Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis

2008

Jean Cocteau and René Clément Dany Boon

Le Bon, la brute et le truand

1968

Serge Leone

Western

Comedy

Remarks

Gaspard Manesse, Raphaël Fejtö, Francine Racette J.-​C. Brialy, Bernadette Lafont Catherine Deneuve, Michel Piccoli, Francis Blanche Josette Day, Michel Auclair, Jean Marais Dany Boon, Kad Merad, Broke the existing box-​ Zoé Félix, Anne office record Marivin, Line Renaud Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Original title: The Good, Cleef, Eli Wallach the Bad and the Ugly. Music by Ennio Morricone

56  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Borsalino

1970

Jacques Deray

Gangster

Alain Delon, Jean-​Paul Belmondo

Bossu Le

1997

Philippe de Broca

Cloak and dagger

Famous for the music composed by Claude Bolling

Boum, La

1980

Claude Pinoteau

Romantic comedy

Cave se rebiffe. Le

1961

Gilles Grangier

Detective comedy

Cercle rouge. Le

1970

Jean-​Pierre Melville

Detective story

César

1936

Pagnol

Drama

Ceux qui m’aiment prendront le train

1998

Patrice Chéreau

Drama

Luis Buñuel

Comedy

Yves Robert

Autobiographical

Marie Gillain, Daniel Auteuil, Vincent Perez, Fabrice Luchini Sophie Marceau, Claude The film that launched Brasseur, Brigitte Fossey Marceau’s career Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier, Screenplay: Michel Martine Carol, Maurice Audiard Biroud, Françoise Rosay Alain Delon, Bourvil, Yves Montand Raimu, Pierre Fresnay Final part of the Marseillaise trilogy. Valéria Bruni Tedeschi, Jean-​Louis Trintignant, Vincent Perez, Pascal Greggory Fernando Rey, Stéphane Oscar for the best foreign Audran film Philippe Caubère, Nathalie Roussel, Julien Ciamaca, Victorien Delamare, Didier Pain

Christophe Barratier

Drama

Charme discret de la 1972 bourgeoisie. Le Château de ma mère. 1990 Le (second novel of the series Souvenirs d’enfance by Marcel Pagnol) Choristes. Les 2004

Gérard Jugnot, François Berléand, Jean-​Baptiste Meunier, Kad Merad

The top film titles  57

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Choses de la vie. Les

1970

Claude Sautet

Drama

Clan des Siciliens. Le

1969

Henri Verneuil

Gangster

Cléo de 5 à 7

1962

Agnès Varda

Sentimental drama

cœur en hiver. Un

1992

Claude Sautet

Drama

Corbeau. Le

1943

H.-​G. Clouzot

Drama-​detective

Corniaud. Le

1965

Gérard Oury

Comedy

Courage, fuyons

1979

Yves Robert

Romantic comedy

Alfred Hitchcock

Detective

Philippe Muyl

Dramatic comedy

Romy Schneider, Lea Massari, Michel Piccoli Alain Delon, Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura Corinne Marchand, Michel Legrand, Antoine Bourseiller Emmanuelle Béart, Daniel Auteuil, Jacques Fieschi, André Dussollier Pierre Fresnay, Ginette Leclerc, Pierre Larquey Louis de Funès, Bourvil, Venantino Venantini Jean Rochefort, Catherine Deneuve Grace Kelly Original title: Dial M for Murder Jean-​Pierre Bacri, Agnès Jaoui, Jean-​Pierre Darroussin, Zabou Breitman Niels Arestrup, Romain Duris, Emmanuelle Devos Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Gene Kelly Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu

Crime était presque 1954 parfait. Le Cuisine et dépendances 1993

De battre mon cœur s’est arrêté

2005

Jacques Audiard

Drama

Demoiselles de Rochefort. Les

1967

Jacques Demy

Musical (score by Michel Legrand)

Dernier métro. Le

1980

François Truffaut

Romantic drama

Remarks

58  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Title

Year

Devine qui vient dîner? 1967

Genre

Actors

Stanley Kramer

Dramatic comedy

Spencer Tracey, Katharine Original title: Guess Hepburn, Sidney Poitier Who’s Coming to Dinner. No question mark in English title Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse Daniel Auteuil, Jean-​Pierre Darroussin Jacques Villeret, Thierry Lhermitte, Daniel Provost, Francis Huster Louis Jouvet, Michel see Chapter 1 ‘Bizarre! Simon, Françoise Vous avez dit bizarre?’ Rosnay Jean Carmet, Isabelle A ‘Dupont Lajoie’ is a Huppert narrow-​minded, racist bigot Anny Duperey, Victor Lanoux, Claude Brasseur, Guy Bedos, Jean Rochefort Michel Serrault, Jacques Gamblin, Jacques Villeret, André Dussolier Richard Burton, Claire Original title: The Spy Bloom who Came in from the Cold, the title of the John Le Carré novel published in 1963

Diaboliques. Les

1955

H.-​G. Clouzot

Thriller

Dialogues avec mon jardinier Dîner de cons. Le

2007

Jean Becker

Drama

1998

Francis Weber

Comedy

Drôle de drame

1937

Marcel Carné

Comedy

Dupont Lajoie

1975

Yves Boisset

Drama about racism and cowardice

Éléphant ça trompe énormément. Un

1976

Yves Robert

Comedy

Enfants du marais. Les 1999

Jean Becker

Dramatic comedy

1965

Martin Ritt

Spy story

Espion qui venait du froid

Remarks

The top film titles  59

Director

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Et Dieu créa la femme

1956

Roger Vadim

Drama

Et la tendresse . . .? Bordel! Eté meurtrier. L’

1979

Patrick Schulmann

Comedy

Brigitte Bardot, Jean-​ Bardot’s reputation as Louis Trintignant, Curd a sex symbol was Jürgens launched with this film Bernard Giraudeau

1983

Jean Becker

Drama

Facteur sonne toujours 1981 deux fois. Le

Bob Rafelson

Detective, romance

Fanny

1932

Marc Allégret

Romantic comedy

Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Orane Demazis

Fauteuils d’orchestre

2006

Danièle Thompson

Drama

Femme d’à côté. La

1981

François Truffaut

Romantic drama

Femme du boulanger. La

1938

Marcel Pagnol

Drama

Cécile de France, Claude Brasseur, Christopher Thompson, Albert Dupontel, Suzanne Flon, Sydney Pollack, Valérie Lemercier Gérard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant Raimu, Ginette Leclerc

Fille du puisatier. La

1940

Marcel Pagnol

Drama

Fernandel, Josette Day

Isabelle Adjani, Alain Souchon Jessica Lange, Jack Nicholson

Remarks

Original title: The Postman Always Rings Twice. Based on the novel by James Cain of 1934 Based on the play by Marcel Pagnol. Second part of the Marseillaise trilogy

Famous for the scene with Pomponette the cat

60  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

French Connection

1972

William Friedkin

Drama, gangster

French Connection 2

1975

John Frankenheimer

Drama, gangster

Garde à vue

1981

Claude Miller

Detective story

Gazon maudit

1995

Josiane Balasko

Drama

Gloire de mon père. 1990 La (first novel of the series Souvenirs d’enfance by Marcel Pagnol) Goût des autres. Le 2000

Yves Robert

Autobiographical

Fernando Rey, Gene Hackman, Roy Schneider Fernando Rey, Bernard Fresson, Gene Hackman, Philippe Léotard Lino Ventura, Michel Serrault, Romy Schneider, Guy Marchand Josiane Balasko, Victoria Abril, Telsche Boorman Philippe Caubère, Nathalie Roussel, Julien Ciamaca, Victorien Delamare, Didier Pain

Agnès Jaoui

Drama

Grand blond avec une chaussure noire. Le

1972

Yves Robert

Comedy

Grande Bouffe. La

1973

Marco Ferreri

Dramatic comedy, satire

Agnès Jaoui, Jean-​Pierre Bacri, Anne Alvaro, Alain Chabat, Gérard Lanvin Jean Rochefort, Bernard Blier, Mireille Darc, Pierre Richard, Jean Carmet Michel Piccoli, Andréa Ferréol, Philippe Noiret, Marcello Mastroianni

Remarks

The top film titles  61

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Grande Evasion. La

1963

John Sturges

War film

Original title: The Great Escape

Grande Illusion. La

1937

Jean Renoir

Drama

Grande Vadrouille. La

1966

Gérard Oury

Comedy

Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence Pierre Fresnay, Jean Gabin, Erich von Stroheim Bourvil, Louis de Funès, Terry-​Thomas

Granges brûlées Les

1973

Jean Chapot

Detective drama

Grosse fatigue

1994

Michel Blanc

Comedy

Guépard. Le

1963

Luchino Visconti

Historical drama

Yves Robert

Comedy

Guerre des boutons. La 1961

Considered to be one of the masterpieces of French cinema Held the box-​office record until 2008 with 17 million tickets sold

Alain Delon, Berard Le Coq, Christian Barbier, Paul Crauchet, Miou Miou Michel Blanc, Carole Bouquet, Josiane Balasko, Philippe Noiret Alain Delon, Claudia See Chapter 2 ‘change’ Cardinale, Burt Lancaster Paul Crauchet, Michel Famous for the Galabru, Jean Richard, ungrammatical quote Pierre Tchernia, Jacques ‘Si j’aurais su, je Dufilho n’aurais pas venu.’ Based on the novel by Louis Pergaud (1882–​1915) published in 1913.

62  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Title

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Harry, un ami qui vous 2000 veut du bien

Dominik Moll

Thriller

Mathilde Seigner, Liliane Rovère, Sergi López, Laurent Lucas

Hiroshima mon amour 1959

Alain Resnais

Love story

Césars: best editing, best direction, best actor in 2001, plus a host of international awards

1966

Claude Lelouch

Love story

1977

François Truffaut

Romantic comedy

Robert Redford

Western, love story

Emmanuelle Riva, Bernard Fresson, Eiji Okada Anouk Aimée, Jean-​Louis Trintignant Charles Denner Frequently used to describe the sexual mores of French Presidents of all political colours Robert Redford Original title: The Horse Whisperer. Often used to describe the éminence grise of the President. James Stewart, Doris Day, Original title: The Man Daniel Gelin who Knew Too Much Arletty, Louis Jouvet See Chapter 1 ‘Atmosphère . . . atmosphère . . .’ Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant

Homme qui murmurait 1998 à l’oreille des chevaux. L’ Homme qui en savait trop. L’ Hôtel du Nord

1956

Alfred Hitchcock

Detective

1938

Marcel Carné

Drama

8 femmes

2002

François Ozon

Drama

The top film titles  63

Director

Homme et une femme. Un Homme qui aimait les femmes. L’

Year

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

I comme Icare

1979

Henri Verneuil

Political thriller

Yves Montand, Pierre Vernier

Indochine

1992

Régis Wargnier

Romantic drama

Remembered for the scene reproducing the Milgram research findings on submission to authority

Jamais le dimanche

1960

Jules Dassin

Romantic comedy

Jean de Florette

1986

Claude Berri

Drama

Jeux interdits

1952

René Clément

Drama

Jour se lève. Le Knock

1939 1933

Marcel Carné Louis Jouvet and Roger Goupillères

Drama Comedy

Lacombe, Lucien

1974

Louis Malle

Drama

Leçon de piano. La

1993

Jane Campion

Drama

Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham Mélina Mercouri, Jules Dassin Daniel Auteuil, Yves This film and its Montand, Emmanuelle companion, Manon Béart, Gérard des sources, are based Depardieu on the novel by Marcel Pagnol, L’Eau des collines. Brigitte Fossey, Goerges Famous for the music Poujouly ‘Romance’ by an anonymous composer Jean Gabin, Arletty Louis Jouvet, Pierre Famous line: ‘Est-​ce Larquey qu ça vous chatouille ou est-​ce que ça vous gratouille?’ Aurore Clément, Pierre Blaise, Holga Löwenadler Holly Hunter, Harvey Original title: The Piano Keitel

64  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

M. Klein

1976

Joseph Losey

Drama

Ma nuit chez Maud

1969

Eric Romer

Sentimental drama

Manon des sources

1986

Claude Berri

Drama

Mariée était en noir. La

1968

François Truffaut

Detective

Marius

1931

Alexander Korda

Drama, Marseille folklore

Mélodie du bonheur

1965

Robert Wise

Alain Delon, Michel Lonsdale, Jean Bouise, Jeanne Moreau Jean-​Louis Trintignant, Marie-​Christine Barrault, Françoise Fabian Emmanuelle Béart, Daniel This film and its Auteuil, Yves Montand companion, Jean de Florette, are based on the novel by Marcel Pagnol, L’Eau des collines. Jeanne Moreau, Jean Claude Brialy, Charles Denner, Michel Lonsdale, Claude Rich Fresnay, Raimu, Based on the play by Marcel Pagnol. First part of the Marseillaise trilogy Julie Andrews, Chistopher Original title: The Sound Plummer of Music.

Mélodie en sous-​sol

1963

Henri Verneuil

Mépris. Le

1963

Jean-​Luc Godard

Love story, biography, musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein Gangster film, detective story Drama Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Fritz Lang

The top film titles  65

Title

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Môme. La

2007

Olivier Dahan

Biopic of Édith Piaf

Mort d’un pourri

1977

Georges Lautner

Ne nous fâchons pas

1966

Georges Lautner

Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud On a retrouvé la 7ème compagnie

1988

José Pinheiro

1995

Claude Sautet

1975

Robert Lamoureux

On achève bien les chevaux Papy fait de la résistance

1970

Sydney Pollack

1983

Jean-​Marie Poirier

Actors

Marion Cotillard, Gérard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud Political thriller Alain Delon, Jean Bouise, Stéphane Audran, Michel Aumont, Daniel Ceccaldi, Julien Guiomar, Klaus Kinsky, Ornella Muti Comedy-​cum-​detective Lino Ventura, Michel Constantin, Jean Lefebvre, Mireille Darc Detective Alain Delon, Michel Serrault Drama Emmanuelle Béart, Michel Serrault Comedy, war Pierre Mondy, Jean Lefebvre, Henri Guybet, Pierre Tornade Social drama Susannah York, Jane Fonda Comedy Gérard Jugnot, Martin Lamotte, Jacqueline Maillan, Michel Galabru, Jacques Villeret, Dominique Lavanant, Roland Giraud

Remarks César and Oscar for best actress

Screenplay by Michel Audiard

Sequel to Mais où est donc passé le 7ème compagnie? Original title: They Shoot Horses Don’t They? One of the cult cinema comedies about the Second World War

66  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Title

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Parapluies de Cherbourg. Les

1964

Jacques Demy

Musical (Michel Legrand)

Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon

Pépé le Moko Père Noël est une ordure. Le

1937 1982

Julien Duvivier Jean-​Marie Poirier

Gangster Comedy, social satire

Petits meurtres entre amis

1995

Danny Boyle

Crime, thriller

Jean Gabin Gérard Jugnot, Josiane Balasko, Anémone, Thierry Lhermitte, Michel Blanc, Christian Clavier Ewan McGregor

Famous for the song (in English translation) ‘If It Takes Forever, I Will Wait for You’ French cinema classic

Pierrot le Fou

1965

Jean-​Luc Godard

Comedy, crime, drama

Piscine. La

1969

Jacques Deray

Police drama

Prends l’oseille et tire-​toi Prophète. Un

1969

Woody Allen

Comedy

2009

Jacques Audiard

Gangster

Quai des brumes

1938

Marcel Carné

Drama

Quatre cents coups. Les

1959

François Truffaut

Drama, crime

Jean-​Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina, Graziella Galvani Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Jane Birkin Woody Allen

Original title: Shallow Grave. Frequently used to describe in-​party politics

Music: Michel Legrand Original title: Take the Money and Run

The top film titles  67

Niels Arelstrup, Tahar Rahim Jean Gabin, Michelle Famous line: ‘T’as de Morgan, Pierre Brasseur beaux yeux tu sais’ Jean-​Pierre Léaud, Jeanne I would argue with the Moreau, Claire Maurier, English translation Albert. Rémy ‘The 400 Blows’. See Chapter 3 ‘Figurative expressions’

newgenrtpdf

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Razzia sur la chnouf

1955

Henri Decoin

Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura

Susan Seidelman

Gangster, drugs and the underworld Comedy, drama

Marcel Pagnol John Sturges

Drama Western

‘Chnouf’ is slang for narcotics, i.e. ‘junk’ Original title: Desperately Seeking Susan

Recherche Susan 1985 désespérément Regain. Le 1937 Règlements de comptes 1957 à OK Corral

Repos du guerrier. Le

1962

Roger Vadim

Drama, love story

Ridicule

1996

Patrice Leconte

Historical drama

Rififi à Paname. Du

1965

Denys de la Patellière Gangster

Rocco et ses frères

1961

Luchino Visconti

Drama

Salaire de la peur. Le

1953

H.-​G. Clouzot

Drama, adventure

Robert Joy, Rosanna Arquette Fernandel, Orane de Mazis Burt Lancaster, Kirk Original title: Gunfight Douglas at the OK Corral. Frequently used to describe violent, in-​ party politics Brigitte Bardot, Robert Based on the novel of Hossein the same name by Christiane Rochefort, published in 1958. Judith Godrèche, Charles Berling, Fanny Ardant, Jean Rochefort, Bernard Giraudeau Jean Gabin One of the French cinema classics. The title translates as Aggro in Paris Annie Girardot, Alain Delon, Claudia Cardinale, Renato Salvatori Yves Montand, Charles Venel, Peter van Eyck

68  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Title

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Salut l’artiste

1973

Yves Robert

Drama, comedy

Si Versailles m’était conté

1954

Sacha Guitry

Historical

Frequently used to salute the passing of a cinema or theatre star

Sissi Impératrice

Ernst Marischka

Historical

Souffle au cœur. Le

1954, 1955, 1956 1971

Marcello Mastroianni, Françoise Fabian, Jean Rochefort Orson Welles, Édith Piaf, Sacha Guitry, Jean Marais Romy Schneider

Louis Malle

Psychological drama

Tanguy

2001

Etienne Chatiliez

Comedy

Tant qu’il y aura des hommes

1953

Fred Zinnemann

Love story in time of war

Tontons flingueurs. Les 1963

Georges Lautner

Comedy

2006

Denis Dercourt

Drama

Tous les matins du monde

1991

Alain Corneau

seventeenth-​century novel

Daniel Gélin, Léa Massari, Michel Lonsdale André Dussollier, Sabine Azema, Eric Berger Frank Sinatra, Burt Original title: From Lancaster, Deborah Here to Eternity. Kerr, Montgomery Clift Frequently punned upon by substituting the words ‘pommes’ for ‘hommes’ Bernard Blier, Lino Third film in the Ventura, Claude Rich, trilogy: 1. Touchez pas Jean Lefebvre, Michel au grisbi, 2. Le Cave se Blanche rebiffe. See Chapter 1 Tontons flingueurs. Les Catherine Frot, Pascal Greggory, Déborah François Jean-​Pierre Marielle, Gérard Depardieu

The top film titles  69

Tourneuse de pages. La

Trilogy about Elisabeth, Austro-​Hungarian Empress

newgenrtpdf

Year

Tout le monde il est 1972 beau, tout le monde il est gentil Train sifflera trois fois. 1952 Le Traversée de Paris. La 1956 Trois couleurs: Bleu

1993

Vacances de M. Hulot. 1953 Les Vache et le prisonnier. 1959 La Veuve Couderc La 1971

Director

Genre

Actors

Jean Yanne

Satire against the media

Jean Yanne, Daniel Provost, Bernard Blier

Fred Zinnemann

Western

Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly

Claude Autant Lara

Comedy

Jean Gabin, Louis de Funès, Bourvil Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, Zbigniew Zamachowski Jacques Tati

Krzysztof Kieślowski Drama Jacques Tati

Comedy

Henri Verneuil

Drama

Pierre Granier-​Deferre

Drama

Viager Le

1972

Pierre Tchernia

Comedy

Vie est un long fleuve tranquille. La

1988

Étienne Chatiliez

Comedy, social satire

Vieille Fille La

1972

Jean-​Pierre Blanc

Comedy

Vieux Fusil Le

1975

Robert Enrico

War drama

Remarks

Original title: High noon

Fernandel, Ingeborg Biggest box-​office success Schöner in France in 1959 Alain Delon, Simone Signoret, Ottavia Piccolo Michel Serrault, Michel Galabru, Rosy Varte, Gérard Depardieu Hélène Vincent, Catherine Jacob, Daniel Gélin, André Wilms, Benoït Magimel, Catherine Hiegel Annie Girardot, Philippe Noiret, Michel Lonsdale, Marthe Keller Romy Schneider, Philippe I Noiret, Jean Bouise

70  The top film titles

Title

newgenrtpdf

Title

Year

Director

Genre

Actors

Remarks

Vincent, François, Paul et les autres

1974

Claude Sautet

Drama

Visiteurs du soir. Les

1942

Marcel Carné

Fantasy

Vol au-​dessus d’un nid de coucou Y-​a-​t-​il un pilote dans l’avion?

1975

Miloš Forman

Drama

Stéphane Audran, Ludmilla Mikaël, Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Serge Reggiani, Michel Piccoli Arletty, Jules Berry, Fernand Ledoux Jack Nicholson

1980

Comedy

Leslie Nielsen

Z

1969

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker Costas Gavras

Political intrigue

Yves Montand, Charles Based on the true story Denner, Jean-​Louis of the assassination Trintignant, Irène Papas of a Greek member of Parliament.

Original title: Airplane

The top film titles  71

72  Chronological list of films

LIST OF FILMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER 1885

L’Arroseur arrosé

1896

Arrivée d’un train dans la gare de La Ciotat

1931

Marius

1932

Fanny

1933

Knock

1936

César

1937

Drôle de drame Pépé le Moko La Grande Illusion

1938

La Femme du boulanger Hôtel du Nord Quai des brumes

1939

Le Jour se lève

1940

La Fille du puisatier

1942

Les Visiteurs du soir

1943

Le Corbeau

1946

La Belle et la bête Les Enfants du paradis

1952

Jeux interdits

1953

Le Salaire de la peur Tant qu’il y aura des hommes Les Vacances de M. Hulot

1954

Si Versailles m’était conté Le Crime était presque parfait

1955

Razzia sur la chnouf Sissi Impératrice

1956

Et Dieu créa la femme La Traversée de Paris L’Homme qui en savait trop

1957

Règlements de comptes à OK Corral

1958

Sois belle et tais-​toi

1959

Le Beau Serge Hiroshima mon amour

Chronological list of films  73 Les Quatre cents coups La Vache et le prisonnier 1961

Le Cave se rebiffe La Guerre des boutons Rocco et ses frères

1962

Cléo de 5 à 7 Le Repos du guerrier

1963

Le Guépard Mélodie en sous-​sol Le Mépris La Grande Evasion Les Tontons flingueurs

1964

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

1965

Le Corniaud L’Espion qui venait du froid La Mélodie du bonheur Du Rififi à Paname Pierrot le Fou

1966

La Grande vadrouille Un Homme et une femme Ne nous fâchons pas

1967

Belle du Jour Devine qui vient dîner? Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

1968

Le bon, la brute et le truand La Mariée était en noir

1969

Le Clan des Siciliens Ma nuit chez Maud La Piscine Prends l’oseille et tire-​toi Z

1970

Borsalino Le Cercle rouge On achève bien les chevaux Les Choses de la vie

74  Chronological list of films 1971

La Folie des grandeurs Le Souffle au cœur La Veuve Couderc

1972

Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire Le Viager Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie La Vieille Fille Tout le monde il est beau

1973

La Grande Bouffe Les Granges brûlées Salut l’artiste

1974

Lacombe, Lucien Vincent, François, Paul et les autres

1975

Adieu Poulet On a retrouvé la 7ème compagnie Dupont Lajoie Le Vieux Fusil

1976

Affreux, sales et méchants Un Éléphant ça trompe énormément M. Klein

1977

Mort d’un pourri L’Homme qui aimait les femmes

1979

Courage, fuyons Et la tendresse . . .? Bordel! I comme Icare

1980

Le Dernier Métro Y-​a-​t-​il un pilote dans l’avion? La Boum

1981

La Femme d’à côté Le Facteur sonne toujours deux fois Garde à vue

1982

Le Père Noël est une ordure

1983

Papy fait de la résistance L’Été meurtrier

1985

Recherche Susan désespérément

Chronological list of films  75 1986

Jean de Florette Manon des sources

1987

Au revoir les enfants

1988

Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille

1990

La Gloire de mon père Le Château de ma mère

1991

Tous les matins du monde

1992

Un cœur en hiver Indochine

1993

Cuisine et dépendances La Leçon de piano Trois couleurs: Bleu

1994

Grosse fatigue

1995

Gazon maudit Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud Petits meurtres entre amis

1996

Un air de famille Ridicule

1997

Le Bossu

1998

Ceux qui m’aiment prendront le train L’Homme qui murmurait à l’oreille des chevaux Le Dîner de cons

1999

Les Enfants du marais

2000

Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien. Le Goût des autres

2001

Tanguy

2002

8 femmes

2004

Les Choristes

2005

De battre mon cœur s’est arrêté

2006

Fauteuils d’orchestre

2006

La Tourneuse de pages

2007

Dialogues avec mon jardinier La Môme

2008

Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis

Chapter 2

Famous words

Je ne suis pas d’accord avec votre opinion, mais je me battrai jusqu’à la mort pour que vous ayez le droit de l’exprimer. (Traditionally attributed to Voltaire (1694–​1778))

This chapter contains expressions, both old and new, certified and apocryphal, coming from a broad variety of sources. They are constantly used in the press and in everyday oral exchanges, either requoted verbatim or punned upon. Several of them are not French but are frequently used in the French language. Certain entries listed in this chapter could quite legitimately have been included in Chapter  6, but such entries have been cross-​referenced. Translations have been proposed where it was thought that this would help the general-​interest reader. Here, again, this is far from being a comprehensive list of such quotations and is merely a reflection of those references found in the French press during the research.

abracadabrantesque      

***

This term was coined by Arthur Rimbaud (1854–​91), the French poet. It came back into the limelight on 21 September 2000. During a television interview, the then President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, used the term to describe the posthumous accusations of Jean Claude Méry (the fund manager of the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR)) concerning the illegal funding of the President’s party, the RPR. The term itself means a preposterous, cock and bull story. The RPR was renamed the Union pour un mouvement populaire (UMP) and subsequently became Les Républicains (LR).

‘adversaire, celui de la France, n’a jamais cessé d’être l’argent. Mon’      

**

Charles de Gaulle, President of the Fifth Republic from 1959 to 1968. It is not surprising that de Gaulle, who was planning a radical reform of the banks in

‘anomalie démocratique. Le Sénat est une’  77

1968, was replaced by his Prime Minister, a former executive director of the Rothschild bank.

‘agrégé qui sache écrire. Trouvez-​m oi un’       * In 1962, when de Gaulle was looking for a successor to the Prime Minister, Michel Debré, he is said to have ordered his staff to ‘find me “un normalien” who knows how to write’. Soon after, Georges Pompidou (‘agrégé de lettres classiques’) was appointed as Prime Minister (1962–​68). Often misquoted.

**

‘Ah! ça ira!’       One of the most popular songs of the French Revolution: Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira! Les aristocrates à la lanterne, Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira! Les aristocrates on les pendra!

Édith Piaf recorded the song in 1953, for the film Si Versailles m’était conté by Sacha Guitry.

‘Aimer, ce n’est pas se regarder l’un l’autre, c’est regarder ensemble dans la même direction.’      

*

Antoine de Saint-​Exupéry (1900–​44).

**

‘Allons enfants . . .’       The first two words of the French national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise’.

‘Andouillette, c’est comme la politique, ça doit sentir un peu la merde, mais pas trop. L’’       *** Edouard Hérriot (1872–​1957), French politician. See below ‘culture, c’est ce qui reste quand on a tout oublié. La’.

‘anomalie démocratique. Le Sénat est une’  

  

*

The French Upper Chamber, the Senate, is not elected by direct universal suffrage. It has always been held by the right-​wing parties although this

78  ‘appétit vient en mangeant. L’’     

changed in 2011. This is the reason why Lionel Jospin, the socialist Prime Minister (1997–​2002), called the Senate ‘an anomaly in a democratic society’. See Chapter 9 Sénat. Le.

**

‘appétit vient en mangeant. L’’       This is a quotation from Gargantua by François Rabelais (1494–​1553).

‘Après moi le déluge.’      

**

Attributed to Louis XV (1710–​74) but also in the form ‘Après nous, le déluge’, attributed to Madame de Pompadour (1721–​64). During the Seven Years War, the army of Louis XV suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Prussian army led by Frederic II at the Battle of Rossbach on 5 November 1757. While he was posing for the artist Quentin de La Tour, Louis had a sad expression on his face. To comfort him, his favourite of the moment, Madame de Pompadour, said ‘Il ne faut point s’affliger:  vous tomberiez malade. Après nous, le déluge’. See also Chapter 8 ‘Déluge’.

‘audace. De l’audace, encore de l’’      

**

‘Pour vaincre les ennemis de la France que faut-​il? De l’audace, encore de l’audace, toujours de l’audace’. The words of Georges Jacques Danton (1759–​ 94), a French politician, during his speech to the Convention on 2 September 1792 while France was on the point of being invaded by the coalition troops. ‘What is required to defeat the enemies of France? Daring, more daring, ever more daring’. He was guillotined during the end phase of the Terror.

‘Aujourd’hui, rien’      

*

Words of Louis XVI in his diary on 14 July 1789; he wrote ‘nothing’.

‘Aux armes, citoyens’      

**

These are the first three words of the chorus of the French national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise’.

‘Aux grands hommes . . .’      

***

The first words of the inscription on the pediment of the Panthéon. Aux grands hommes, la patrie reconnaissante (‘To great men, the homeland is grateful’). See Chapter 9 ‘Panthéon, Le’.

‘bonheur, une idée neuve en Europe. Le’  79

‘Aux innocents les mains pleines’      

**

An old French saying meaning that the simple-​minded will find success in their undertakings. This expression echoes the Beatitudes, and is also the title of a vaudeville, written by Lambert Thiboust, a French playwright (1826–​67), and presented in 1849.

‘baïonnettes. Nous sommes ici par la volonté du peuple et nous n’en sortirons que par la force des’      

***

Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau (1749–​91).

bâton de maréchal nm.      

**

‘Il n’y en a pas dans vos rangs qui n’ait dans sa giberne le bâton de maréchal de France de Monsieur le Duc de Reggio et il ne tient qu’à vous de l’en faire sortir.’ During a speech to the cadets of the military academy of Saint-​Cyr, on 9 August 1819, King Louis XVIII, who reigned between 1814 and 1824, said:  ‘Remember that there is not one of you in your ranks who does not carry in his cartridge pouch the marshal’s baton of the duke of Reggio; it is up to you to bring it forth.’ It has now come to mean the supreme accolade.

‘beurre ou des canons. Du’      

*

‘Butter or guns’. Used by Joseph Goebbels (1897–​1945) during a speech in Berlin on 17 January1936. Also used by Hermann Goering (1893–​1946) during a speech in Hamburg in the same year.

bon cœur. A votre      

***

The traditional phrase of the beggar who appeals to the generosity of passers-​by

‘bonheur, une idée neuve en Europe. Le’      

*

These were words of Louis Antoine de Saint-​Just (1767–​94), a French politician, during the Revolution, addressing the Convention on 3 March 1794. See below ‘droit au bonheur. Le’.

80  ‘bordel peuplé de nains. Un’     

‘bordel peuplé de nains. Un’      

*

‘A brothel populated with dwarfs’. The words of Victor Hugo referring to the Élysée after the coup d’État of Louis Napoleon in 1851.

Bouter les Anglais hors de France      

***

French children learn that Jeanne d’Arc kicked the English out of France during the Hundred Years War. This war was fought intermittently between 1337 and 1453. Jeanne d’Arc, when 17 years old, claimed to have been told by the saints to deliver France from the English occupation. She successfully led the French army against the English and contributed to turning the tide of the war.

‘brioche! S’ils n’ont pas de pain, qu’ils mangent de la’ [apocryphal]      

**

Words attributed to Marie-​Antoinette (1755–​93): ‘If they have no bread, let them eat cake.’ NB ‘brioche’ is a bun-​like cake.

‘bruit et l’odeur. Le’      

**

Jacques Chirac, referring to immigrants during his election campaign in 1991. This has since become known as the ‘Discours d’Orléans’, made during a dinner-​debate in front of 1,300 militants.

‘Ça m’en touche un sans faire bouger l’autre’      

***

An extremely obscene expression used by Jacques Chirac, former President of France, who was well known for his barrack-​room language. Referring to his testicles, he said ‘This affair touches one without making the other move’, meaning ‘I couldn’t give a tinker’s cuss.’

‘calice de la trahison jusqu’à la lie. Boire le’      

**

‘To drain the cup of treason to the dregs’. These were the words of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-​ Périgord, the French politician (1754–​ 1838). He served the Ancien Régime, the Revolution, Napoleon and the Restoration Monarchy. These are the words of an expert. See below ‘trahison est souvent question de dates. La’.

‘charbonnier est maître chez lui. Le’ [apocryphal]   81

‘Calomniez, calomniez, il en restera toujours quelque chose’      

*

‘Throw dirt enough and some of it will stick.’ Attributed to Francis Bacon (1561–​1626) and to Pierre-​Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732–​99).

‘Casse-​t oi, pauv’con!’      

***

‘Bugger off, you poor sod!’ These words were said by Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, during a visit to the Paris Agricultural Show in 2008, in response to a man who refused to shake his hand.

‘certaine idée de la France. Je me suis fait une’      

**

The words come from Mémoires de Guerre by Charles de Gaulle, Vol. I (Paris : Plon, 1954). The text reads Toute ma vie, je me suis fait une certaine idée de la France. Le sentiment me l’inspire aussi bien que la raison (‘Throughout my life I have had a certain conception of France. Sentiment inspires it just as much as reason’).

‘cerveau disponible. Ce que nous vendons à Coca Cola, c’est du temps de’      

***

‘What we sell to Coca Cola is available human brain time.’ These are the words of Patrick Le Lay, in 2004, then the chairman and CEO of TF1, the leading TV channel in France, on how he saw the advertising role of his channel.

‘change. Il faut que tout change pour que rien ne’      

**

‘If we want things to stay as they are, we shall have to change everything.’ These words come from the novel Le Guépard (The Leopard) by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1896–​1957), a Sicilian aristocrat and Italian writer. It describes the gradual disappearance of the old order in a changing world in Sicily.

‘charbonnier est maître chez lui. Le’ [apocryphal]      

**

‘Each person is free to act as he wishes in his own home.’ Legend has it that François Ier got lost in the forest of Fontainebleau while hunting. Night fell,

82  ‘Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop’     

and he had lost touch with the rest of the hunt. Seeing a light in the distance, he approached and knocked at the door of a small cottage. He was welcomed by the wife of the charcoal-​burner who lived there but she didn’t recognize him. The King sat down in a chair near the fireplace. Soon after, the charcoal-​burner returned, and on seeing someone in his favourite chair told the stranger to sit somewhere else. The King accepted this discourteous conduct and is said to have added le charbonnier est maître chez lui (‘the charcoal-​ burner is master in his own home’).

‘Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop’       *** See Chapter 5. ‘Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop’.

‘Cherchez la femme’      

**

These were the words of Alexandre Dumas the elder (1802–​70) in his book Les Mohicans de Paris (1864), in which the detective invites his colleagues to look for the woman in the affair.

‘chienlit non. La réforme, oui, la’      

**

‘Reform, yes, havoc, no’. Words spoken by General de Gaulle, President of the Republic, in response to the mass demonstrations in Paris in May 1968.

Circulez [il n’] y a rien à voir      

***

This is the typical phrase pronounced by the police to disperse onlookers at the scene of an accident: ‘Move along there, there’s nothing to see.’ It is used in the press to indicate that a scandal has been hushed up and that the press is being told not to poke its nose into the affair.

‘clair n’est pas français. Ce qui n’est pas’       ** ‘What is unclear is not French.’ These are the words of French writer Antoine le comte de Rivarol (1753–​1801) in his work entitled Discours sur l’universalité de la langue française, published in 1784.

cœur a ses raisons. Le       See Chapter 5. ‘cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. Le’.

***

‘Construisons les villes à la campagne’  83

comité Théodule. Un      

**

The expression ‘comité Théodule’ is a pure invention of de Gaulle, who said ‘L’essentiel pour moi, ce n’est pas ce que peuvent penser le comité Gustave, le comité Théodule ou le comité Hippolyte, c’est ce que veut le pays.’

‘commission. Quand je veux enterrer un problème, je nomme une’      

**

‘When I want to bury a problem, I set up a commission.’ Words of Georges Clemenceau (1841–​1929), head of the French government (1917–​19).

Comparaison n’est pas raison      

*

A proverb of the thirteenth century which states that comparison is not equivalent to reason.

concierge est dans l’escalier. La      

*

This is the classic notice that a ‘concierge’ used to put on her door when she was absent from her ‘loge’. It meant that she was on the staircase. NB ‘une concierge’ may also be translated as ‘a gossip’.

‘cons! Ah, les’      

*

Surprised at being acclaimed on his return from Munich in 1938 (he had expected criticism for having signed a peace agreement with Hitler), Edouard Daladier (1884–​1970), the Président du Conseil, commented on the blindness of the people’s reaction. War was declared the following year.

‘cons ça ose tout! Les’      

***

‘Les cons, ça ose tout! C’est même à ça qu’on les reconnaît.’ One of the most famous quotations in French cinema history, from the film Les Tontons flingueurs by Michel Audiard (1963). These words were said by Lino Ventura. See Chapter 1 Tontons flingueurs, Les.

‘Construisons les villes à la campagne’      

*

‘Let’s build the towns in the country.’ This is a witticism of Alphonse Allais, French writer and humorist (1854–​1905).

84  ‘corbeille. La politique de la France ne se fait pas à la’     

‘corbeille. La politique de la France ne se fait pas à la’      

*

The words of Charles de Gaulle. ‘The policy of France is not decided upon at the trading floor of the stock exchange.’ The ‘corbeille’ used to be the old trading floor, or pit, at the Paris stock exchange, which was surrounded by a handrail and used by companies trading at the Bourse.

Courageux mais pas téméraire      

***

This is said of sb. who is brave but not to the point of being dangerously so.

‘Cours, camarade, le vieux monde est derrière toi.’      

*

One of the student slogans of 1968.

‘crime, c’est une faute. C’est pire qu’un’       *** These were the words of Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe (1761–​1840) on hearing of the execution of the duc d’Enghien (1772–​1804). Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon-​Condé was the last of the Condé heirs. Although he had left France, Napoleon had him kidnapped abroad and brought back to France. He was shot at the Château of Vincennes. Napoleon believed that this would put an end to any royalist hopes of a restoration. This quotation is equally attributed to Talleyrand and Joseph Fouché.

croix de Lorraine. La      

***

‘De toutes les croix que j’ai dû porter, la croix de Lorraine est la plus lourde’ (‘Of all the crosses I have had to bear, the Cross of Lorraine is the heaviest’). Attributed to Winston Churchill because of his reputedly difficult relations with General de Gaulle. The Cross of Lorraine was the symbol of the French resistance.

‘culture, c’est ce qui reste quand on a tout oublié. La’      

***

‘Culture is what is left when we have forgotten everything else.’ This is commonly attributed to Edouard Herriot (1872–​1957), the French writer and politician. It is in fact a shortened version of what he originally said:  ‘La

‘Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer. Si’   85

culture –​a dit un moraliste oriental –​c’est ce qui reste dans l’esprit quand on a tout oublié.’

‘dégraisser le mammouth. Il faut’      

**

Referring to overstaffing in the ministry of education (teachers included), Claude Allègre, minister of education, research and technology in the first Jospin government (1997–​2000), said ‘We must downsize the mammoth.’ His remark eventually led to his resignation. The word ‘mammouth’, to refer to the Éducation nationale, has stuck.

‘démissionne. Un ministre ça ferme sa gueule ou ça’      

**

‘A minister shuts his trap, or if he wants to open it, he resigns.’ These are the words of Jean-​Pierre Chevènement, minister of research and technology, on resigning from the socialist government in 1983 because of what he saw as a move towards economic liberalism.

‘détail de l’histoire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Ce n’est qu’un point de’      

***

During a radio programme Grand Jury RTL-​Le Monde on 13 September 1987, Jean-​Marie Le Pen, President of the then French National Front, referred to the Nazi gas chambers as ‘a point of detail in the history of the Second World War’. See Chapter 6 ‘poujadisme’.

‘deux lignes d’écriture’      

*

‘Avec deux lignes d’écriture d’un homme, on peut faire le procès du plus innocent.’ Cardinal de Richelieu (1585–​1642).

‘Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer. Si’      

**

‘If God didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.’ The words of François-​Marie Arouet, alias Voltaire, the French writer and philosopher (1694–​1778), as part of an epistle to the author of an atheistic work entitled The Three Impostors. It was also written in a letter to Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

86  ‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’ [apocryphal]     

‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’ [apocryphal]       *** During the crusade launched by Pope Innocent III against the Albigensian heretics in the south-​west of France, the town of Béziers was besieged by papal troops in 1209. Within the city walls were both heretics and devout Catholics. When Arnaud Amalric, the papal legate leading the attack, was asked what was to be done about the Catholics, as opposed to the heretics of the town, he is said to have answered ‘Tuez-​les tous. Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’ (‘Kill them all, God will recognize his own’). Over 30,000 people were massacred, including women and children. This quote is sometimes misattributed to Simon de Montfort.

Dieu y pourvoira      

**

See Chapter 8 ‘Dieu y pourvoira’.

‘dissimuler ne sait régner. Qui ne sait’      

*

Louis XI (1423–​1483), nicknamed ‘l’Araignée’ (the spider)

‘don de ma personne. Je fais’      

**

The words of Maréchal Pétain on assuming total power in France, after the débâcle. The radio broadcast speech was made on 17 June 1940 and it was during this speech that he asked the French army to cease hostilities. His exact words were ‘Je fais à la France le don de ma personne pour atténuer son malheur’ (‘I give myself to France in order to alleviate her distress’). The following day, General de Gaulle made his famous call to arms from London via the BBC, exhorting the French to continue the fight.

‘Donnez-​m oi dix hommes sûrs et je tiens l’État.’      

*

‘Give me ten men in whom I can place my trust and I can control the State.’ Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–​1821).

‘droit d’inventaire. Le’      

**

An expression used by Lionel Jospin, the socialist presidential candidate in 1995, to evaluate the Mitterrand years.

‘élites trahissent le peuple. Les’  87

‘droit au bonheur. Le’      

*

Louis Antoine de Saint-​Just (1767–​94), member of the Committee of Public Safety (along with Maximilien Robespierre and Georges Couthon), overthrown in the Thermidorian Reaction and guillotined with Robespierre. The ‘right to happiness’ may be considered in the light of the American Declaration of Independence, which mentions ‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’, thus echoing a widespread philosophical idea of the eighteenth century in the USA and in Europe. See above ‘bonheur, une idée neuve en Europe. Le’.

‘droit dans mes bottes. Je suis’      

***

In 1995 Alain Juppé was invited to take part in the news magazine programme Le Journal de 20h on channel TF1. He was questioned about the scandal concerning the extremely low rent of his flat in one of the most expensive districts of Paris. The flat belonged to the Paris City Hall, of which he was the finance director. Works were undertaken in the flat paid for by the Paris tax payers. He claimed that he was the victim of a campaign of destabilization and said the famous words Je suis droit dans mes bottes et je ferai mon travail. The judge gave him the choice: stay in the flat and be charged with corruption (prise illégale d’intérêt) or move. He moved. After having been mayor of Bordeaux, he is now a member of the Conseil constitutionnel. ‘Droit dans ses bottes’ is frequently used by politicians who have been caught with their fingers in the honeypot.

droit d’ingérence. Le      

*

A concept born of the Biafran War (1967–​70) and developed by the French writer and intellectual Jean-​François Revel (1924–​2006), the idea being that in certain extreme cases, national sovereignty could be violated. The Biafran crisis saw the creation of Médecins sans frontières, and the ‘droit d’ingérence’ was a concept popularized by one of its founders, Bernard Kouchner.

‘Élections, piège à cons’      

***

‘Elections are a trap for arseholes.’ This is one of the slogans chanted by the students during the riots in Paris in May 1968.

‘élites trahissent le peuple. Les’       Charles Péguy (1873–​1914), writer, poet and essayist

*

88  ‘emmerdes volent toujours en escadrille. Les’

‘emmerdes volent toujours en escadrille. Les’      

***

‘Bloody hassles always fly in squadrons.’ Jacques Chirac (1932–​2019).

‘Encore une minute, Monsieur le bourreau’ [apocryphal]      

*

‘Just one more minute, executioner’. These words were attributed to Madame du Barry, one of Louis XV’s mistresses, who died at the guillotine on 8 December 1793.

‘enfer, c’est les autres. L’’      

**

The words of Jean-​Paul Sartre (1905–​80), writer and intellectual, in his play Huis clos (1943).

‘Enfin, les difficultés commencent!’      

*

The words of the leader, Léon Blum, on the electoral success of the Popular Front in 1936.

‘Enrichissez-​vous!’      

***

François Guizot (1787–​1874) was a French politician who occupied several ministerial posts and was Prime Minister from 1847 to 1848. Some historians suggest that this quote was aimed at people who were not rich enough to vote, others that his internal policy was designed to enrich the bourgeoisie. The words were said before the Chambre des Députés on 1 March 1843. Quoted out of context, they give the impression that Guizot was a wheeler-​dealer. In fact, his words were an invitation to the opposition to use their new political rights to reinforce the institutions and enhance the material and moral conditions of France.

‘Entre ici, Jean Moulin!’      

**

With these words, André Malraux (1901–​76), then minister of culture, began his tribute to Jean Moulin (the hero of the French Resistance) during the transfer of the latter’s ashes to the Panthéon on 19 December 1964. See Chapter 12 ‘Caluire’.

‘environnement, ça commence à bien faire. L’’       Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of France.

**

fellation nf.  89

équipe qui gagne. On ne change pas une      

**

This is a common saying, often used ironically. ‘One doesn’t change a winning team.’

erreur est humaine (persévérer est diabolique). L’      

***

This philosophical proverb has been variously attributed to Livy, Cicero and Seneca the younger. The original phrase is ‘Errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum.’

Et pourtant, elle tourne [apocryphal]      

**

See Chapter 13 ‘Eppur se muove’.

‘État ne peut pas tout. L’’      

**

‘The State is not all-​powerful.’ Words of Lionel Jospin, on 13 September 1999, admitting on television the State’s impotence faced with factory closures.

‘État, c’est moi. L’’      

**

This is generally attributed to Louis XIV (1638–​1715), who is said to have pronounced these words in a speech before the Parlement de Paris on 13 April 1655.

‘Familles, je vous hais.’      

***

‘Families! I hate you.’ André Gide, French writer (1869–​1951).

‘feignons d’en être les organisateurs. Puisque ces mystères nous dépassent,’      

***

‘Since these mysteries are beyond us, let’s pretend that we are the organizers.’ Jean Cocteau (1889–​1963), from the play Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel. In fact, the exact words were: ‘Puisque ces mystères me dépassent, feignons d’en être l’organisateur.’

fellation nf.      

*

‘Quand je vois certains qui demandent des taux de rentabilité à 20 per cent–​ 25 per cent avec une fellation quasi nulle’. Rachida Dati, former minister

90  ‘femme est l’avenir de l’homme. La’     

of justice, speaking of inflation. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon of lapsus as ‘leakage’.

‘femme est l’avenir de l’homme. La’      

*

‘Woman is the future of man.’ The words of Louis Aragon, poet and writer (1897–​1982), and leitmotif of a song by the late Jean Ferrat (1930–​2010) based on Aragon’s poem ‘Les Yeux d’Elsa’.

‘femme, on le devient. On ne naît pas’      

**

‘A woman is not born a woman, she becomes one.’ Simone de Beauvoir (1908–​ 86), feminist writer, intellectual and companion of Jean-​Paul Sartre.

‘flou, il y a un loup. Quand c’est’      

*

An old saying quoted by Martine Aubry, ‘When things are vague, there is a hidden danger.’

Fluctuat nec mergitur      

***

The motto of the town of Paris. ‘Il est battu par les flots, mais ne sombre pas’ (‘Battered by the waves but it does not sink’).

‘football que je le dois. Tout ce que je sais de la morale, c’est au’      

*

‘Everything I know about moral behaviour I owe to football.’ Albert Camus, 23 October 1957. This is a shortened version of what he actually said.

‘Formez vos bataillons’      

*

Words from the French national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise’.

‘foule trahit toujours le peuple. La’      

**

‘The people are always betrayed by the crowd.’ Victor Hugo, writer (1802–​85).

‘France s’ennuie. La’      

*

‘France is bored.’ Words written in the newspaper Le Monde by Pierre Viansson-​Ponté just before the outbreak of violence in May 1968, echoing the

‘girouette qui tourne, mais le vent. Ce n’est pas la’   91

words of Alphonse de Lamartine who, speaking to the Chambre des Députés in 1839, said ‘La France est une nation qui s’ennuie.’

fusillés pour l’exemple      

**

The background of this expression is the trenches of the First World War, during which 600 French soldiers were executed by firing squad for various offences:  disobedience, self-​mutilation and mutiny. In fact, it goes back to Voltaire who, commenting on the execution of the British admiral John Byng, said ‘il faut quelquefois fusiller un amiral pour encourager les autres’ (‘from time to time one should shoot an admiral in order to encourage the others’).

‘garde meurt mais ne se rend pas. La’ [apocryphal]      

***

‘The guards die but do not surrender.’ This was attributed to General Pierre Cambronne (1770–​1842), who commanded the last of the Old Guard at Waterloo against the British general, Charles Colville, on 18 June 1815. On Colville’s insistence that he surrender, Cambronne is said to have replied ‘La garde meurt mais ne se rend pas.’ Colville insisted, and Cambronne is said to have shouted back ‘Merde’ (‘Shit’). He later denied having said either of the phrases attributed to him! Today, ‘le mot de Cambronne’ is a euphemism for ‘merde’. ‘La garde meurt mais ne se rend pas’ are the words that were engraved on Cambronne’s monument in his home town of Nantes when it was erected in 1845, thus reinforcing the apparent authenticity of the quote.

‘gardez-​m oi de mes amis, mes ennemis, je m’en charge! Mon Dieu,’      

**

‘God protect me against my friends, I’ll take care of my enemies myself.’ These are the words of Voltaire (1694–​1778). Frequently attributed to Maréchal de Villars (1653–​1734), one of Louis XIV’s most brilliant soldiers.

‘girouette qui tourne, mais le vent. Ce n’est pas la’      

**

Edgar Faure (1908–​88), a French politician, was accused by his enemies of being an opportunist with very flexible political opinions. He was accused of being a ‘weather vane’, to which he replied, ‘It is not the weather vane that changes direction, but the wind’, thus plagiarizing the words of Camille Desmoulins (1760–​94). The term ‘weather cock’ may also be used as a translation for ‘girouette’.

92  ‘gloire est arrivé. Le jour de’     

‘gloire est arrivé. Le jour de’      

***

The second line of the French national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise’.

‘Gouverner, c’est prévoir’      

*

Pierre Mendès France (1907–​82), French politician, Président du Conseil from 1954 to 1955).

‘grâce à Dieu, sont prescrits. La majorité des faits’      

**

These are the words of Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, in response to accusations of sexual abuse against children on the part of the Catholic clergy. He clumsily said ‘Thank God most of the crimes are covered by the statute of limitation.’ Barbarin was given a suspended six-​month prison term at the Lyon criminal court for having covered up the sexual aggressions committed by a priest, Bernard Preynat, against 70 scouts in the years 1970–​ 80. He was also blamed for having allowed Preynat to be in contact with children in his work up to September 2015. His conviction was overturned on appeal on 30 January 2020.

‘guerre est une affaire trop sérieuse . . . La’   

***

The words of Georges Clemenceau (1841–​1929), who said ‘La guerre est une affaire trop sérieuse pour être confiée à des militaires’ (‘War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men’). These words are also attributed to Talleyrand.

‘guêtre. Jusqu’au dernier bouton de’      

**

In 1870, on the eve of the Franco-​Prussian War, during the parliamentary debate on the mobilization of the French forces, certain members of the French Assembly expressed doubts about the readiness of the army. The minister of war, Maréchal Edmond Lebœuf, said that even if the war were to last two years, there would not be a gaiter button missing on the uniform of any French soldier. The French were defeated by the Prussians, Napoleon III was taken prisoner at Sedan and the Second Empire collapsed. The expression is now used ironically.

Heureux comme Dieu en France      

**

‘As happy as God in France.’ A  German saying:  ‘Glücklich wie Gott in Frankreich’.

‘Ils ne passeront pas’  93

homme est un loup pour l’homme. L’      

*

See Chapter 13 ‘Homo homini lupus’.

‘honnête femme qui tiendrait un bordel. Une’      

*

Victor Hugo, speaking of François Guizot (1787–​ 1874) Prime Minister between 1847 and 1848.

‘hypocrisie est un homage que le vice rend à la virtue. L’’     

*

François de La Rochefoucauld (1613–​80).

‘Ici Londres (les Français parlent aux Français)’      

**

‘London calling. Frenchmen speak to the French.’ These were the words of General de Gaulle during the first BBC transmission to France in 1940, beginning with the call to arms of 18 and 22 June. These words were used at each subsequent transmission.

‘Il est des nôtres’      

**

Words of a drinking song (‘He is one of us’).

‘Il est difficile, Sire, de servir et de plaire à la fois’      

*

Maréchal Claude Louis Hector de Villars (1653–​1734) to Louis XIV.

‘Il faut savoir terminer une grève’      

***

Maurice Thorez (1900–​64), secretary general of the French Communist Party and minister for the civil service (1945–​7), said these words on 11 June 1936 after the signing of the Matignon agreements giving the workers, among other things, a 40-​hour week and two weeks’ paid holiday.

‘Ils ne passeront pas’      

**

Originally the words of General Robert Nivelle (1856–​1924) throughout the defence of Verdun. Nivelle’s orders of the day, in late June, were ‘vous ne les

94  ‘Ils n’ont rien appris ni rien oublié.’     

laisserez pas passer’ (‘you shall not let them pass’). This was later taken up by the republican forces in the Spanish Civil War in the form of ‘¡No pasarán!’. These words were attributed to Dolores Ibárruri Gómez, a Spanish Basque politician.

‘Ils n’ont rien appris ni rien oublié.’      

*

These were the words of Talleyrand in 1815, referring to the émigrés returning from Koblenz who acted as if nothing had happened since they had fled France. They are also attributed to Napoleon who, speaking about the Bourbons on his return from Elba on 1 March 1815, said: ‘Depuis le peu de mois qu’ils règnent, ils vous ont convaincus qu’ils n’ont rien oublié ni rien appris’ (‘In the few months that they have reigned, they have convinced you that they have neither forgotten anything, nor learned anything’).

‘insu de mon plein gré. À l’’      

***

‘Unbeknown to my full consent’. In the wake of the Festina doping scandal involving cyclists of the Tour de France in 1998, Richard Virenque, after denying taking drugs, admitted that he had been given drugs without his being aware of it. This barbaric French phrase was popularized by the caricature of Virenque in the satirical Guignols de l’Info, a TV programme on Canal+, the equivalent of the British TV programme Spitting Image.

‘interdit d’interdire. Il est’      

**

‘It is forbidden to forbid.’ One of the slogans painted on the walls of Paris during the student riots of 1968.

‘J’aime la justice, mais je préfère ma mère.’      

*

‘I love justice but I  prefer my mother.’ These somewhat enigmatic words were spoken by Albert Camus on 13 December 1957, a few days after he had received the Nobel Prize for literature.

‘J’ai survécu.’      

**

This was the reply of Charles-​Maurice de Talleyrand-​Périgord (1754–​1838), the political chameleon par excellence, when asked what he had done during the Revolution. He served under the Ancien Régime, was an ambassador during the Revolution, was minister of foreign affairs under the Consulate and the First Empire, and served as ambassador under the Restoration and

‘Je pense, donc, je suis.’  95

the July Monarchy. The quote is also attributed to Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès (1748–​1836), the French politician,

‘J’écris ton nom, Liberté.’      

**

See Chapter 5 ‘J’écris ton nom, Liberté.’

‘Je décide, il exécute.’      

**

Jacques Chirac during an interview on 14 July 2004 referring to his minister of finance, Nicolas Sarkozy.

‘Je n’ai pas rencontré beaucoup d’entre vous à Londres.’      

*

These were the words of Charles de Gaulle addressing the French employers’ association after the liberation of France: ‘I didn’t come across many of you in London.’

‘Je n’aime pas les riches’      

**

François Hollande in 2012.

‘Je ne partage pas vos idées.’      

**

‘Je ne partage pas vos idées mais je me battrai pour que vous puissiez les exprimer.’ (‘I do not share your ideas, but I will fight for your right to express them.’) Generally attributed to Voltaire (1694–​1778). This quote comes in several forms.

‘Je ne suis pas d’un côté, je ne suis pas de l’autre, je suis pour la France.’      

*

The words of General de Gaulle during the elections of 1965.

‘Je pense, donc, je suis.’      

***

Cogito ergo sum. René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher (1596–​1650). His name gives us the adjective ‘cartésien’, meaning logical and rational.

96  ‘Je suis contre les femmes, tout contre.’     

‘Je suis contre les femmes, tout contre.’      

*

‘I am against women, right up against women.’ The words of Sacha Guitry (1885–​1957), playwright, cinema director and wit, famous for his misogynistic jibes.

‘Je suis le bruit et la fureur.’      

**

Jean-​Luc Mélenchon, President of the political party La France Insoumise. These words come from the soliloquy of Macbeth, towards the end of the play when he is pondering on the nonsense of life. Perhaps M. Mélenchon didn’t read the soliloquy to the end because it finishes . . . ‘full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’. Le Bruit et la fureur (original title The Sound and the Fury) is also the fourth novel of the American writer William Faulkner, published in 1929. NB attention should be drawn to the fact that the texts of Shakespeare have supplied many writers with the titles of their novels, e.g.: By the Pricking of My Thumbs (Agatha Christie) –​Macbeth Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) –​The Tempest Brief Candles (Aldous Huxley) –​Macbeth

‘Je vous ai compris’      

***

These were the first words of a speech given by General de Gaulle in Algiers at the place du Forum on 4 June 1958, when he seemed to be reassuring the faction of ‘French Algeria’. When independence was granted to Algeria in 1962, under the terms of the Evian agreement of 18 March, the words of de Gaulle seemed retrospectively to have been doublespeak. Many supporters of the idea of ‘French Algeria’ were embittered, and an attempt was made on de Gaulle’s life at Le Petit-​Clamart on 22 August of the same year. See Chapter 12 ‘Petit-​Clamart. Le’.

‘Jouir sans entraves’      

*

‘Pleasure without constraints.’ One of the student slogans of 1968.

J’y étais      

**

After the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, one of Napoleon’s most brilliant victories, he spoke to his soldiers and said ‘Il vous suffira de dire, “j’étais à la bataille d’Austerlitz”, pour que l’on réponde “Voilà un brave” ’ (‘You will only

‘liberté, que de crimes on commet en ton nom! Ô’   97

have to say “I was at the Battle of Austerlitz” for people to reply “There, is a courageous man” ’).

‘J’y suis, j’y reste’      

***

‘Here I  am, and here I  stay.’ These were the words of comte Patrice de MacMahon (1808–​1893), maréchal de France, President of the Republic (1873–​79). He said these words after taking the fortress of Malakoff during the Crimean War (1854–​6) on 8 September 1855, and in response to the question of Lord Raglan’s envoy, asking if MacMahon was capable of holding on to the newly captured fortress.

‘laisser [donner] du temps au temps. Il faut’      

***

‘Give time the time’ (Dar tiempo al tiempo). These are the words of Miguel de Cervantes (1547–​1616), later to be taken up by François Mitterrand (1916–​ 96), President of the Republic from 1981 to 1995.

‘Lafayette, nous revoilà.’      

**

‘Lafayette, here we are, once again.’ These are the words of Lt Colonel Charles E.  Stanton. He served in the First World War as an aide to General John J. Pershing. Stanton said these words at the grave of General Lafayette in the cemetery of Picpus on 4 July 1917. Marie-​Joseph de la Fayette (1757–​1834) was a hero for the Americans, whom he helped in their fight for independence against the British. Most people forget that Lafayette was a deserter and a turncoat.

‘liberté de la presse ne s’use que quand on ne s’en sert pas. La’      

***

‘The freedom of the press only becomes worn when it isn’t used.’ This is the motto of the satirical weekly newspaper Le Canard enchaîné, written below the title on the back page.

‘liberté, que de crimes on commet en ton nom! Ô’      

**

The words of Madame Roland de la Platière (1754–​93), the muse of the Girondins, who died crying these words at the guillotine as she looked towards the Statue of Liberty, which then decorated the place de la Révolution, renamed place de la Concorde in 1795.

98  ‘Liliane, fais les valises . . .!’     

‘Liliane, fais les valises . . .!’      

**

Georges Marchais (1920–​97) was secretary general of the French Communist Party from 1972 to 1994. He was on holiday in Corsica in the summer of 1977, and while watching television, learned that François Mitterrand had taken up a position that in effect would be the end of the Programme commun, which the Socialist Party and the French Communist Party had signed in 1972. Marchais said to his wife: Liliane, fais les valises, on rentre à Paris! This is now a cult phrase.

loin. Le tact dans l’audace, c’est de savoir jusqu’où on peut aller trop      

*

‘Being tactful in audacity is knowing just how far one can go too far.’ These are the words of Jean Cocteau (1889–​1963), French artist, poet and film director.

machin. Un      

**

‘A thingamajig.’ The scornful words of General de Gaulle describing the United Nations organization, said in Nantes in September 1960.

Macronismes      

***

Between scorn and contempt, condescension and insult, here are some of the notorious quotes of the President of France and his team halfway through his mandate: ‘et en même temps’ This expression has become something of a linguistic tic for Emmanuel Macron. See Chapter 14 ‘Acronyms and Abbreviations’. ‘gare, c’est un lieu où on croise les gens qui réussissent et les gens qui ne sont rien. Une’ Emmanuel Macron, July 2017. ‘Gaulois réfractaires’ In August 2018 while in Copenhagen, M. Macron, contrary to the commonly accepted rule that, when abroad, a French politician does not speak about

‘poudre de perlimpinpin. La’  99

his country’s internal problems, referred to the French as being ‘Gaulois réfractaires aux changements’. ‘Il n’y a pas de culture française.’ Emmanuel Macron. ‘illettrées’ While still minister of the economy, in 2016, M.  Macron referred to the women employees of a slaughterhouse as ‘souvent illettrées’. ‘Ils fument des clopes et roulent au diesel’ Benjamin Griveaux, a junior minister at the time. referring to the gilets jaunes. ‘Je suis le maître des horloges’ Emmanuel Macron. ‘Jojo the gilet jaune’ A contemptuous remark of M. Macron’s referring to the gilets jaunes. Jupiter La France a besoin d’un chef de l’État ‘jupitérien.’ In October 2016, the candidate Macron expressed his wish to embody a Jupiterian President. planète. La ‘Make our planet great again.’ Emmanuel Macron. ‘pognon de dingue’ On met un pognon de dingue dans les minima sociaux . . . A  remark of M. Macron in June 2018 on discovering the amount of money devoted to social relief. He insisted on the importance of making the poor more responsible. ‘poudre de perlimpinpin. La’ A favourite expression of M.  Macron. ‘Perlimpinpin’ powder is a remedy claimed to be miraculous but that is in reality totally without effect.

100  premier de cordée, le

premier de cordée, le Emmanuel Macron, during a TV interview in April 2018, said that l’on célèbre those who succeed, because si on commence à tirer des cailloux sur les premiers de cordée, c’est toute la cordée qui dégringole. He is now known as ‘le premier de cordée’. presse. La In July 2018, at the height of the Benalla scandal, the President, criticizing the media for their coverage of the affair, said Nous avons une presse qui ne cherche plus la vérité. T-​s hirt Vous n’allez pas me faire peur avec votre tee-​shirt. La meilleure façon de se payer un costard, c’est de travailler. While still minister of the economy, in March 2016 Emmanuel Macron made this reply to a man on strike in the Hérault. traverser la rue Pour trouver un employ je traverse la rue et je vous en trouve. This was the remark made by M. Macron to an unemployed horticultural labourer on 16 September 2018. ‘trop intelligents’ Notre erreur est d’avoir probablement été trop intelligents, trop subtils. Gilles Le Gendre, President of the presidential La République en Marche! (LREM) group at the Assemblée nationale on explaining why people had not understood his party’s message.

‘‘maison brûle. La’      

***

From a speech made by Jacques Chirac in Johannesburg in 2002 on climate change and ecology. La maison brûle et nous regardons ailleurs (‘The house is on fire and we are looking elsewhere’).

‘main tremblante’       Il ne faut toucher aux lois que d’une main tremblante. Montesquieu

*

‘merde dans un bas de soie. De la’  101

‘Mal nommer les choses, c’est ajouter au malheur du monde.’      

**

Albert Camus

‘Malheur aux vaincus.’      

*

‘Woe to the vanquished.’ From the Latin expression Vae victis:  words that were said by Brennus, the leader of the Gauls, on seizing Rome in 390 b c after having defeated the Romans on the Allia.

‘Maréchal, nous voilà!’      

**

The patriotic hymn of the Vichy regime, to the glory of Maréchal Pétain. It was created in 1941 by André Montagard and Charles Courtioux but was in fact a plagiarism of the musical work of Casimir Oberfeld, a Jewish composer who died after being deported to Auschwitz in 1945.

‘Merci pour ce moment’      

***

This is the title of an autobiographical essay written by Valérie Trierweiler, and published in September 2014 by the publisher Les Arènes. It is devoted to her amorous relationship with the President of the Republic, François Hollande, and deals with the nine years she spent at his side. NB in English we say ‘thank you for’; in French it is slightly more complicated and depends on whether the thing one is thanking sb. for is concrete or abstract. Thus, we would generally say: Merci pour les chocolats, le vin, les fleurs, les gâteaux, but Merci de votre patience, gentillesse, compréhension, attention.

Merde      

*

See above ‘garde meurt mais ne se rend pas. La’.

‘merde dans un bas de soie. De la’      

*

‘Shit in a silk stocking’. Such were the words used by Napoleon when referring to Talleyrand. See Chapter 2 ‘J’ai survécu’.

102 Métro, boulot, dodo     

Métro, boulot, dodo      

**

‘Tube, graft, shut-​eye’. The monotonous rhythm of most Parisians’ lives. Inspired by a verse written by Pierre Béarn, a French man of letters. His original line reads Métro, boulot, bistrot, mégots, dodo, zéro (‘Tube, graft, café, fag ends, shut-​eye, zero’). The quote comes from a collection of poems entitled Couleurs d’usine, published in 1951.

‘misère du monde. La France ne peut accueillir toute la’      

**

‘France cannot take on board the poverty of the world.’ These were the words of the late former socialist Prime Minister Michel Rocard on 24 August 1996, referring to France’s inability to open up the gates to immigration. Frequently used today.

‘Mon centre cède, ma droite recule, situation excellente, j’attaque.’      

*

The words of Maréchal Ferdinand Foch (1851–​1929), hero of the First World War.

mon général. Les deux      

**

The flippant reply given to an ‘either–​or’ question, where both answers can apply. It is the punchline of a famous joke involving a conscript and his commanding officer. Before a selection interview, the conscript has been told the answers to the questions that his officer will ask him. Unfortunately, the sequence is not the same and the answers are totally inappropriate. Infuriated, the general says to the conscript ‘Do you think I’m an idiot or a madman?’, to which the conscript gives the reply he has been told to use for the last question, ‘Both, Sir’.

‘Monsieur le Président, je vous fais une lettre.’      

**

The two first lines of a poem by the French writer Boris Vian (1920–​59) entitled ‘Le Déserteur’. A young man who has been conscripted writes respectfully to the President of the Republic saying that he is not on earth to kill and that he has thus taken the decision to desert:

Nationaliser les pertes, privatiser les profits.   103

C’est pas pour vous fâcher Il faut que je vous dise Ma décision est prise Je m’en vais déserter. Without wishing to split hairs, if the young man refuses to answer his call-​up, this is technically not ‘désertion’ but ‘insoumission’.

Mort aux vaches      

***

During the Franco-​Prussian war of 1870, on the German sentry boxes was written ‘Wache’, which means ‘sentry’, or ‘watch’. It was the bad French pronunciation ‘vache’ that gave rise to ‘mort aux vaches’: death to the cows/​ Germans. NB the reader might like to reflect on the connection between words in French beginning with ‘G’ that have a ‘W’ equivalent in English. ‘Le guet’ = the watch (cf. The Night Watch by Rembrandt) who shouted out the time during the night, giving us the modern sense of the word ‘watch’. Here are just a few examples: gages = wages garantie = warranty gardien = warden garde-​robe = wardrobe gaspiller = waste guêpe = wasp guerre = war Guillaume = William See Chapter 5 ‘Sganarelle’.

‘mort, il était encore en vie. Un quart d’heure avant sa’      

*

‘Une lapalissade’ is a statement of the obvious. Jacques de Chabannes (1470–​ 1525), seigneur de La Palisse, Maréchal de France and brilliant captain, died at Pavie. His soldiers composed a song, to sing his glory and in which this sentence is found: ‘A quarter of an hour before he died, he was still alive.’

Nationaliser les pertes, privatiser les profits.       Old saying and criticism of liberalism.

**

104 Nos ancêtres les Gaulois     

Nos ancêtres les Gaulois      

***

The French have always been attached to the idea that they are descendants of the ancient Gauls.

‘Omar m’a tuer.’ [sic]      

***

‘Omar killed me.’ Omar Raddad was the name of the gardener who worked for the rich widow Ghislaine Marchal, who was found dead in the boiler room of her house in Mougins (Alpes Maritimes (6)) in 1991. The police found the inscription, in Madame Marchal’s own blood, on one of the walls of the boiler room: Omar m’a tuer. The grammatical mistake (it should have read ‘Omar m’a tuée’) is unlikely to have been made by the well-​educated Madame Marchal. The police suspected Omar. In actual fact, in 1996, Omar was granted a presidential pardon. He is now fighting for a retrial.

‘On préfère toujours l’original à la copie.’       ** The words of the former leader of the National Front, Jean-​Marie Le Pen, referring to the right-​wing party’s attempts, during election time, to poach his anti-​immigration and national preference themes.

‘On se calme et on boit frais.’      

*

Édouard Philippe, the French Prime Minister. Reference to the 1987 film by Max Pécas, On se calme et on boit frais à Saint-​Tropez.

‘Où ne montera-​t -​i l pas?’      

*

‘To what heights may he not rise?’ This was the motto of the French politician Nicolas Fouquet (1615–​80?). He was the finance minister under Louis XIV. He provoked the jealousy of the Sun King with an ostentatious party given at his new château Vaux le Vicomte, located in today’s département of the Seine-​et-​Marne (77). He was arrested and spent the rest of his life in prison in Pinerolo, in Italy. The circumstances of his death are unclear. See Chapter 13 ‘quo non ascendet’.

‘Ouvrez une école et fermez une prison.’       * ‘Open a school and close a prison.’ This was the credo of Victor Hugo (1802–​85).

‘parlez jamais, pensez-y toujours. N’en’   105

‘Parce que c’était lui, parce que c’était moi’      

***

This was the reply of Montaigne (1533–​92) on being asked the reason for his friendship with Étienne de La Boétie (1530–​63): ‘Because it was him, because it was me’.

‘Paris n’est pas une ville.’      

**

Paris n’est pas une ville, c’est un pays. This was the analysis of François Ier (1494–​1547), King of France (1515–​47).

‘Paris outragé, Paris brisé, Paris martyrisé, mais Paris libéré’      

***

‘Paris violated, Paris crushed, Paris martyred, but Paris liberated’. These were the words of General de Gaulle on the evening of 25 August 1944 at the Hôtel de ville on the liberation of Paris.

‘Paris vaut bien une messe’ [apocryphal]       *** These words are attributed to Henry III of Navarre (1553–​1610) on his conversion to the Catholic faith (for the second time), which enabled him to become King of France as Henri IV. The date is not certain but 1593 is most frequently given. NB his nickname was ‘le Vert Galant’.

parité      

*

Les femmes auront atteint la parité quand une femme, notoirement incompétente, sera nommée à un poste de très haute responsabilité (‘Women will have achieved parity the day that a notoriously incompetent woman is appointed to a post of great responsibility’). The words of the late Françoise Giroud, journalist and writer (1916–​2003).

‘parlez jamais, pensez-​y toujours. N’en’      

**

‘Never speak of it, think of it always’ (Raymond Poincaré (1860–​1934), President of the Third Republic (1913–​20)). He was referring to France’s ultimate aim to repossess Alsace and Lorraine, which had been lost to the Prussians in the Franco-​Prussian War in 1870–​1.

106  ‘participer. L’important est de’     

‘participer. L’important est de’      

*

‘The important thing is taking part.’ The words of Pierre de Frédy, baron de Coubertin (1863–​1937), who was responsible for reviving the Olympic Games. The first modern Olympics took place in Athens in 1896.

passé qui ne passe pas. Ce      

**

From the title of the book Vichy, un passé qui ne passe pas by Henry Rousso and Éric Conan, published in 1994. It refers to the dark days of the collaboration: memories that will not go away.

Patrie en danger. La      

**

This was the revolutionary rallying cry launched on 11 July 1792 as the prospect of the invasion of Revolutionary France by the coalition forces loomed large.

Patrie est son seul bien. À celui qui n’a rien, la      

**

‘For the person who has nothing, his only possession is his homeland’ (Jean Jaurès (1859–​1914), French politician and intellectual). He was the founder of the newspaper L’Humanité. A  firm opponent of the war and of colonialism, he was assassinated in 1914 on the eve of the First World War.

‘peine de naître. La’      

***

Vous vous êtes donné la peine de naître, et rien de plus (‘You took the trouble to be born, and nothing else’). The words of Beaumarchais (1732–​99) in Le Mariage de Figaro, in which he denounces the archaic privileges of the nobility. They are the words of Figaro addressed to le comte Almaviva. The play was written in 1778.

phobie administrative nf.      

**

Sentenced in 2016 for tax fraud, given a one-​year suspended prison sentence with three years ineligibility, Thomas Thévenoud, junior minister of overseas trade under President Hollande, claimed in his defence that he was suffering from ‘administrative phobia’. He had omitted to declare his income for the

‘printemps sera chaud, chaud, chaud. Le’  107

year 2012 and was regularly late in filing his tax returns, in spite of numerous follow-​up letters from the tax office.

police? Que fait la      

*

The hackneyed phrase that is used by the public faced with the apparent lack of action by the police whenever there is a hold-​up or aggression.

poubelles de l’histoire. Les      

**

The words of Leon Trotsky addressed to his former allies, the revolutionary socialists, during the Moscow show trials of the early 1920s. Votre rôle est fini. Allez donc à la place qui est la vôtre dans les poubelles de l’histoire (‘Your role is over. Consequently, go to the place that is yours in the dustbins of history’).

‘Pour grands que soient les rois, ils sont ce que nous sommes.’      

**

Famous lines from the play Le Cid by Pierre Corneille.

Pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés.      

**

Old saying.

‘Pourvu que ça dure!’      

***

When everything is going well, one is frequently prompted to say ‘Let’s hope it lasts.’ These are words attributed to Napoleon’s mother, Letizia, in relation to her son’s military victories.

pouvoir. Le      

**

‘C’est une expérience éternelle que tout homme qui a du pouvoir est porté à en abuser.’ The words of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533–​92). ‘It is an eternal experience that any man who has power is led to abuse it.’

‘printemps sera chaud, chaud, chaud. Le’       ** ‘Springtime will be hot, hot, hot.’ This is a chanted threat made by students and trades unionists alike since May 1968 to indicate that there will be industrial unrest in spring.

108  promesses n’engagent que ceux qui y croient. Les

promesses n’engagent que ceux qui y croient. Les      

**

‘Promises are binding only on those who believe them.’ This is a very old French adage.

‘pschitt! Ce n’est pas qu’elles se dégonflent, c’est qu’elles font’      

***

‘It’s not that these accusations just go pear-​shaped, it’s that they disappear into thin air.’ The words of President Jacques Chirac during a television interview on 14 July 2001, on being questioned about the illegal funding of his political party. This expression has since become a permanent part of the French language in the form of ‘faire pschitt’. Jacques Chirac was subsequently sentenced to a suspended prison term of two years for embezzlement of public funds and breach of trust in the affair of bogus jobs at the Hôtel de ville de Paris.

‘Quand je m’examine . . .      

***

Quand je m’examine, je m’inquiète, quand je me compare, je me rassure (‘When I look at myself, I’m worried, when I compare myself to others, I’m reassured’). Talleyrand. This also exists in the version ‘Quand je me contemple, je me désole, quand je me compare, je me console.’

‘Quand j’entends le mot culture . . .’      

***

This is a reference to a much misquoted and misattributed sentence. The original phrase was in German : ‘Wenn ich (das Wort) Kultur höre, entsichere ich meinen Browning’ (‘When I hear the word “culture”, I release the safety catch on my Browning’). The words were in fact spoken by Friedrich Thiemann, a character in a play called Schlagete, written by a dyed-​in-​the-​wool Nazi named Hans Johst (1890–​1978) and put on in Berlin in 1933. Over time, it has been attributed to several people, among them, Hermann Goering and Baldur von Schirach.

‘Quand la Chine s’éveillera, le monde tremblera.’      

**

Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have predicted ‘When China awakes, the world will tremble.’ These words were used as the title of a book by Alain Peyrefitte (1925–​99), politician, ‘normalien’ and writer, for his essai entitled ‘Quand la Chine s’éveillera’, published in 1973, reprinted in 1980.

‘République, c’est moi. La. Ma personne est sacrée, je suis parlementaire.’   109

Quand le bâtiment va, tout va.      

**

This aphorism indicates that when the building industry is flourishing, the whole of the economy is in good shape.

‘quarteron de généraux. Un’      

**

On 22 April 1961, a military putsch took place in Algeria, organized by four generals, Maurice Challe, Raoul Salan, André Zeller and Edmond Jouhaud, backed by a parachute regiment, in an attempt to stop the process of Algerian self-​ determination that had been initiated by General de Gaulle. In his speech to the nation the following day, de Gaulle used these words about the putschists: Ce pouvoir a une apparence: un quarteron de généraux en retraite. Il a une réalité : un groupe d’officiers partisans, ambitieux et fanatiques (‘This power has an appearance:  a bunch of retired generals. It has a reality:  a handful of partisan, ambitious and fanatical officers’). ‘Quarteron’ is in fact 25, i.e. a quarter of 100. It is now used pejoratively to indicate a small number, a handful.

‘Que d’eau, que d’eau!’      

***

‘So much water, so much water!’ These words were said by Patrice de MacMahon, President of the Republic, on 26 June 1875, on visiting the city of Toulouse, which had been severely damaged by floods.

‘Ralliez-​vous à mon panache blanc . . .’      

***

Henri IV (1553–​1610), King of France (1589–​1610) and of Navarre (1572–​ 1610). During the Battle of Ivry against the Catholic forces in 1590, legend has it that he shouted to his men the famous phrase Ralliez-​vous à mon panache blanc, vous le trouverez toujours au chemin de l’honneur et de la victoire.

‘Rendre à César’      

**

See Chapter 8 ‘César (rendre à)’.

‘République, c’est moi. La. Ma personne est sacrée, je suis parlementaire.’      

*

Jean-​Luc Mélenchon, during the police search of the premises of his political party, La France Insoumise, on 16 October 2018. He has lost in credibility since this melodramatic outburst. He appeared in court charged with rebellion, provocation and threatening behaviour towards a public officer. He

110 ‘révolte? Est-ce une’     

was given a fine and a suspended prison sentence for rebellion and violence towards persons ‘endowed with the authority of the State’.

‘révolte? Est-​c e une’      

***

These are the words of Louis XVI. On the evening of 14 July 1789, the Bastille had fallen and the prison governor’s head was being paraded at the end of a pike in the gardens of the Palais Royal. François, duc de La Rochefoucauld-​ Liancourt (1747–​1827) came to inform the King. The latter asked him ‘Is it a revolt?’, to which the duke replied ‘No Sire, it is a revolution.’

‘Rien ne se crée, rien ne se perd, tout se transforme.’      

*

‘Nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is transformed.’ These are the words attributed to the French chemist Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier (1743–​ 94), father of modern chemistry, guillotined during the Terror of the French Revolution.

Rien ne va plus, les jeux sont faits.      

**

The croupier’s words to players at roulette, indicating that it is now too late to place any other bets.

‘[M.] Robespierre n’est pas fait pour la politique car il croit tout ce qu’il dit.’      

**

The words of Mirabeau (1749–​91) It is a curiosity that has always intrigued me; the French love their corrupt politicians. Both Danton and Mirabeau were venal and corrupt politicians; they each have a Parisian street or a bridge named after them. There is no such thing as le Pont Robespierre or la rue Robespierre, though he was the only honest politician during the Revolution to have defended the poor.

‘Rolex à 50 ans, c’est que l’on a raté sa vie. Si l’on n’a pas de’      

**

‘If one hasn’t got a Rolex watch by the time one is 50, one has made nothing of one’s life.’ Jacques Séguéla, communication specialist, replying to criticism of the ostentatious watch belonging to Nicolas Sarkozy. In his eyes, statistically speaking, most of us have failed in life.

‘Simone. En voiture’  111

‘Salauds de pauvres!’      

**

‘The bloody poor’. One of the most famous lines in the film La Traversée de Paris (1956) by Claude Autant-​Lara, based on the book by Marcel Aymé (1902–​67). The film co-​starred Bourvil, Louis de Funès and Jean Gabin, and deals with the subject of the black market in Paris during the Second World War.

‘sang et des larmes. Du’      

***

The famous declaration by Winston Churchill made to the House of Commons on 13 May 1940 –​‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat’ –​is often quoted in French. It is generally abbreviated in French to du sang et des larmes (‘blood and tears’) or de la sueur et des larmes (‘sweat and tears’).

‘Sans la liberté de blâmer il n’est point d’éloge flatteur.’      

***

‘Without the freedom to criticize, there can be no flattering praise.’ This is the motto written beneath the title of the daily newspaper Le Figaro, which took its name from the character in the play Le Mariage de Figaro by the writer and playwright Pierre-​Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732–​99).

‘Science sans conscience n’est que ruine de l’âme.’      

**

‘Science without conscience is the soul’s perdition.’ From Pantagruel by François Rabelais (1494–​1553).

‘S’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​l à.’      

***

See Chapter 5 ‘S’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​là.’

Silence dans les rangs!      

*

‘Silence in the ranks!’ is an order given to soldiers to be quiet. Today, it is used as an order to obey and keep one’s mouth shut.

‘Simone. En voiture’      

*

The expression ‘en voiture Simone’ comes from Simone Louise de Pinet de Borde des Forest, who was one of the first women automobile drivers of the

112  ‘Soldats, du haut de ces pyramides, quarante siècles vous contemplent.’

1930s. The complete expression was: En voiture Simone, c’est toi qui conduis, c’est moi qui klaxonne! But this expression was popularized above all by Guy Lux, the compère of a popular TV programme Intervilles (ORTF), which went on the air in the early 1960s. The programme was co-​compèred by Simone Garnier. Lux, by allusion to the famous driver, and to launch the games in question, would say ‘En voiture Simone’.

‘Soldats, du haut de ces pyramides, quarante siècles vous contemplent.’      

**

‘Soldiers, from the summit of these pyramids, 40 centuries look down upon you.’ Words spoken by Napoleon to his troops during the Egyptian campaign, on 21 July 1798, just before the Battle of the Pyramids.

‘Sous les pavés la plage’      

**

‘Beneath the paving stones, the beach’. One of the student phrases painted on Parisian walls during the unrest of May 1968.

‘Souvent femme varie.’      

**

The full text is Souvent femme varie. Et bien fol qui s’y fie (‘Woman is often fickle, and truly mad is he who trusts her’). It is attributed to François Ier (1494–​1547), King of France from 1515, who is said to have engraved these words on a window in the Château of Chambord around 1520. This is originally the text of Virgil (70–​19 b c ): Varium et mutabile semper femina (‘Fickle and changeable always is woman’).

‘Soyons réalistes, demandons l’impossible!’      

*

‘Let’s be realistic, let’s ask for the impossible!’. Another example of 1968 student graffiti.

‘spirituel ou il ne sera pas. Le XXIe siècle sera’ [apocryphal]      

***

‘The twenty-​first century will be spiritual, or there will be no twenty-​first century.’ The words were attributed to André Malraux (1901–​76), General de Gaulle’s minister of culture. The word ‘spirituel’ is sometimes replaced by ‘religieux’.

‘Toi aussi mon fils?’ [probably apocryphal]   113

statistiques nfpl. ‘Les statistiques sont comme la mini-​j upe; cela donne des idées mais cela cache l’essentiel.’      

*

‘Statistics are like mini-​skirts; they can give you ideas but they hide what’s essential.’ General de Gaulle

suite d’un arrêt de travail. Par      

*

‘Following a work stoppage’. The phrase, known by all French commuters, is the stock announcement made during a strike, announcing disruption of the tube or railway network.

Tel est notre bon plaisir.      

***

‘Such is our wish.’ Royal phrase inaugurated by François Ier and today used to describe the arbitrary and despotic behaviour of the President. It is frequently punned upon with ‘télé’.

‘terre, elle ne ment pas. La’      

**

‘The soil doesn’t lie.’ Words spoken by Maréchal Philippe Pétain during a speech made in June 1940. This was an invitation to return to basic values agains the backdrop of political intrigue.

‘tirez les premiers! Messieurs les Anglais,’      

***

These words were said at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, during the war of the Austrian Succession, by a French officer, the comte d’Anterroche(s), in answer to an English officer’s request that the French should begin hostilities. Today, it is frequently used to express the fact that the English have beaten the French to it! For example, regarding Brexit, Messieurs les Anglais ont encore tiré les premiers.

‘Toi aussi mon fils?’ [probably apocryphal]   

***

‘You too my son?’. These are supposed to have been the last words of Julius Caesar on being assassinated in the Senate in 44 b c , having seen that Brutus, his protégé (and possibly his biological son) was among the assassins. The words epitomize betrayal. See Chapter 13 ‘Tu quoque mi fili?’.

114  ‘Tolérance? Il y a des maisons pour ça.’     

‘Tolérance? Il y a des maisons pour ça.’      

*

Georges Clemenceau, on being advised to show tolerance, quipped that ‘there are houses for that’: ‘une maison de tolérance’ is a brothel.

Tous pourris      

***

The populist chant that is used to qualify politicians whenever one is found guilty of tax evasion etc. See Chapter 6 ‘poujadisme’.

Tous les matins en me rasant      

***

Often attributed to Nicolas Sarkozy, the expression comes from the former socialist Prime Minister Laurent Fabius. During a TV programme on 15 October 2003 on France 2, on being asked whether he thought about the presidency, he replied J’y pense parfois le matin en me rasant.

Tout va pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes      

***

See Chapter 5 Brave New World, and Meilleur des mondes. Le.

trahi que par les siens. On n’est jamais si bien      

**

‘One is never so well betrayed as one is by one’s own.’ An old proverb.

‘trahison est souvent question de dates. La’      

*

‘Treason is often a question of dates.’ Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Périgord, French politician (1754–​1838), an expert in this area.

‘Travail, famille, patrie’      

***

The French Parliament gave Maréchal Philippe Pétain full powers on 10 July 1940. ‘Work, Family and Homeland’ was to become the official motto of the Vichy régime and the minted money bore this motto.

‘Travailler plus pour gagner plus’       Election promise of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007.

**

Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas  115

‘Trop d’impôts tuent l’impôt.’      

***

‘Excessive taxes kill taxes.’ A slogan that has been in the air since the time of Adam Smith and popularized by President Chirac in the 1990s. This is now used in a variety of different contexts ‘Trop d’X tue l’X.’

Tu l’as dit bouffi      

*

‘Too bloody right.’ ‘Too true!’

‘Tuez-​l es tous.’      

**

See above ‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’.

tyrans ne sont grands que parce que nous sommes à genoux. Les      

*

Alexandre de Tocqueville (1805–​59). Such quotations came out for an airing during the ‘fronde’ of the gilets jaunes.

‘Un pour tous, tous pour un’      

**

‘One for all and all for one’. This was the motto of the Three Musketeers in the novel of that name by Alexandre Dumas (1802–​70). It is to be noted in passing that this is the traditional (if not official) motto of Switzerland: Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno. In the nineteenth century it became a popular motto throughout Europe: Uno per tutti, tutti per uno and Einer für alle, alle für einen.

valise ou le cercueil. La      

**

‘The suitcase or the coffin’. This was the threat used by the Front de libération nationale (FLN) in Algeria after the declaration of independence in 1962. It was directed towards the French colonials, the ‘Pieds-​Noirs’. They were given the choice of leaving Algeria (the suitcase) or of being assassinated (the coffin).

Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas      

*

Vanité des vanités, tout est vanité (‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’). See Ecclesiastes 1:2.

116 ‘Vaste programme!’     

‘Vaste programme!’      

***

General de Gaulle, responding to a heckler who cried out Mort aux cons! (‘Death to the arseholes!’), quipped Vaste programme!

‘veaux. Les Français sont des’      

**

‘Veaux’ means literally ‘calves’, which we would translate as ‘sheep’, since the expression implies that the French are mindless and will follow anyone, anywhere. These are the words of General de Gaulle.

‘Vérité en deçà des Pyrénées, erreur au-​d elà.’      

***

‘What is considered truth on this side of the Pyrenees is considered false beyond them.’ From Les Pensées by Blaise Pascal (1623–​62).

‘vice appuyé sur le bras du crime. Le’      

**

These are the words of François-​René de Chateaubriand (1768–​1848) on seeing Talleyrand, leaning on Joseph Fouché, as they both went in to see Louis XVIII following his return from temporary exile after the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. Both men survived the various regimes. Talleyrand was the minister of foreign affairs and Fouché head of the police. They had served both the Revolution and the Restoration. Talleyrand was considered immoral and Fouché had voted for the execution of Louis XVI, the brother of the King to whom he was going to pledge allegiance when Chateaubriand witnessed the scene on 16 July 1815.

‘vieillard meurt en Afrique, c’est une bibliothèque qui brûle. Quand un’      

**

‘When an old man dies in Africa, it is a library that burns down.’ One translation of words from the speech made by Amadou Hampâté Bâ (1900–​91) to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1960.

‘vieillesse est un naufrage. La’      

**

‘Old age is a disaster.’ ‘Un naufrage’ is a ‘shipwreck’. Charles de Gaulle in his book Mémoires de Guerre: L’Appel. It is a remark said to have been suggested

yeux dans les yeux. Les  117

to him by the visible decline of Maréchal Pétain, with whom de Gaulle had worked closely before the Second World War.

violon, acheter au son du canon. Vendre au son du      

*

This is an old stock market adage that suggests that one should sell when things are calm and buy when things are tumultuous. The word ‘clairon’ sometimes replaces ‘canon’.

‘Vive le Québec libre!’      

*

This was the concluding phrase of a speech given in Montreal by the French President Charles de Gaulle on 24 July 1967 during an official visit to Quebec. This speech triggered a serious political crisis between France and Canada.

voix de son maître. La      

**

The official logo and slogan of the company HMV (His Master’s Voice). It is frequently used to describe a subservient acolyte in the political arena.

vrai-​f aux passeport. Le      

***

See Chapter 11 ‘vrai-​faux’.

X en a rêvé, Y l’a fait.      

***

This phrase was first used in relation to a decision taken by Bonaparte to build the Ourq canal in 1802. The project involved deviating the water from the River Ourq (to the north-​east of Paris) so as to supply good-​quality drinking water to the Parisians. ‘They dreamt about it, Bonaparte did it.’

yeux dans les yeux. Les      

***

During the Cahuzac scandal (regarding a hidden offshore account intended to evade taxation) the minister of the budget, Jérôme Cahuzac, swore ‘looking you straight in the eye’ before the members of the Assemblée nationale that he did not have, nor had he ever had, a hidden account abroad. He was forced to resign when evidence of his double dealing became public. This affair was all the more scandalous given that it was Cahuzac who was in charge of tracking down tax evaders.

118  Zadig     

Zadig      

*

‘The book that marked me the most was Zadig et Voltaire’. When Frédéric Lefebvre answered the journalist’s question he didn’t imagine that he would send the internet community into fits of laughter. The junior minister for commerce cited Zadig & Voltaire, a French ready-​to-​wear clothing brand created in 1997 by Thierry Gillier, as the literary work he admired most. Zadig; ou, La Destinée is a philosophical tale by Voltaire published in 1747. M. Lefebvre said that ‘Zadig et Voltaire’ was ‘a lesson in life’. An example among others of a politician trying to ‘péter plus haut que son cul’, as the French would say.

Chapter 3

Figurative expressions

Avoir le beurre, l’argent du beurre et le sourire de la laitière

This chapter is divided into two parts: 1 A list of expressions translated simply into the English equivalent (300). 2 A series of particularly interesting expressions that deserve a fuller explanation (105). It is aimed at completing the translation of the bilingual dictionary. To know that ‘dès potron-​minet’ means ‘at the break of day’ is one thing; to know the origin of the term is quite another. If students make do with the bilingual dictionary translation, they are missing a lot! The expressions below represent a highly colourful aspect of the French language and help us to appreciate some quintessential aspects of the nature of French culture. They were those found during the research and are by no means a comprehensive list of such expressions. A large number involve animals. They may be found in the digital version at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758. 1

abonnés absents, être aux      

**

to be absent, not to reply to any requests or entreaties

ailes, se sentir pousser des       to feel as if one had grown wings

***

120 allumage, retard d’     

allumage, retard d’      

**

delayed ignition, a mistiming

ambulance, tirer sur l’      

***

to kick sb. when they are down

anges, une faiseuse d’      

**

a backstreet abortionist

appel du pied, un      

***

an indirect or veiled appeal

arbre qui cache la forêt, c’est l’      

**

one can’t see the wood for the trees

arc, avoir plus d’une corde à son      

*

to have more than one string to one’s bow

atomes crochus, avoir des      

**

to have a lot in common with sb.

auberge, ne pas être sorti de l’      

**

not to be out of the woods yet

avaler son chapeau      

*

to eat one’s words

baigne, tout      

**

everything in the garden is rosy

baisser pavillon       to lower the flag, to give in

***

bataille, en ordre de  121

bal des faux-​c uls, le      

**

a large meeting of hypocrites

balayer d’un revers de main (un argument)  

**

to brush aside, or dismiss an argument out of hand

balayer devant sa porte      

**

to clean up one’s own backyard

balle au bond, saisir la      

*

to jump at the opportunity

ballon d’essai, lancer un      

***

to put out feelers, equivalent to the American expression ‘run it up the flagpole and see who salutes’

ban, être en rupture de      

*

lit. illegally returning from banishment, at odds with, or in defiance of, society

ban, fermer le      

**

to bring st. to an end

ban, mettre au      

**

to outlaw

barnum, un      

**

fuss, show

bâtons rompus, à      

**

desultory, rambling conversation

bataille, en ordre de       in battle/​marching order

**

122 battre le pavé     

battre le pavé      

*

to wander aimlessly around

battre pavillon français      

**

to fly the French flag

battre sa coulpe      

**

to beat one’s breast (in penitence)

battu à plate couture      

***

to receive a thrashing defeat

beau linge, du      

**

the upper crust, high society

beaux draps, être dans de      

***

to be in a fine pickle

bec dans l’eau, se trouver le      

**

to be left in the lurch

bec et ongles, se défendre      

***

to defend oneself (one’s self) tooth and nail

bec, clouer le      

**

to shut sb. up, reduce sb. to silence

bec avec qqn, avoir une prise de      

**

to have a row with sb.

bémol, mettre un       to tone down

**

bois on se chauffe, faire voir à qqn. de quel   123

berger, à la bergère, la réponse du      

**

The idea is ‘tit for tat’. ‘Berger’ and ‘bergère’ are metaphors of young lovers that came to the fore in the eigteenth century.

berne, en      

***

at half mast, depressed

bête noire, une      

**

a pet hate

beurre dans les épinards, mettre du      

***

to improve one’s daily fare

beurre, compter pour du      

**

to count for nothing

beurre, l’argent du beurre et le sourire de la laitière, vouloir le      

***

to want to have one’s cake and eat it

billard à trois bandes, un      

***

three-​band billiards, a devious plan

boire du petit lait      

***

to feel intense satisfaction

boire le bouillon      

*

to swallow a mouthful; lit. to come a cropper

bois on se chauffe, faire voir à qqn. de quel       to show sb. what one is made of

***

124 bon dos, avoir     

bon dos, avoir      

**

to be a convenient scapegoat

bon entendeur salut, à      

***

a word to the wise is enough

bonne fée s’est penchée sur son berceau, une      

*

said of sb. who has everything at birth: good looks, pleasant character etc.

botte de qqn, être à la      

**

to be under sb.’s heel

botter en touche      

**

to kick into touch

bouchées doubles, mettre les      

**

to work twice as hard

bouffer du curé      

***

to be violently anti-​clerical

bourre, se tirer la      

*

to jostle for first place

bousculer aux portillons, ne pas se      

***

not exactly falling over themselves

braquet, changer de      

**

to change gear on a bicycle, to adopt a different approach

bras de fer, un       a trial of strength between two adversaries (lit. arm-​wrestling)

***

casser trois pattes à un canard, ne pas  125

bras le corps, prendre (un problème) à      

**

to grapple with (a problem)

bredouille, revenir      

**

to come home empty-​handed

brosser dans le sens du poil      

***

to butter up sb.

brut de décoffrage      

*

raw, rough and ready

cadavre dans le placard, un      

*

skeleton in the cupboard

cambouis, mettre les mains dans le      

**

to get one’s hands dirty

cantonade, lancé à la      

*

to address one’s remarks to nobody in particular

cap, garder le      

***

to keep on course

carottes sont cuites, les      

***

we’ve had it, it’s all over, our goose is cooked

cas d’école, un      

**

a textbook case, a classic example

casser trois pattes à un canard, ne pas       it’s nothing to write home about

***

126 cavalier seul, faire     

cavalier seul, faire      

**

to go it alone

ceinture, se serrer la      

***

to tighten one’s belt

cerise sur le gâteau, la      

**

the icing on the cake

cerises, des queues de      

*

a trifling amount, peanuts

chandelle à qqn, devoir une fière      

**

to be deeply indebted to sb.

changer son fusil d’épaule      

***

to change one’s opinion fundamentally

chape de plomb, une      

**

a lead weight that stifles or prevents free expression

chapeaux de roues, partir sur les      

*

to shoot off at top speed

charbon, aller au      

***

to get down to work (in the real world)

charge, mené au pas de      

*

carried out at the double

charisme d’une moule, avoir le       to be devoid of charisma

*

cheville ouvrière, la  127

charrette, une      

**

a batch of people who are to be made redundant

charrue devant les bœufs, mettre la      

***

to put the cart before the horse

châteaux en Espagne, bâtir des      

*

to build castles in the air

chaussettes, avoir le moral dans les      

*

to be feeling down in the dumps

chef d’orchestre, le      

*

conductor, leader, person in charge

chemins, ne pas y aller par quatre      

*

not to beat about the bush

chéque en bois, un      

**

a dud/​rubber cheque

chercher midi à 14 heures      

**

to look for difficulties where there are none

cheveu sur la soupe, tomber comme un      

**

to arrive at an inopportune moment, out of the blue

cheville, personne ne lui arrive à la      

**

he is head and shoulders above the rest

cheville ouvrière, la       linchpin

*

128 chiffonnier, une bataille de     

chiffonnier, une bataille de      

*

a fight with no holds barred

chou blanc, faire      

**

to draw a blank

choux gras, faire ses      

***

to capitalize on the situation

choux, être dans les      

*

to have had it, to be out of the running

chrysanthèmes see below ‘inaugurer les chrysanthèmes’

cirer les pompes à qqn.      

**

to lick sb.’s boots

clé de voûte, la      

**

keystone

clés en main, une solution      

*

a turnkey solution

clé sous la porte/​l e paillasson, mettre la      

**

to shut up shop, to go bankrupt

cloche, le même son de      

***

the same version, the same story

clou, enfoncer le       to drive the nail (argument) home

*

corde, usé jusqu’à la  129

clous, être dans les      

**

to be on target, or to respect the rules

cocoricos, pousser des      

**

to crow over one’s victory

cocotier, grimper au      

*

to become angry

cocotier, secouer le      

***

to get rid of the deadwood, to shake things up

cœur joie, s’en donner à      

**

to have a whale of a time

collimateur, être dans le      

***

to be in sb.’s sights

comète, tirer des plans sur la      

**

to build castles in the air

comptes d’apothicaire, des      

*

complicated and petty calculations

compte-​g outtes, arriver au      

**

to arrive in dribs and drabs

contre vents et marées      

**

against all obstacles

corde, usé jusqu’à la       worn to a thread

**

130  cordes à son arc, avoir plusieurs     

cordes à son arc, avoir plusieurs      

**

to have several strings to one’s bow/​arrows in one’s quiver

cordes, être dans les      

***

to be up against the ropes (boxing)

couche, en remettre une      

*

to insist heavily

coude à coude, être      

***

to be neck and neck

coudées franches, avoir les      

*

to have complete freedom of action

coup de balai, un      

*

a clean sweep

coup de canif, un (dans le contrat du mariage)      

*

an adulterous affair, a passing infidelity

coup de cœur, un      

*

a favourite among books being reviewed

coup d’épée dans l’eau, un      

**

st. totally without effect

coup de fouet, donner un       to boost, to kick start

*

couteau sur/sous la gorge, avoir un  131

coup de foudre, un      

**

love at first sight

coup de pied dans la fourmilière, donner un      

**

to disorganize by a brutal intervention

coup férir, sans      

***

without encountering any resistance, without striking a blow

couper l’herbe sous les pieds de qqn.      

***

to pull the rug out from under sb.’s. feet

couper les ponts      

*

to sever all links with sb.

coups, faire les 400      

*

to go wild, to commit all sorts of excesses in one’s youth

coups sont permis, tous les      

**

no holds barred

courber l’échine      

***

to submit

course à l’échalote, une      

**

a race or competition where all means are allowed

couteau sur/​s ous la gorge, avoir un       to have a gun held to one’s head

**

132 couteaux, des seconds     

couteaux, des seconds      

**

small fry

couteaux tirés, être à      

***

to be at daggers drawn

couverture à soi, tirer la      

**

to take the credit, to hog the stage

créneau, monter au      

**

to leap to sb.’s defence

crêpage d’hermine, un      

*

a fight among magistrates (see Chapter 12 ‘hermine, L’’)

croix et la bannière pour . . ., c’était la      

**

it was a devil of a job/​the devil’s own job to . . .

cul et chemise, être comme      

**

to be as thick as thieves

cuillère de bois, remporter la      

**

to be last in the running

damer le pion à qqn.      

**

see below Section 2

demain on rase gratis      

***

lit. ‘tomorrow we shave for free’: ‘jam yesterday, jam tomorrow but never jam today’

dentelle, ne pas faire dans la       not to be particularly concerned by the details

***

dragée haute à qqn, tenir la  133

dernière ligne droite, la      

**

the home straight

diable, se battre comme un beau      

*

to fight like the very devil

discrétion de violette, être d’une      

*

to be discretion itself

doigts dans le nez, les      

*

with one’s eyes closed (it is so easy)

doigt dans l’œil, se mettre le      

***

to be barking up the wrong tree

doigt mouillé, au      

**

by pure guesswork

doigt sur la couture du pantalon, le      

***

always jumping to attention

doigts dans la confiture, pris les      

**

caught red-​handed

dormir sur ses deux oreilles      

**

to sleep soundly

dos de la cuillère, ne pas y aller avec le      

**

not to go in for half measures

dragée haute à qqn, tenir la       to hold out on sb.

**

134  eau de boudin, finir en     

eau de boudin, finir en      

**

to flop, to fizzle out

échelle, faire la courte      

**

to give sb. a leg up, or help

échine souple, avoir l’      

**

to be ready to kowtow

école buissonnière, faire l’      

*

to play truant/​hooky

écoutilles, fermer les      

*

to refuse to hear an argument

emplâtre sur une jambe de bois, mettre un   

*

to be of no use at all

enfant dans le dos de qqn, faire un      

**

to stab sb. in the back

enfant de la balle, un      

*

child of the theatre or circus (born in the wings while the parents were touring)

enlever une épine du pied de qqn.      

**

to get sb. out of a spot

épingle, monter en      

**

to blow up out of all proportion

épingle du jeu, tirer son       to play one’s game well

***

feux de la rampe, les  135

essuyer les plâtres      

**

to take the brunt of the hard work

étrier, remettre le pied de qqn. à l’      

*

to give sb. a helping hand.

faux-​n ez, un      

*

a front

fer de lance, un      

*

a spearhead

fer rouge, marquer au      

*

to brand

feu vert, le      

***

the go-​ahead

feu, n’y voir que du      

***

not to notice anything

feu/​f lèche de tout bois, faire      

***

to turn everything to account

feuille de route, une      

**

roadmap (a list of stages to be covered in order to achieve a given objective)

feu, jeter de l’huile sur le      

**

to add fuel to the flames

feux de la rampe, les       the limelight

***

136 fil en aiguille, de     

fil en aiguille, de      

**

one thing leading to another

filer un mauvais coton      

*

to get into bad ways

fine bouche, faire la      

**

to turn one’s nose up at st.

flambeau, reprendre le      

**

to take up the torch

flèche de tout bois, faire      

***

see above ‘feu/​flèche de tout bois, faire’

fleur au fusil, partir la      

*

to leave full of innocent enthusiasm (like the soldiers in 1914)

foin, faire un      

*

to kick up a fuss

foire d’empoigne, une      

*

a free-​for-​all

foncer dans le mur      

**

to rush towards failure

fond en comble, de      

**

from top to bottom

fouetter un chat, il n’y a pas de quoi       nothing to make a fuss about

**

gonds, sortir de ses  137

frais comme un gardon      

**

bright as a button

frais de la princesse, aux      

***

free of charge

franchir la ligne jaune/​rouge      

***

to cross the red line

freiner des quatre fers      

***

to slam on the brake, dig in one’s heels

friture sur la ligne, il y a de la      

**

communication is not good (e.g. between two people)

fromage, en faire un      

*

to make a song and dance about st.

galerie, épater la      

*

to show off

garde-​c hiourme, une      

*

warder of a convict gang, slave driver

garde rapprochée, une      

**

personal bodyguard

gaz, sentir le      

**

a warning that an explosion, between two people, may be imminent

gonds, sortir de ses       to fly off the handle

*

138  goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase, c’est la

goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase, c’est la      

***

it’s the last straw that breaks the camel’s back

grade, en prendre pour son      

***

to be hauled over the coals

grain à moudre, avoir du      

***

to have food for thought

grain de sel, mettre son      

***

to stick one’s oar in

graisser la patte à qqn.      

**

to grease sb.’s palm

griller la politesse, se faire      

**

to be beaten to it, to be pipped at the post

grimper aux rideaux, faire      

***

to drive sb. up the wall (there is also a sexual interpretation:  to drive sb. sexually mad)

grippe, prendre qqn. en      

*

to take a sudden dislike to sb.

grise mine, faire      

**

to pull a long face

guerre, comme à la guerre, à la      

**

Lit. ‘in war as in war’: to have to make the best of things

herbe, un romancier en       a budding novelist

*

jeter dans le grand bain, se  139

histoire ne repasse pas les plats, l’      

*

history never repeats itself

holà, mettre le      

*

to put an end to st.

hôpital qui se moque de la charité, c’est l’       *** it’s the pot calling the kettle black

hussarde, à la      

*

in a rough and ready way

inaugurer les chrysanthèmes      

***

to act as a mere figurehead

incendier, se faire      

*

to get blown up, hauled over the coals

inconnu au bataillon      

***

(sb.) totally unknown

index, mis à l’      

**

see Chapter 6 ‘index (mettre a l’)’

jambe, par-​d essus la      

*

casually, carelessly, in a slipshod or offhand manner

jambes à son cou, prendre ses      

*

to take to one’s heels

jeter dans le grand bain, se       to jump in at the deep end

*

140 jeter l’éponge     

jeter l’éponge      

***

to throw in the towel

jeter la rancune à la rivière      

***

to let bygones be bygones

jeter le froc aux orties      

***

to leave the priesthood

jeter son dévolu sur qqch. ou qqn.      

*

to set one’s heart on st. or sb.

jeter un pavé dans la mare      

***

to set the cat among the pigeons

jouer avec le feu      

**

to play with fire

jouer dans la cour des grands      

**

to play with the big boys

jouer la montre      

**

to play for time

kopeck, ne pas valoir un      

*

not to be worth a penny/​farthing

lac, mettre le feu au      

*

to provoke a panic

lait sur le feu, surveiller comme le       to keep a close eye on sb. or st.

***

manettes, être aux  141

lampiste, un      

***

the underling who gets the blame

langue de bois, la      

***

waffle, cant

lanterne rouge, être la      

*

to lag behind

lauriers à qqn, tresser des      

**

to shower sb. with praise

lendemains qui chantent, les      

***

the groundless promise of a brighter future

lettre à la poste, passer comme une      

***

to go off smoothly, without a hitch

lever le pied      

**

to take one’s foot off the accelerator, to take things easy, to work less

litière de qqch., faire      

*

to scorn or spurn st.

logé à la même enseigne, être      

**

to be in the same boat

loges, être aux premières      

**

to have a ringside seat

manettes, être aux       to be in charge

**

142 manger son pain blanc     

manger son pain blanc      

**

to start with the easiest job

marée, un raz de      

**

lit. a tidal wave, but figuratively a landslide, e.g. a landslide victory

marmite, faire bouillir la      

**

to keep the pot boiling, to bring home the bacon

mauvaise fortune bon cœur, faire contre      

*

to make the best of it

mayonnaise prend, la      

**

things are looking good

mélanger les torchons et les serviettes      

*

not to distinguish between the sheep and the goats

mener qqn. en bateau      

***

to lead sb. up the garden path

mettre de l’eau dans son vin      

**

to water down one’s wine, to moderate one’s pretensions

mettre le feu aux poudres      

**

to spark things off

mettre les voiles      

*

to clear off, to scram

moquette, avoir fumé de la       to be incomprehensible, as if under the influence of drugs

***

nord, ne pas perdre le  143

mouche, faire      

**

to score a bull’s eye

mouche t’as piqué?, quelle      

*

what’s got into you?

mouchoir de poche, arriver dans un      

*

to be a very close finish

mouiller sa chemise      

**

to put in some hard work

moulin, entrer comme dans un      

**

anyone can just walk right in

mousser qqn, faire      

***

to puff sb. up

moutarde m’a monté au nez, la      

*

I lost my temper, I flared up

nez et à la barbe de qqn, au      

***

under sb.’s very nose

ni vu ni connu      

***

no one will be any the wiser

nombril du monde, se prendre pour le      

*

to think that one is the cat’s whiskers

nord, ne pas perdre le       not to miss a trick

*

144  odeur de sainteté, ne pas être en     

odeur de sainteté, ne pas être en      

**

see below Section 2

œuf, étouffer/​t uer dans l’      

***

to nip in the bud

œufs dans le même panier, ne mettez pas tous vos      

*

don’t put all your eggs in one basket

oignons, soigné aux petits      

***

see below Section 2

paille, sur la      

*

penniless

pain, cela ne mange pas de      

***

it doesn’t cost much to do so

pain sur la planche, avoir du      

**

to have one’s work cut out

paire de manches, c’est une autre      

***

that’s another kettle of fish

pâquerettes, au ras des      

***

very low down (of a plane or an intellectual debate)

parapluie, ouvrir le       to take cover, to protect oneself from criticism

***

peigne fin, passer au  145

parcours du combattant, un      

**

an obstacle course

parent pauvre, un      

**

a poor relation

parquet de ses dents, rayer le      

**

to be extremely ambitious

passer l’éponge      

**

to let bygones be bygones

patate chaude, refiler la      

***

to leave sb. holding the baby

payer au lance pierre      

***

to pay peanuts

payer les pots cassés      

***

to pick up the pieces

peau de chagrin, se réduire comme une      

***

to shrink away. See Chapter 5 ‘Peau de chagrin, La’.

pédaler dans la choucroute      

*

to be totally at sea

peigne fin, passer au       to go through st. with a fine-​toothed comb

**

146  pelés et un tondu, trois     

pelés et un tondu, trois      

*

hardly anyone

pèlerin, prendre son bâton de      

*

lit. ‘to take the pilgrim’s staff’, to set out on a mission

pendules à l’heure, remettre les      

*

to set the record straight

pente, être sur une mauvaise      

**

to be going downhill

péril en la demeure, il n’y a pas      

**

there’s no need to hurry

peste et le choléra, choisir entre la      

*

to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea

péter un plomb/​d es plombs      

**

to blow a fuse, to hit the roof

petite semaine, un voleur à la      

*

a petty crook

petits pains, se vendre comme des      

***

to sell like hot cakes

petits plats dans les grands, mettre les      

***

to lay on a first-​class meal

pied danser, ne pas savoir sur quel       not to know which way to turn

*

pisse-vinaigre, un  147

pied de nez, faire un      

*

to cock a snook at sb., to thumb one’s nose at sb.

pied du mur, au      

**

with one’s back to the wall

pieds joints sur qqn. ou qqch., sauter à      

*

to ride rough-​shod over sb. or st., to come down on sb. like a ton of bricks

pieds dans le plat, mettre les      

*

to put one’s foot in it

pieds dans le tapis, se prendre les      

***

to slip up

piège à cons, un      

**

a con (short for confidence trick)

pierre dans le jardin de qqn, jeter une      

***

to give a black mark to sb.

pierre deux coups, faire d’une      

**

to kill two birds with one stone

pince-​s ans-​r ire      

**

deadpan

pincettes, il n’est pas à prendre avec des      

*

I wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole

pisse-​v inaigre, un       a wet blanket

*

148  plates-bandes de qqn, marcher sur les     

plates-​b andes de qqn, marcher sur les      

***

to encroach on sb.’s territory

plier bagage      

*

to pack up and go

pluie et le beau temps, faire la      

***

to call the shots

pluie, il n’est pas né de la dernière      

*

he wasn’t born yesterday, he didn’t come up the Clyde on a bike

plumes, laisser des      

***

to come off badly

plumes, voler dans les      

*

to go for sb.

poil à gratter, un      

*

sb. who agitates or provokes

poil, caresser dans le sens du      

**

to butter up sb.

poil de la bête, reprendre le      

**

to regain strength, to be on the way up again

poil, de tout      

*

of all sorts, of all kinds

point d’orgue, le       the grand finale, the high note

*

pousser le bouchon trop loin  149

point mort, être au      

**

to be at a standstill (lit. in neutral gear)

pointe des pieds, se retirer sur la      

*

to leave quietly, discreetly

pont, être sur le      

*

to be on deck, ready to act

porter l’estocade à qqn.      

*

to deliver the final blow against sb.

porter pale, se faire      

**

to call in sick

portion congrue, la      

**

the smallest share

poser ses valises      

*

to settle down, to set up home

poudre d’escampette, prendre la      

***

to take to one’s heels

poulailler, le      

*

the gods (cheap seats, high up in a theatre)

pousser du col, se      

***

to boast, to present oneself in a good light

pousser le bouchon trop loin       to push it, to go a bit too far

*

150 pré carré, un     

pré carré, un      

***

private domain or territory

promesse de Gascon, une      

*

an empty, vain promise

promettre monts et merveilles      

*

to promise the moon

rappel à l’ordre, un      

**

a call to order

râteliers, manger à tous les      

**

to cash in on all sides

reçu cinq sur cinq, message      

**

message received loud and clear see Section 2 ‘message reçu cinq sur cinq’

redresser la barre      

***

to right the helm, to get things back on an even keel

réduire la voilure      

***

to reduce the area of activity

rendre sa copie      

*

lit. to hand in one’s paper (exam), to turn in one’s report

retour de bâton, un      

*

backlash

rire sous cape       to laugh up one’s sleeve

*

sans crier gare  151

rond de serviette, avoir son      

***

to be well introduced

ronger son frein      

**

to champ at the bit

rouler qqn. dans la farine      

***

to ‘have’ sb., to con sb., to take sb. for a ride

roulé sa bosse, il a      

*

he’s been around

ruer dans les brancards      

**

to kick over the traces

sabre au clair      

***

with sword drawn

sabre et le goupillon, le      

***

the Army and the Church

sac de nœuds, un      

**

a can of worms

saint se vouer, il ne sait plus à quel      

***

he doesn’t know which way to turn

Saint-​G linglin, à la      

***

The name of an imaginary saint, and consequently of an imaginary date, which will never come. Never in a month of Sundays.

sans crier gare       without warning

***

152 sapin, sentir le     

sapin, sentir le      

***

it sounds like the end

scène, comme à la ville, à la      

**

on stage and off stage

scène, tenir les devants de la      

*

to be in the foreground, at the front of the stage, in the limelight

sellette, être sur la      

**

to be in the hot seat

sentir à plein nez      

*

to reek of

sentir le vent du boulet      

***

to have a close shave, a narrow escape

servir la soupe à qqn.      

***

to crawl to sb.

siffler la fin de la récré/​l a partie      

**

to blow the final whistle

sillon, creuser son      

*

to plough one’s own furrow

Sioux, montrer une prudence de      

***

to be very careful

sonner le glas de qqch.       to sound the knell of st.

***

tambour battant, mener  153

sortir du bois      

*

to make one’s intentions clear

souffler le chaud et le froid      

*

to blow hot and cold

souffler sur les braises      

**

to fan the flames

soupe à la grimace, la      

***

a sulky welcome

soupe, aller à la      

**

to queue up for a cushy job, to take a back-​hander

soutenir comme la corde soutient le pendu      

**

to pretend to help sb. while accusing them

surplace, faire du      

*

to tread water

tabac, faire un      

**

to be a great success, to be a hit

tabac, passer à      

***

see below Section 2

tablier, rendre son      

**

to resign, to step down

tambour battant, mener       to do st. briskly

*

154 tambour ni trompette, sans     

tambour ni trompette, sans      

**

without any fuss, discreetly

tapis, mettre sous le      

*

to sweep under the carpet

tapis, envoyer qqn. au      

*

to floor sb.

tarte à la crème, une      

*

a worn-​out, commonplace expression

tarte, ce n’est pas de la      

*

it’s no easy matter

tentation de Venise, la      

***

See Chapter 1 ‘tentation de Venise. La’.

terre brulée, la politique de la      

*

scorched-​earth  policy

tirer la sonnette d’alarme      

***

to sound the alarm bell

tirer les oreilles, se faire      

*

to be told off

toile de fond, la      

***

backdrop

tombeau ouvert, rouler à       to drive at breakneck speed

*

travailler d’arrache-pied  155

tomber à l’eau      

**

to fall through (e.g. a project)

tomber dans l’oreille d’un sourd, ne pas      

***

not to fall on deaf ears

tombé de l’armoire, je suis      

*

you could have knocked me down with a feather

tonneau, être du même      

*

to be of the same kind

torchon brûle, le      

**

there’s a running battle between them

tour de passe-​p asse, un      

**

a trick, a sleight of hand

tourner casaque      

**

to change sides

tout feu tout flame      

***

burning with enthusiasm

toute honte bue      

***

see below Section 2

travail au noir, le      

**

moonlighting

travailler d’arrache-​p ied       to work relentlessly

**

156  tresser des couronnes à qqn.     

tresser des couronnes à qqn.      

**

to sing sb.’s praises

user ses fonds de culotte sur les bancs de l’école      

*

to study at school

usine à gaz, une      

***

a very complicated system

vagues!, pas de      

***

don’t rock the boat

vendre la mèche      

*

to give the game away

vent debout contre, être      

***

to be violently opposed to

vent en poupe, avoir le      

**

to have the wind in one’s sails, to be on a roll

ver est dans le fruit, le      

**

the rot has set in

verges pour se faire battre, donner des      

***

to give sb. a stick to beat you with

vieille lune, une       an old-​fashioned idea

*

ardoise, l’ nf.  157

vierges effarouchées, jouer les      

***

to pretend to be shy and innocent about st.

virage sur l’aile, faire un      

***

to bank (for an aircraft), to change opinion

volée de bois vert, recevoir une      

**

to receive a volley of blows, to get a thrashing, to be severely reprimanded

voyants sont au vert/​rouge, tous les      

**

the indicator lights are green/​red. In the field of the economy, it means that all the figures are good: inflation, balance of payments, GDP, level of the debt etc. When the ‘voyants’ are red, it means the opposite.

2 This section deals with those expressions that deserve a fuller explanation.

aile, avoir du plomb dans l’      

**

‘To be in a bad way’ or in a perilous situation. This is an image from shooting, when a bird has been wounded and has lead shot in its wing.

aile, battre de l’      

**

This has a similar meaning to the expression above where a wounded bird flaps its wings helplessly.

anges, les discussions sur le sexe des      

*

See Chapter 7 ‘byzantinisme’.

ardoise, l’ nf.      

***

When one has an ‘account’ with the café owner, one does not pay for each consumption but pays the overall amount at the end of the week. The various drinks, for example, are marked on a slate. The English term ‘to put it on the

158 armes et bagages, avec     

slate’ is identical in origin. ‘Une ardoise’ is frequently used to refer to a debt in the broadest meaning.

armes et bagages, avec      

**

This means ‘totally’. When a soldier surrenders, he gives himself up along with his weapons and equipment.

arroi (en grand), désarroi      

**

‘In full array’. In medieval times, ‘array’ was a term applied to troops marshalled in battle order, thus ‘désarroi’ (‘disarray’) means ‘dislocated’, ‘in total confusion’. Equally used to describe sb. dressed in a showy and impressive manner or the numerous courtiers and followers accompanying a king or lord.

assiette, ne pas être dans son      

*

Although the meaning of this expression is to be ‘out of sorts’, ‘off colour’ or ‘under the weather’ and is thus related to health, the expression ‘assiette’ is in fact used to refer to how well a rider sits in the saddle, as well as to the horizontality of an aircraft. ‘Assiette’ also has a fiscal meaning, i.e. the base of the population upon which a tax is levied, hence great punning possibilities.

auberge espagnole, l’ nf.      

*

Curiously, Spanish inns have had a bad reputation in France since the eighteenth century. It is an inn where you find only the food and drink that you bring yourself. It also implies that people do what they want, when they want and how they want, hence the American translation of the term, ‘a madhouse’.

ban et l’arrière-​b an, convoquer le      

**

The feudal system was arranged as a pyramid, with the King at the top, to whom his vassals pledged allegiance. Each direct vassal of the King had his own vassals in turn who had also sworn allegiance to their lord. Each vassal owed help and assistance to his respective lord, e.g. to take up arms to defend the lord when under attack. ‘Convoquer le ban et l’arrière-​ban’ was the official proclamation whereby the lord summoned his barons and vassals to fulfil their obligation towards him. Failure to respond resulted in death by hanging. Today, it implies a request for help and support made to one’s friends, family or members of the same political party etc.

boucliers, une levée de  159

bât blesse, c’est là où le      

**

The ‘bât’ is the ‘packsaddle’, which, if mounted badly, can provoke a sore on the mule’s body. To know where the ‘bât blesse’ is to know where there is a hidden wound or problem. Today, it is used in the sense of the English expression ‘there’s the snag’.

battre en brèche      

***

An artillery term indicating a violent attack aimed at breaching a defensive wall. Today, it refers to destroying an argument, reducing it to nothing. ‘Monter’ or ‘être sur la brèche’ is to be in the thick of the fighting. The bravest of the brave would fight at the point where the wall had been breached, i.e. the most dangerous and exposed position. See Chapter  8 ‘brèche (battu en)’.

baudet, crier haro sur le      

***

See Chapter 5 ‘crier haro sur le baudet’.

blanchi sous le harnais/​h arnois      

**

The ‘harness’ in question is in fact that of the armour worn by a soldier. ‘Être blanchi sous le harnais’ means ‘to be a seasoned soldier’ and, by extension, any experienced and competent person in a given field. ‘Blanchi’ would seem to refer to the white hairs of old age, and thus ‘experience’.

bois dont on fait des flûtes nm.      

*

The implication here is of being a ‘yes-​man’, who is only a passive instrument playing the tune of those who use it.

boisseau, mettre sous le      

*

See Chapter 8. ‘boisseau. Mettre sous le’.

boucliers, une levée de      

***

This means ‘a public outcry’. It comes from Roman history. When Roman soldiers raised their shields, it was an expression of their resistance to an order.

160 boulets rouges, tirer à     

boulets rouges, tirer à      

***

‘To attack violently’. This meant to attack the enemy with canon balls that had previously been heated to the point of being red-​hot, the intention being to set fire to the ships or buildings under attack.

branle-​b as de combat, le      

***

This is an old naval expression that meant to take down the ‘branles’, i.e. the hammocks between decks, with a view to clearing them for action. It thus refers to the hasty preparations to make a warship ready for battle. Today, it refers to any hasty and often disorderly measures taken to prepare for action. It can be likened to the English ‘action stations’.

bride abattue, courir à      

**

‘To ride flat out’. ‘La bride’ (the bridle) is that part of the horse’s harness enabling the rider to control it. The horse is given total freedom to run if the bridle is left ‘abattue’, i.e. totally slack. Very similar to ‘laisser la bride sur le cou’, i.e. to give the horse its head.

brûle pourpoint, à      

**

This is a seventeenth-​century expression, which means ‘at point blank range’, i.e. the barrel of the gun is placed so close to the victim as to burn his doublet (‘pourpoint’). It is used today in the sense of asking a question ‘point blank’. See below ‘but en blanc (de)’.

brûler ses vaisseaux      

*

This means to undertake a task or make a decision with no possibility of going back. It was a military tactic used by several great military leaders, including William the Conqueror, who burned his boats on the shores of Hastings to encourage his companions to fight, since there was literally no going back. The idea may be translated by ‘burning one’s bridges/​boats’.

but en blanc, de      

**

There are two ways of firing an arrow at a target. Either the shot is fired ballistically, tracing an arc as it moves towards the target, or it is fired ‘de but en blanc’, i.e. directly from the mound upon which the bowman is firing to the

côté cour, côté jardin  161

‘blanc’, i.e. the centre of the target –​the bull’s eye. To ask a question ‘de but en blanc’ is to ask a question very frankly, without beating about the bush, i.e. ‘point blank’. See above ‘brûle pourpoint (à)’.

catimini, en      

**

This means ‘on the sly’ or on the quiet. This expression has been in use since the thirteenth century. The substantive ‘catimini’ was used in the fifteenth century to indicate menstruation, ‘catimini’ deriving from the Greek ‘kata-​mênia’ meaning ‘each month’. This expression is one of the many underscoring the inferiorization of women via language.

caviarder      

*

To cover up with black ink the passage of a book or newspaper article for purposes of censorship. The black ink was associated with the caviar that Tsar Nicholas I of Russia (1796–​1855) would smear over a passage he wanted to see deleted.

coincer la bulle      

**

To take things easy. This expression comes from the world of artillery. In certain heavy weapons, a spirit level was incorporated into the armament in order to guarantee the horizontality of the machine, and thus the accuracy of the shot. Once the artillery man had found the level and blocked the machine in that position, he had nothing else to do but wait for the orders to fire.

cor et à cri, à      

**

This term comes from hunting and refers to the sound of the hunting horn and the cries of the hunters. ‘Demander à cor et à cri’ is to demand something with clamour and insistence. NB ‘la chasse’ is generally understood to be ‘shooting’. while ‘la chasse à courre’ is hunting with hounds.

côté cour, côté jardin      

**

In theatrical vocabulary ‘côté cour’ designates the right-​hand side of the stage seen from the spectators’ standpoint, as opposed to ‘côté jardin’, which designates stage-​left. In stage direction, these terms allow the director and actors to communicate without ambiguity, since ‘right’ and ‘left’ depend on the position of the person speaking. The words are said to come from the

162  coup de pied de l’âne, le     

Comédie Française, which in 1770 was installed in the salle des Machines of the Tuileries gardens; in effect, one side of the stage looked onto the side of the ‘cour’ –​i.e .the courtyard of the Louvre –​while the other side looked onto the gardens of the Tuileries. Another version suggests that it was the outdoor theatre in Versailles where the actors could enter from the side of either the gardens or the courtyard of the palace.

coup de pied de l’âne, le      

***

See Chapter 5 ‘coup de pied de l’âne. Le’.

coupes claires/​s ombres. des nfpl.      

***

A lumberjack is said to make ‘coupes claires’ when he cuts down many trees in order to increase the amount of light passing through the branches, to encourage the growth of the saplings. ‘Coupes sombres’, on the other hand, are cuts where very few trees are felled, hence very little light passes through. ‘Coupes sombres’ is a term that is frequently misused in the press as meaning ‘excessive cuts’, ‘sombre’ having a negative connotation. If job cuts are drastic, the term should be ‘coupes claires’; if they are not too drastic, the term should be ‘coupes sombres’.

cousu de fil blanc      

***

White thread is used to sew pieces of cloth together before the final sewing is done with more discreetly coloured thread. ‘Cousu de fil blanc’ means ‘blatantly’.

crible, passer au      

***

See Chapter 8 ‘crible. Passer au’.

damer le pion à qqn.      

*

This expression, ‘to get the better of sb.’, comes from chess. When a pawn succeeds in reaching the eighth rank (i.e. the rank along which the opponent’s king, queen, bishops, rooks and knights are situated), the pawn is immediately transformed into any piece of the player’s choice, except a king. This expression therefore means to gain a sudden and critical advantage over the opponent.

filer à l’anglaise  163

deux temps trois mouvements, en      

**

‘Very rapidly’. This refers to the speed with which the manipulation of weapons is carried out, in two phases and three movements. It would appear that this is an expression of the late eighteenth century.

estoc et de taille. frapper d’      

*

This is a term from the thirteenth century and indicates the two ways a sword may be used in fighting  –​‘estoc’ being the point, while ‘taille’ refers to the cutting edge. It implies a violent combat, which in English can be translated as ‘cut and thrust’.

fagots, de derrière les      

*

This is said of the very best wine that is kept to age in the cellar. The expression dates from the eighteenth century and has now come to mean something that one keeps preciously. A ‘fagot’ is a bundle of sticks that one keeps near the fireplace as kindling to start the fire.

feu, faire long nm.      

**

The term comes from the vocabulary of artillery. It means that the charge burns too slowly to ignite the powder in the canon and thus means ‘to fail’ or ‘to fizzle out’. The term ‘ne pas faire long feu’ has come to mean ‘not to last long’.

figue mi raisin, mi      

*

This means half and half, neither one nor the other. It implies a certain degree of ambiguity. Figs and raisins are frequently associated in French since they are both dried fruits that were eaten during Lent. It should be noticed that in English, Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their private parts, whereas in French these parts were hidden with ‘feuilles de vigne’: ‘vine leaves’.

filer à l’anglaise      

**

The French expression is equivalent to the English ‘to take French leave’. This seems to be part of the long history of difficult Anglo-​French relations. See Chapter 1 ‘Perfide Albion’.

164 flanc, tirer au     

flanc, tirer au      

**

This means ‘to shirk or skive’. It comes from the vocabulary of infantry. The most dangerous part of the corps of the army for a soldier to be in is the front. The sides are known as the flanks, and it is less dangerous to be on the flank than at the front. The term ‘tirer’ has nothing to do with ‘firing’ but is a verb that means ‘to move towards’. Consequently, sb. who ‘tire au flanc’ is sb. who is trying to move away from danger and into a less exposed position.

fleurets mouchetés, s’affronter à nmpl.      

**

This means that the opponents are not committed 100 % to the fight, since they are fighting with buttoned foils, verbally jousting and nothing more. This expression is the opposite of ‘se battre à fer émoulu’, i.e. ‘to fight with sharpened swords’. The latter is thus a fight to the death with no quarter, but is extremely rare when used in the figurative sense.

franc du collier      

*

This means ‘frank’. It originally referred to a horse that would pull in a straight line without the whip having to be used. It was subsequently used to describe a valiant soldier but is now used to qualify sb. who is ‘as straight as a die’.

gaz, il y a de l’eau dans le      

**

This expression indicates the imminence of a dispute between two parties who have hitherto been in harmony. The expression refers to the water vapour that was used in the early gas distribution systems. When the vapour condensed there was a danger of explosion. It was initially used to refer to domestic clashes.

guigne, s’en soucier comme d’une      

*

In this expression, a ‘guigne’ is a sour Morello cherry, i.e. a thing of very little importance. Thus, the expression means ‘not to care a fig about something’.

hallali, sonner l’ nm.      

**

‘To blow the mort’. The mort is the sound of the hunting horn that indicates that the dogs are ‘going in for the kill’.

lice, entrer en nf.  165

honte bue, toute      

***

This expression dates from the fifteenth century and implies that one has lost all sense of self-​esteem and that one is beyond shame.

hue et à dia, tirer à      

**

This means ‘to pull in opposite directions’. The words correspond to the shouted command of the coach driver: ‘Hue!’ to make the horse turn to the right and ‘Dia!’ to make it turn to the left.

jambe, ça lui fait une belle      

*

‘A fat lot of good that will do him.’ The expression ‘faire une belle jambe’ dates from the sixteenth century, when fine hosiery made its appearance. Men were proud of their legs; thighs and calves were part of the arsenal of seduction and they were frequently decorated with ribbons. The expression seems to mean that this will not change the beauty of one’s leg, i.e. it is without consequence.

Jarnac, un coup de      

***

This word has its origin in the duel fought between Guy Chabot, lord of Jarnac, and François de Vivonne, lord of the Châtaigneraie, on 10 July 1547. Although the blows given by Chabot (two thrusts touching the back of the left knee) were perfectly fair play, the term has come to mean an unfair and treacherous blow. The word ‘jarnac’ lends itself to the play on words ‘j’arnaque’, meaning ‘I swindle’

jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle, le      

*

‘Not worth a light’. This is an expression that dates from the sixteenth century. Evenings were spent playing cards or games of chance, and consequently this expression simply means that the gains in playing cards will not be sufficient to cover the cost of burning the candles.

lice, entrer en nf.      

***

In the Middle Ages, the area in which a tournament was to take place was enclosed by a fence or barrier called ‘la lice’. It was also the name of the specific area where the fighting took place: a corridor along which two horsemen would ride towards each other, either side of a fence or barrier. ‘Entrer en lice’ is ‘to enter the lists’.

166  lisière, tenir qqn en nf.     

lisière, tenir qqn en nf.      

*

‘To keep under one’s control’. ‘Une lisière’ is the harness that used to be employed to make sure that young children did not wander. Not to be confused with ‘lisière’ in the sense of the edge of a village or forest.

maille à partir avec qqn, avoir nf.      

**

‘Maille’derives from a word meaning ‘half’. The original verb was ‘départir’, i.e. to share. Une ‘maille’ meant the half of a denier (a low-​value seventeenth-​ century coin). It thus meant a quarrel arising from the impossible task of sharing into two equal halves something of very low value. Today, it refers to a dispute, or a ‘brush’ with sb.

message reçu cinq sur cinq      

**

This term comes from military radio communications. The quality of the reception was graded on a five-​point scale. ‘Cinq sur cinq’ indicates that a message has been received ‘loud and clear’.

miroir aux alouettes, un      

**

This term refers to any very attractive but phony enterprise that attracts by its glitter, i.e. a decoy or lure. The ‘miroir aux alouettes’ (literally ‘mirror for skylarks’) was a device made of wood and bearing many small mobile mirrors and wires. Fascinated by their reflection, the skylarks were attracted by the mirrors and became trapped in the wires.

mors aux dents, prendre le      

*

‘To take the bit between one’s teeth’, ‘to get carried away’, ‘to fly off the handle’. A horse that gets the bit stuck between its teeth does not respond to the directions of the rider. It bolts and cannot be reined in.

odeur de sainteté, ne pas être en nf.      

**

‘To die in the odour of sanctity’ is to die in a state of spiritual perfection. Certain dead saints are said to have given off a sweet smell, a smell that distinguished them from other corpses. This is more often than not used in the negative, in which case it means ‘to be in sb.’s bad books’.

passer l’arme à gauche  167

oignons, soigné aux petits      

***

This refers to the great care that has been taken in preparing or carrying out any operation and evokes the loving care taken in cooking a dish slowly with little onions.

oiseau de mauvais augure, un      

***

See Chapter 7 ‘augures’, and ‘oiseau de mauvais augure’.

oiseau-​l yre nm.      

*

The lyrebird has the particularity of being able to imitate many sounds, natural or otherwise. Figuratively, it refers to sb. who is servile towards the powers that be. See above ‘bois dont on fait des flûtes, un’.

orfraie, pousser des cris d’ nf.      

***

This literally means to screech like a white-​tailed eagle. There seems to be a confusion between two pairs of paronymous words  –​‘orfraie’ and ‘effraie’ (respectively a bird of prey and a kind of owl), and ‘effraie’ and ‘effroi’ (dread). The expression means to shriek at the top of one’s voice, in panic. It is frequently used to describe the arguments of people defending their vested interests.

panne, être en nf.      

***

‘To have broken down’, or ‘to be immobilized’. There are three possible origins. ‘Mettre en panne’, referring to a boat, is to make it list to one side during the time it takes to repair a leak on the opposite side. It is also the name of a manœuvre whereby the sails are set simultaneously to push and restrain the boat in order to mark time. In a harbour for pleasure craft, the boats are moored along the ‘panne’, a sort of jetty that is perpendicular to the harbour wall. If boats are ‘en panne’ they are, by definition, immobilized.

passer l’arme à gauche      

**

This is a euphemism and nineteenth-​century military slang for ‘to die’. Death is often equated with eternal rest. The phrase comes from the military ‘at ease’ position (‘repos’), in which the soldier’s rifle is placed vertically next to the

168  pavé, tenir le haut du     

left foot. The word ‘gauche’ frequently has a negative connotation in French. See Chapter 7 ‘augures’.

pavé, tenir le haut du      

***

‘To occupy a socially superior position’, ‘to be a big wig’. The ‘haut du pavé’ was that part of the street that was closest to the wall of the houses. It was raised and sloped away towards the gutter in the middle of the street so as to evacuate the sewage and rain water. People of a high social class would walk on this part, whereas the lower classes would walk either near or in the gutter.

payer sur la bête, se      

**

This means to beat sb. who refuses to pay back a debt. The idea is that one vents one’s anger on the debtor. There is also an idea of being paid ‘in kind’ directly, with no go-​between.

pied, prendre son      

*

Initially, this was a synonym for ‘to experience intense sexual pleasure’. Aristophanes mentions the fact that women would often ‘prendre leur pied’ at the moment of orgasm. This had the effect of shortening the vagina and accentuating the penetration, and thus the pleasure. It is used post-​1968 as a popular expression and now means to have great pleasure, i.e. to reach an orgasm or to get one’s pleasure, sexual or otherwise. Another version suggests that the expression comes from the criminal underworld. ‘Pied’ was an old expression of measurement and ‘prendre son pied’ meant ‘to take one’s share of the swag’. (Thank you, Muriel!)

pignon sur rue, avoir nm.      

***

‘To own a house or shop in town’, ‘to be a well-​known, respectable and socially superior member of the community’. The gable (‘pignon’) is the most visible part of the house and was the symbol of the possession of property and, thus, of respectability.

planche, avoir du pain sur la      

**

‘To have one’s work cut out’  –​the idea being that the baker has made the dough but that the rest of the cooking process remains to be completed.

puce à l’oreille, mettre la  169

poire et le fromage, entre la      

***

This expression indicates a moment, towards the end of the meal, when the diners are full, and can give their attention to general conversation in a relaxed manner.

Polichinelle, un secret de      

***

Although this is translated as ‘an open secret’ the translation lacks nuance. Punchinello is a character from the commedia dell’arte. In order to take revenge on one of the lords at court, Punchinello tells the King that the lord in question has a body covered in feathers. The King is sworn to secrecy, as is each of the individual courtiers to whom Punchinello tells the same secret. Consequently, everyone knows the secret individually but nobody knows that everyone else is in the know.

potron-​m inet, dès loc. adv.      

**

This is a delightful, if somewhat old-​fashioned, way of saying ‘at the break of day’, ‘at the crack of dawn’. It comes from an earlier expression ‘dès potron-​ jacquet’. In Norman French, ‘jacquet’ is a ‘squirrel’ while ‘potron’ comes from the Latin posterio, indicating ‘the backside’. In the nineteenth century, ‘jacquet’ was replaced by ‘minet’ (‘pussy-​cat’). Consequently, the expression means ‘as soon as the cat shows its arse’, i.e. in the very early morning.

poudre aux yeux, jeter de la      

**

‘To put on a show’, ‘to deceive sb. by using a flattering approach’. It implies that the victim is impressed by the brilliance of the show.

poudre d’escampette, prendre la      

**

‘To take to one’s heels’. ‘Escampette’ is a diminutive of the sixteenth-​century word ‘escampe’, which means ‘flight’, the substantive of ‘to flee’. Cf. ‘decamp’ in English. The powder can be interpreted as gunpowder, the explosion of which makes people run away, or indicates the dust provoked by running feet.

puce à l’oreille, mettre la      

***

Today, this means ‘to have suspicions’ or ‘to start thinking’. In the past, it meant to be worried or agitated, or even to have a sexual itch. Jean de La

170  Rabelais, le quart d’heure de     

Fontaine wrote fille qui pense à son amant absent toute la nuit, dit-​on, a la puce à l’oreille (‘a girl who thinks of her absent lover the whole night is said to have a flea in the ear’). This has nothing to do with the English expression ‘flea in the ear’.

Rabelais, le quart d’heure de      

*

This refers to the disagreeable moment when one has to settle one’s debts or the bill at the end of a meal. In Rabelais’s Gargantua, the story is told of a man who has eaten at an inn but cannot pay the bill. He makes three small packets upon which he writes ‘poison for the King’, ‘poison for the Queen’ and ‘poison for the Dauphin’. The innkeeper is immediately convinced that there is a regicide in his inn, and has the man arrested and taken to Paris. Not only does the man not pay the innkeeper’s bill but he is also transported to Paris free of charge. The King laughed at this story and invited the culprit to dinner. Today, the expression means to experience a nasty moment.

repartir comme en 14      

***

The soldiers who left for the front on the declaration of war in 1914 were full of energy and optimism. They believed (on both sides of the Channel) that the war would be over by Christmas. This expression evokes a certain naïveté in sb.’s enthusiasm.

roses, découvrir le pot aux nfpl.      

***

The original sense is unclear but could refer to ‘découvrir’ in the meaning of ‘to uncover’ or ‘to take off the lid’. ‘Rose’ in French is not without strong erotic connotations and ‘pot’ is an old French term for ‘arse’. The basic idea is to discover a secret.

rubis sur l’ongle, payer nm.      

***

This means ‘to pay cash, down to the last centime’. It was originally the fact of drinking wine down to the last drop, and this drop was small enough to stay on the thumbnail of the drinker.

sérail, élevé dans le      

***

The ‘sérail’ was the palace of an Ottoman sultan. It implies having been brought up in a high social class from which it is possible to know all of the mechanisms and codes of the inner circle of the establishment.

Suisse, boire en  171

singe, payer en monnaie de nm.      

**

This means ‘to pay with empty promises’. It comes from the time when the buffoons and tumblers paraded their monkeys in front of the tollgate-​keeper in exchange for a free passage. The expression has been in use since the time of St Louis (thirteenth century), who imposed a toll on people wishing to cross the bridge from Île de la Cité, in Paris, to rue Saint-​Jacques, just on the other side of the Seine.

sonnantes et trébuchantes, en espèces adj.      

***

This refers to metallic money whose sterling quality can be judged by the sound that it makes on falling. The debasing of the coin would affect its ring, and it would not be ‘sonnante’. ‘Trébuchante’, on the other hand, indicates the right weight and comes from the practice of weighing gold or silver on a pair of small, but very accurate, scales called ‘un trébuchet’. Such a pair of scales was used by goldsmiths and chemists. The expression is generally used today to denote a payment in cash as opposed to a payment by credit card or cheque.

soucier comme de l’an 40, s’en      

*

This means ‘not to care less’. The year ‘40’ is a mystery. The expression may come from a Norman saying ‘je m’en moque comme l’Alcoran’ (the Koran). The expression ‘comme de l’an quarante’ dates from the French Revolution and can be found in the texts of Le Père Duchesne, one of the principal news publications of the time, which appeared between 1790 and 1794.

sucre sur le dos de qqn, casser du      

*

This means ‘to speak ill of people behind their backs’. ‘Casser du sucre’ is an old expression meaning ‘to gossip’, whereas ‘sur le dos’ implies that the person in question will bear the burden of the attack.

Suisse, boire en      

*

‘Like a Swiss person’ and not ‘in Switzerland’. This means to drink alone, on the sly. Gaston Auguste Esnault (1874–​1971), specialist in French slang, suggests that this might refer to a socio-​ cultural difference between the Germanic countries, where it is normal for people to pay for their own drinks,

172 tabac, passer à nm.     

as in the expression ‘to go Dutch’ (‘chacun paie son écot’), as opposed to the more Latin habit of paying for a round of drinks.

tabac, passer à nm.      

***

‘To beat up’. The term ‘tabac’ is a slang term for a beating or a thrashing. ‘Donner du tabac’ used to be a euphemism for ‘to fight’. This is frequently used in cases involving police brutality.

tailler des croupières      

**

‘To force sb. to flee’. The idea was that the pursuant was close enough behind the person in flight to make cuts into the hindquarters of the fleeing person’s horse. It has now come to mean ‘to put a spoke in sb.’s wheel’.

tambour battant      

**

‘Rapidly and energetically’. Military marches and charges were always accompanied by the beating of drums.

tante, chez ma      

**

‘In pawn’ at the pawnbroker’s. Je l’ai laissée chez ma tante was the reply of the prince de Joinville, Prince François-​Ferdinand d’Orléans (Louis-​Philippe’s son) when asked by his mother where his watch was. He had pawned his watch in order to honour a debt. Other synonymous terms are ‘le crédit municipal’, ‘au Mont-​de-​Piété’ and ‘au clou’.

tapisserie, faire nf.      

*

Young women at a ball are said to ‘faire tapisserie’, since they are not invited to dance and are therefore reduced to a decorative role such as a character in the tapestry. In English the equivalent expression is ‘to be a wallflower’.

tire-​l arigot, à loc. adv.      

*

‘In enormous quantities’. It was initially used with the verb ‘boire’. ‘Larigot’ is a popular refrain in old drinking songs. The verb ‘tirer’ is associated with wine, as is the English equivalent ‘to draw’. This expression has been known since the sixteenth century.

vache enragée, manger de la  173

tirer son épingle du jeu      

***

‘To get out of a difficult situation without any loss’. It can refer to a game such as ‘Mikado’, or to a slang sexual metaphor where the ‘épingle’ is the sex of the male and ‘jeu’ is the female organ.

tomber dessus comme la vérole sur le bas clergé breton      

*

To appear abruptly and with violence, like an epidemic of pox, or syphilis. This expression reflects the anti-​ clericalism prevalent throughout French history.

tourner casaque      

**

‘To change one’s opinion radically and quickly’. The ‘casaque’ in question is a valet’s livery or military uniform. ‘Tourner casaque’ therefore means to change livery or party. This could be compared to the English expression ‘to be a turncoat’. ‘Tourner casaque’ is synonymous with ‘retourner sa veste’.

trêve des confiseurs, une      

**

A time when political and diplomatic conflicts are suspended during the end-​ of-​year celebrations, i.e. a Christmas/​New Year truce; the time during which confectioners do not work.

Turc, une tête de      

*

This means ‘a whipping boy’ or ‘whipping post’. The Turks or the Moors have traditionally been represented as ‘the enemy’. Heads made out of cardboard representing the Turk were used in the past for shooting practice. At the end of the nineteenth century, it was the name given to a game at the funfair that consisted of punching a head (depicting a Turk) to register one’s physical strength. ‘Turc’ also has the connotation of great strength.

vache enragée, manger de la      

**

This expression means ‘to live through hard times’. An early-​eighteenth-​ century expression, it used to mean to be in such desperate circumstances as to be prepared to eat meat from a diseased animal that had been killed for reasons of hygiene.

174  vau l’eau, aller à loc. adv.     

vau l’eau, aller à loc. adv.      

*

A sixteenth-​century expression indicating ‘to follow the current’, i.e. to descend, to go to the dogs, to be on the road to ruin.

veiller au grain      

***

‘To be vigilant’ and to keep an eye open for trouble. ‘Grain’ in this context is a nautical term that means ‘a squall’ –​i.e. a sudden, violent, if short-​lived, blast of wind –​and has nothing to do with cereals.

vendre la mèche      

*

‘To give the game away’. ‘to let the cat out of the bag’. The verb ‘vendre’ and the past participle ‘vendu’ are frequently associated with betrayal (cf. ‘sold down the river’).

vessies pour des lanternes, prendre des nfpl.      

**

‘To think that the moon is made of cheese’. ‘to have the wool pulled over one’s eyes’, ‘to be really mistaken’. ‘Lanternes’ in the sixteenth-​century sense meant ‘absurdities’, while the verb ‘vessier’ meant to ‘blow up like a balloon’. That said, lampshades are often made out of ‘vessie de porc’, i.e. a pig’s bladder.

virer sa cuti      

*

This term comes from the skin test to screen for tuberculosis. ‘Virer sa cuti’ means to come up positive on the test. It has now come to mean ‘to change one’s lifestyle or sexual orientation completely’. See Chapter 14 ‘BCG’.

volée de bois vert, une      

*

‘A flurry of blows’. The idea here is that wood that is ‘green’ is still full of sap and therefore will be less likely than dry wood to snap while the punishment is being inflicted. Green is also a colour frequently associated with a reprimand.

volet, trié sur le      

**

‘Selected according to very strict criteria’. This expression dates from the sixteenth century. A ‘volet ‘was a small sieve-​type appliance enabling the user

yeux, ne pas avoir froid aux nmpl.  175

to sort grain. This can be compared to the expression ‘passer au crible’. See Chapter 8 ‘crible. Passer au’.

yeux, ne pas avoir froid aux nmpl.      

**

‘To be plucky to the point of impudence’. It is always used in the negative form. To be cold in one part of the body used to be synonymous with being cowardly or backing out at the last minute. ‘Avoir froid au cul’ in this respect can be compared with the English ‘to have cold feet’.

Chapter 4

Headline punning

Cachez ce saint que je ne saurais voir.

The French language lends itself admirably to this exercise, which, for centuries, has had considerable importance in French intellectual life. The witty word is the foil that is used in intellectual combat. In this respect the reader is invited to look up the film Ridicule (1996) by Patrice Leconte, which highlights the importance of linguistic agility at the court of the King of France in the eighteenth century, where linguistic oneupmanship was rife. An attentive analysis of such punning enables us to identify the basic mechanisms that are often used in relation to famous words, literary quotations, traditional sayings, advertising slogans, and famous film or book titles. This art must be mastered if one is to understand the French press in general and Le Canard enchaîné in particular. Punning mechanisms can be broken down into several categories, some of which are statistically more important than others. This chapter will enable foreign readers of French to become familiar with such mechanisms, and enable them to understand and even to anticipate such puns; it should enable readers to know if their French is ‘à poil’, ‘à la poêle’ or ‘au poil’! It is divided into the following sections: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Homophones Telescoping ‘Auditives’ ‘Bilinguals’ Change of consonants ‘Allusives’ Change of vowels Associations Sayings and proverbs Puns on the names of famous people

chaud, chaux, show  177

( 11) The top 100 polysemic words (12) Les contrepèteries (Spoonerisms) 1  HOMOPHONES Homophone:  a word with the same pronunciation as another but having a different spelling and meaning.

air, aire, Eire, ère, hère air aire Eire ère hère

gas present in the atmosphere an area the Republic of Ireland a period in time a miserable wretch or a young stag

Anvers, en vers, envers, en vert Anvers a port in Belgium en vers in verse envers towards en vert in green

l’appel, la pelle, la pelle l’appel the call la pelle the spade la pelle a French kiss

ceint, sain, saint, sein past participle and present conjugation, 3rd person singular of the verb ‘ceindre’, i.e. girded, encircled sain healthy saint a person of Christian perfection sein the breast of a woman ceint

chaud, chaux, show chaud hot chaux quicklime show a public display, exhibition

178  Delhi, délie délit,

Delhi, délie délit, Delhi délie délit

town in India present conjugation 3rd person singular of the verb ‘délier’, ‘to unbind’ corresponding to the English law term ‘misdemeanour’

fil, file, file! fil file file!

thread used in dressmaking line of people waiting one behind the other imperative, second person singular of the verb ‘filer’, ‘make yourself scarce!’

foi, foie, fois, foi religious faith foie liver fois times

fond fonds font fond the bottom fonds funds font present conjugation, 3rd person plural of the verb ‘faire’, ‘to do’

gêne n., gêne v., gène n. gêne gène gène

a feeling of embarrassment present conjugation, 3rd person singular of the verb ‘gêner’, ‘to hinder’ gene, part of the chromosome responsible for hereditary traits

le maire, la mer, la mère, l’amer/​l ’amère le maire the mayor la mer the sea la mère mother l’amer (homme) or l’amère (femme)  full of resentment and bitterness

saut, sceau, seau, sot  179

mal, mâle, malle mal mâle malle

evil or pain male, sometimes synonymous with virile a large trunk used when travelling long distances

maux, Meaux, mot maux the plural form of ‘mal’, evil Meaux a town in the département of Seine-​et-​Marne (77) mot a word

pair, paire, perd, père pair paire perd père

even number two that match present conjugation, 3rd person singular of the verb ‘perdre’, ‘to lose’ a man who has one or more children

porc, port, port porc port port

a pig, or pork where a ship docks the noun of the verb ‘porter’, to carry: bearing

pré, près, prêt, prêt pré meadow près near prêt a loan from a bank prêt ready

saut, sceau, seau, sot saut jump sceau an official seal seau a bucket sot a fool

180  la tante, la tente, l’attente, latente

la tante, la tente, l’attente, latente la tante la tente l’attente latente

aunt, or a homosexual (péj.) temporary shelter for camping period during which one waits feminine form of hidden, potential,

thon, ton, tonton thon ton tonton

tuna fish tone of voice or a musical instrument familiar form of uncle, ‘nunky’

vair, verre, ver, vers, vert vair a kind of fur verre glass ver worm vers in the direction of vers verse vert green

voie, voit, voix voie the path, the way voit present conjugation, 3rd person singular of the verb ‘voir’, ‘to see’ voix voice

au Quai, OK au Quai at Paris Police Headquarters; ‘quai’ means wharf or embankment OK correct

aumônes, hormones aumônes alms, a charitable gift hormones chemical substance produced by an organ of the body

balais, ballet balai broom ballet classical dance

hache, hasch  181

se braquer, ce braquet se braquer to oppose stubbornly ce braquet ‘this bicycle gear’

champ, chant champ a field (in the proper or figurative meaning) chant song

chaos, KO chaos KO

the most total confusion when we lose consciousness we are KO (‘knocked out’ in English)

compte, conte compte conte

the overall number of elements counted, a bank account a fairy tale for children

coup, coût coup coût

a blow or a movement the cost of something

divers, d’hiver divers miscellaneous d’hiver winter, wintry

faim, fin faim hunger fin end

fait, fée fait a fact, or the past participle of the verb ‘faire’, ‘to do’, ‘to make’ fée fairy

hache, hasch hache hasch

a tool for cutting wood, an axe a familiar term to designate the drug hashish

182  heure, heurt

heure, heurt heure hour heurt a clash, a violent shock between two elements

penseur, panseur penseur panseur

sb. who thinks sb. who dresses a wound

récurant, récurrent récurant (of a cleaning substance) abrasive récurrent recurrent

roue, roux roue wheel roux the colour designating orange hair in the masculine. Rousse for a woman. It is also the name of a sauce and one of the possible translations of the biblical ‘mess of potage’.

taule, tôle taule tôle

slang for prison: cooler, clink a thin sheet of metal obtained by lamination

taux, tôt taux a rate or percentage tôt early

toi, toit toi stressed personal pronoun, second person singular toit roof

tremper, tromper tremper tromper

to soak to lead sb. into error

tu, tue  183

tu, tue tu tue

personal pronoun, subject second person singular present conjugation, 3rd person singular of the verb ‘tuer’, ‘to kill’

2  TELESCOPING Afghan de velours PAC et cadeaux à la recherche d’un impôt d’échappement Canebière pression Carcassonne le glas Mediator de se gêner France adresse à l’Iran un ultime atome libéral’bol Lisbonne à tout faire Maurras de seigneurs

gant de velours paquet cadeaux (Politique Agricole Commune) pot d’échappement bière pression sonne le glas tort de se gêner ultimatum ras le bol bonne à tout faire race de seigneurs

Many proper and common nouns with the [ɑː] sound are frequently used in ‘telescope’ mode, e.g. Bernard, Collard, Cagoulard, cumulard, taulard, fêtard, soulard etc. They are frequently used in conjunction with ‘de vivre’, ‘de la pêche’ and ‘et métiers’. This gives Bernard de vivre, cumulard de la pêche, Richard et métiers (arts and crafts). 3  ‘AUDITIVE S’ On more than one occasion, over the years, I have not immediately grasped the pun on reading the text. It was only when reading the phrase aloud that the meaning became clear. Une Françeafrique complètement à sommets Conflit de lois Entre l’espoir et le faux mage L’affront monétaire international Ô niçois qui mal y pense Il est sérieux ou hymen tout le monde en bateau? Hippique pas dans la caisse Mahler est bon On ivoirien Poney de la dernière pluie

assommé confit d’oie entre la poire et le fromage le fond monétaire ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ Il mène tout le monde en bateau il pique pas dans la caisse à toute chose malheur est bon on n’y voit rien pas née de la dernière pluie

184 ‘Bilinguals’

4  ‘BILINGUALS’ Book émissaire Ghosn with the wind Obsolète it be Of Corse Ségo between Show et froid Tobin or not Tobin Yes, ouie can Yes, tu canes Allons donc

bouc gone let it be of course go-​between chaud ‘To be or not to be’ ‘Yes, we can’ (electronic espionnage by the USA and the verb ‘ouir’ meaning to hear) ‘Caner’ is the slang verb for ‘to die’, to snuff it. à London

5  CHANGE OF CONSONANTS Aide-​toi et le fiel t’aidera Au royaume de taxe Cobourg Du leurre dans les épinards Fiel mon mari Fission impossible Sous les pavés la rage Bravo, le Crédit à Bricoles L’occasion fait le baron La cerise sur le bateau La folie des glandeurs

ciel Saxe beurre ciel mission plage Agricole larron gâteau grandeurs (see Chapter 1 Folie des grandeurs. La)

6 ‘ALLUSIVES’ C’est la chute finââle! Bizerte, vous avez dit Bizerte? L’empire d’essence La comtesse barrit

‘C’est la lutte finale’ (the words of the chorus of the song ‘L’International’. Bizerte, the birthplace in Tunisia of the former mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë (see Chapter 1 ‘Bizarre!’) L’Empire des sens (the title of a film by Nagisa Ōshima (1976)) La comtesse du Barry (‘Barrir’ is the sound the elephant makes. Apart from the historical character, ‘La comtesse du Barry’ is a famous brand of foie gras.)

‘Taubira: on me traite de singe et on me colle trois gorilles.’  185

La solitude du trader de fonds

La possibilité du Nil L’or du rein

Un max de planques

Que d’os, que d’os Liban public

La Solitude du coureur de fond (French title of the English novel The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1959) by Alan Sillitoe, and the film based on it of the same name (1962) by Tony Richardson) La Possibilité d’une île (the title of a novel by Michel Houellebecq) L’Or du Rhin (French title of the German opera Das Rheingold (1869) by Richard Wagner. The pun refers to the obscene profits made from kidney transplants.) (Max Planck was a German physicist, one of the founders of quantum mechanics; ‘planque’ in slang means a ‘hideout’ and, in police slang, surveillance in a stationary vehicle) See Chapter 2 ‘Que d’eau, que d’eau!’ See Chapter 1 ‘Amoureux des bancs publics. Les’

7  CHANGE OF VOWELS Alimentaire, mon cher La farce tranquille BHL vampire des carpettes Chirac, le repris de justesse La France, terre d’écueil Le dépité socialiste Touche pas à ma pute Un phénomène de messe La parole est à la défonce Woerth recalé à l’Oréal de rattrapage

élémentaire force (election slogan of the presidential candidate François Mitterrand in 1981) Carpates justice accueil député pote masse défense (‘défonce’ is a ‘high’ in drug terminology) (oral)

8  ASSOCIATIONS The following are all quotations from Le Canard enchaîné.

‘Taubira: on me traite de singe et on me colle trois gorilles.’ French politician Christiane Taubira was born in French Guyana and is black. Racists have called her a monkey (‘singe’) and she has been given

186  ‘Coup de frein sur la loi ABS (abus de biens sociaux)’

three ‘gorilles’. In French ‘un gorille’ is the slang term for a bodyguard. See Chapter 1 Gorille vous salue bien. Le.

‘Coup de frein sur la loi ABS (abus de biens sociaux)’ ABS stands for Automatic Braking System but in French it stands for ‘abus de biens sociaux (misuse of corporate assets). See www.routledge.com/​ 9780367376758.

‘Les céréaliers font du foin.’ ‘Foin’ means hay, but ‘faire du foin’ means to make a song and dance.

‘Les plans anti-​s ida ont capoté.’ ‘Une capote’ is a preservative, and ‘capoter’ is to capsize or to fail.

‘Macron a peut-​ê tre “la banane” mais la France est au régime.’ ‘Avoir la banane’ means to be on top form. ‘Un régime’ of bananas is a ‘hand’. ‘Régime’ also means ‘diet’. 9  SAYINGS AND PROVERBS Renault: un losange passe L’assassin du pouvoir d’achat revient toujours sur les lieux de ses frimes Un pour tous, tous bourrin Il était thune fois La terreur est humaine

un ange passe (the ‘losange’ is the Renault logo) ses crimes pour un (‘bourrin’ is an old nag) une fois (‘Once upon a time’; ‘thune’ is slang for money, dough, gelt, dosh etc.) L’erreur est humaine

10  PUNS ON THE NAMES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE Le candidat sans Aubry Bayrou tourne à nouveau autour de Pau

(The ‘sans abri’ are the homeless; Martine Aubry is mayoress of Lille) (‘tourner autour du pot’ is ‘to beat about the bush’; François Bayrou is mayor of Pau)

balance nf.  187

Borloo a postulé en vin Je ne donnerai pas ma main à Copé

(‘en vain’, with no effect; politician Jean-​ Louis Borloo is rumoured to have had a drink problem) (‘I wouldn’t stick my neck out.’ ‘Donner sa main à couper’ means to be ready to to bet anything. Jean-​François Copé is mayor of Meaux.)

11  THE TOP POLYSEMIC  WORDS. The usual meaning is written in roman type, and the slang or familiar term is written below it in italics. A  certain number of polysemic words refer to animals, and to avoid duplication these can be found at www.routledge.com/​ 9780367376758. Where necessary, an example of use is given in order to make the meaning clear.

ardoise nf. slate, stone used principally for roofing a debt of drinks taken on credit in a café

arroser vt. to water a plant to give bribes to corrupt parties

bail nm. a lease a very long time: ‘Voilà un bail que je ne l’ai pas vu.’

balai nm. a broom used for sweeping synonymous with one year

balance nf. weighing scales somebody who ‘grasses’ on an accomplice. i.e. a police informer

188  balle nf.

balle nf. a ball or a bullet. ‘Balles’ in the plural is a synonym for a 1 franc coin.

ballon nm. a big ball, e.g. a football, or a small wine glass having the shape of a ball, e.g. un ballon d’Alsace; ‘au ballon’ means ‘in jail’, ‘in clink’

baver vi. vt. to let saliva run from the mouth Baver (vi.) means to suffer: ‘J’en ai bavé à l’école’ (fam.). Baver sur (vt.) means to dish the dirt about sb.: ‘Il a passé l’après-​midi à baver sur ses collègues.’ (fam.)

bidon nm. a container for transporting liquids, e.g. an oil drum bogus or baloney (adj. invar.): ‘Son explication était bidon.’ (fam.)

botte nf. bunch of flowers or radishes the school slang of École Polytechnique and the École Nationale d’Administration (ÉNA) designating the top 15 students of a given year (see Chapter 10)

bourré adj. full of, stuffed drunk: ‘Il était complètement bourré quand il a quitté la boîte de nuit.’ (fam.)

cabinet nm. Either all of the ministers in a given government, or the team of one minister. It can indicate the place where doctors or lawyers exercise their profession. In the plural this can mean toilettes.

caneton nm. duckling faithful reader of ‘Le Canard enchaîné’

charrette nf.  189

canon nm. canon, a piece of artillery. a canon of red means a glass of red wine (fam.) a girl who is ‘canon’ is a stunner (adj. invar. fam.)

carton nm. cardboard a hit, a great succes: ‘Avec sa nouvelle pièce il a fait un carton.’

casserole nf. in British English a saucepan ‘Une casserole’ is a scandal that one drags behind one: ‘Cet homme politique traine plusieurs casseroles derrière lui.’ (fam.)

catholique adj. Catholic In the negative, it means ‘fishy’ ‘dodgy’: ‘Cet individu n’est pas très catholique.’ (fam.)

cave nf. nm. nf. a cellar nm. sb. who can easily be taken in, sb. who is not acquainted with the mores of the underworld

champignon nm. Whereas in English ‘mushrooms’ generally refers to edible fungi, ‘champignons’ in French can be either ‘comestibles’ or ‘vénéneux’. NB ‘venimeux’ is used for animals. the accelerator pedal of a car: ‘Nous étions en retard et nous lui avons demandé d’appuyer sur le champignon.’ (fam.)

charrette nf. a cart with two wheels and two shafts ‘Être charrette’ means to have a lot of urgent work to do. It was also the tumbrel of the French Revolution. It can also designate a group of people who are going to be made redundant.

190  châtaigne nf.

châtaigne nf. a chestnut It can also mean a punch (fam.): ‘Dans la bagarre il a reçu une de ces châtaignes!’

couche nf. a layer or coat of paint. ‘Tenir/​avoir une couche’ means ‘to be stupid or thick’ (fam.). ‘En remettre une couche’ means ‘to lay it on thick’ (fam.).

cuisiner vi. vt. to do the cooking or to cook ‘Cuisiner’ in a police context means ‘to grill’ or ‘to interrogate’ with a view to obtaining a confession.

déguster vt. to taste in order to judge the quality or origin of a product ‘Déguster’ can also mean to suffer: ‘J’ai passé trois mois à l’hôpital; mon Dieu, qu’est-​ce-​que j’ai dégusté!’ (fam.)

daube nf. a rich beef stew used to describe a book of poor quality: ‘Ce livre, quelle daube!’ (fam.)

four nm. an oven a stinging failure, a flop

flotte nf. fleet of ships can also mean water, sea or rain.

frite nf. ‘chip’ in the culinary sense ‘avoir la frite’ means to be full of beans, on form’.

gros bonnets nmpl.  191

fromage nm. cheese a cushy number, well paid with little or no work; a sinecure ‘Faire un fromage’ means to make a song and dance about st., i.e. to blow up out of all proportion.

fumer vi. vt. to smoke to bump off sb, to kill: ‘On l’a fumé à sa sortie de prison’ (fam.)

fusible nm. a fuse sb. who loses their job to protect sb. more important: ‘Dans la Ve République, le Premier ministre est le fusible du Président.’ (fig.)

gamelle nf. a metal container that holds dog food, or food for a camper or soldier It can also mean a failure: ‘Lors des élections municipales, la majorité a ramassé une gamelle.’ (fam.)

gonflé adj. blown up like a balloon used to describe sb. who has a nerve:  ‘C’était gonflé de répondre à son patron.’ (fam.)

gratin nm. a way of cooking where the dish is put under a grill to make the topping crisp It can also mean the upper crust: ‘Lors de la soirée, tout le gratin de Paris était là.’ (fam.)

gros bonnets nmpl. the big shots, the big wigs a bra of the ‘large’ size

192  hochet nm.

hochet nm. a child’s rattle It can also mean st. futile that flatters, e.g. a medal or decoration.

huile nf. oil of animal, vegetable or mineral origin. ‘les huiles’: the big hats, the top brass

jetons (de présence) nm. tokens that are given to members of a corporate board representing their fees; ‘jetons’ are casino chips ‘Avoir les jetons’ means to be in a funk, to be frightened.

légume nm nf. nm. ‘vegetable’ ‘Une grosse légume’ is an important or influential person, a big wig, a big shot.

lessiveuse nf. a boiler for washing the laundry A casino is ‘une lessiveuse’, i.e. the ideal channel for money laundering.

marron nm. a horse chestnut It can also mean a punch. See above ‘châtaigne’.

marronnier nm. a horse chestnut tree. ‘Un marronnier’, in the journalistic sense, is a ‘filler’ used during a dull period, often in summer and devoted to a subject that comes back from time to time: e.g. the real salaries of civil servants, the hidden power of the freemasons etc.

matelas nm. the mattress of a bed

noir adj.  193

It can also mean a large wad of bank notes, saved up for a rainy day.

ménage nm. the housework a pejorative term that indicates work done by a journalist outside his/​her normal area of responsibility that brings in extra money

milieu nm the middle or centre This can also mean the criminal underworld

mouillé adj. wet It is also used to describe sb. implicated in a fishy affair: ‘Le directeur financier est mouillé jusqu’au cou’ (fam.)

navet nm. a turnip ‘Un navet’ is a film or book of bad quality.

nègre nm. pejorative term to refer to a black person It can also mean a ghost writer.

niche nf. dog kennel ‘À la niche!’ is the order given to a dog to go to its kennel . . . . . . or the order given to, e.g., a journalist to fall into line. A tax ‘niche’ is an exception or departure from the usual legislation.

noir adj. can be used to designate a non-​white person, or to refer to the dark ‘Travailler au noir’ is to work illegally, i.e. to moonlight.

194  nourrice nf.

nourrice nf. literally a wet nurse, more usually today used in the sense of a child minder In the police context, it refers to a person (generally a woman) who stocks drugs at her home for a drug dealer while awaiting the moment for distribution.

os nm. a bone Un os can mean a difficulty or obstacle.

paille nf. straw an insignificant thing: ‘Al Capone est tombé pour une paille.’ (fam.)

panier nm. a basket ‘Le panier’ can mean a woman’s backside: ‘Il lui a mis la main au panier et il a reçu une gifle en retour.’ (vulg.)

parquet nm. the public prosecutor’s office parquet flooring ‘Avoir les dents qui rayent le parquet’ means to be fanatically ambitious.

pépin nm. the pip of a fruit. ‘Un pépin’ is an unforseen problem.

perchoir nm. the perch in a birdcage the presidency of the Assemblée nationale, or the place where the President sits

perruque nf. a wig

poire nf.  195

a job carried out by a worker during his hours of service for his own personal use, using the tools and resources of the company he works for

pétard nm. a firework of the banger variety a firearm, revolver or pistol (arg.) a cigarette containing hashish, a ‘joint’ (fam.)

pipe nf. a pipe in the smoker’s sense. ‘Faire une pipe’ means to give a blow job. ‘Casser sa pipe’ means ‘to kick the bucket’, to die.

piscine nf. a swimming pool the French secret service; see Chapter 12 ‘piscine, La’

placard nm. a cupboard prison ‘Être mis au placard’ is to be pushed aside in one’s professional environment.

plombier nm. a plumber a secret agent who bugs a flat by installing a listening device; see Chapter  1 ‘plombier. C’est le’.

plume nf. feather ‘Une plume’ is a metonym to refer to a writer. It can refer to a ghostwriter.

poire nf. pear

196  poireau nm.

an idiot, a naïve person ‘C’est pour ma poire’ means the disagreable part is for me, it’s for muggins. See below ‘pomme’.

poireau nm. leek L’Ordre du Mérite agricole

pommade nf. ointment gross flattery; cf. the English expression ‘to butter sb. up’

pomme nf. apple ‘C’est pour ma pomme’ means the disagreable part is for me, it’s for muggins. See above ‘poire’.

pompier nm. adj. a member of the fire brigade. As a style, ‘pompier’ is pretentious, pompous

prune nf. plum parking fine nothing: ‘il a fait tout ça pour des prunes’ (fam.)

radis nm. radish a very small sum of money; used in the negative: ‘je n’ai pas un radis’ (fam.)

salade(s) nfpl. green salad fibs, ‘porkies’

tuile nf.  197

savon nm. soap a reprimand: ‘Son patron lui a passé un savon.’ (fam.)

sherpa nm. a mountain guide or porter in the region of the Himalayas sb. who takes part in preparing a political summit

soupe nf. soup ‘Servir la soupe à qqn’ means to crawl to sb., to act as a foil. ‘Soupe’ can also mean advantages, perks, money:  ‘La soupe et bonne au gouvernement’ (fam.)

tabac nm. tobacco ‘Faire un tabac’ means to be a big hit, to have a great success. ‘Passer à tabac’ means to ‘beat up’ sb: ‘Il a été passé à tabac au commissariat.’ (arg.)

table, se mettre à v pr. to sit down at the table to eat to come clean during a police interrogation

tôle nf. sheet metal prison (arg.), variation of ‘taule’

tuile nf. tile a piece of bad luck

198  vanne nf.

vanne nf. sluice gate or flood gate of a lock a nasty gibe: ‘Il m’a envoyé une vanne!’ (fam.)

veste nf. jacket a stinging defeat:  ‘Le parti socialiste a pris une veste aux élections municipales.’ (fam.)

zinc nm. zinc the counter, or bar, in a café an old aeroplane 12  LES CONTREPÈTERIES (SPOONERISMS) If there is an area of the French language in which I  have no competence whatsoever, it is that of the contrepèterie. Not only is it not my cup of tea, but I have always had more than enough work with basic French without wanting to go looking for trouble. But a chapter on punning would not be complete without addressing this question. A contrepèterie is an inversion of letters or syllables within a group of words, specially chosen so as to obtain a different grouping of words having a different meaning This could be compared to the English ‘Spoonerism’ e.g., ‘it is pleasant to ride on a well-​boiled icicle’. Some of the very first contrepèteries in history we owe to François Rabelais (1494–​1553). We find both obscenity and anti-​clericalism in his work, the basic ingredients that have been used in ‘contrepèterie’ for the past 500 years. Each week at the bottom of page 7 of Le Canard enchaîné one can find a rubric entitled ‘Sur l’album de la Comtesse’, which is devoted to ‘contrepèteries’. Let one example suffice: Le Pape baisse toutes les heures gives us Le Pape baise toutes les sœurs. The master work in this field has to be the book Sur l’album de la Comtesse by Joel Martin, which contains nearly 3,000 contrepèteries, of which 2,300 have appeared in Le Canard enchaîné over the years. Sensitive souls should abstain!

Chapter 5

Literary references

Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne, Je partirai. (Victor Hugo)

French newspaper and magazine articles are peppered with French literary references. One cannot go far in reading the press without encountering the time span of French literature from Joachim du Bellay to Michel Houellebecq. The centralization of the French educational system has resulted in the French newspaper-​reading public sharing a very homogeneous cultural foundation. Consequently, the quotes below are part of the averagely educated French person’s cultural heritage. One needs to know the most famous quotes of the main authors to be able to read the French press with ease. A small number of literary quotes below are not French but are so frequently used in the French press that it seemed logical to include them. The quotations from Pierre Corneille, Jean de La Fontaine, Victor Hugo and Molière are so numerous that to have cross-​referenced them would have been rather fastidious. Instead, a recap of these quotations can be found in the four annexes at the end of the chapter. I also thought that it would be interesting for the reader to have a global view of the contribution of these authors.

À la recherche du temps perdu      

***

À la recherche du temps perdu is a novel by Marcel Proust (1871–​1922) in seven volumes. Du côté de chez Swann is the first volume; À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs is the second, for which he won the Goncourt in 1919, beating the war novel Les Croix de bois by Roland Dorgelès. In the immediate postwar period this provoked an uproar. Proust was attacked (he was a Jew) and words such as ‘proustitution’ and ‘proute’ (fart) made their appearance in the French press. À la recherche des fonds perdus © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 128. This was the headline of an article dealing with a scandal of embezzlement of

200  À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs     

public funds in Corsica, the culprit being a Marcel Proust specialist. See below ‘madeleine de Proust, La’.

À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs      

***

See above À la recherche du temps perdu. À l’ombre des jeunes filles en pleurs © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5136. This was the heading of an article about the book Girl written by Edna O’Brien about the girl hostages of the terrorist group Boko Haram.

‘adieu, veau, vache, cochon, couvée. Le lait tombe;’      

***

These are the words from ‘La Laitière et le Pot au lait’, a famous fable by Jean de La Fontaine (1621–​95), the moral of which is not to count one’s chickens. The dairy maid is going to market to sell the pitcher of milk. With the money she makes, she intends to buy some eggs that, when they hatch, will be sold and the proceeds used to buy a pig. She plans on buying a cow and a calf, and ultimately on having a herd of cattle. Unfortunately, she trips over and the milk is lost, and she must abandon her project of making a big profit. Comme l’écrivit La Fontaine à propos de la chute du pot au lait de Perrette: “Adieu veau, vache, cochon, couvée”. Adieu, la présidence de LR [Les Républicains]. La Cour de cassation a décidé d’envoyer M. Sarkozy en correctionnelle pour corruption. © Le Point no. 2443. FOG. Given the indictment of Nicolas Sarkozy, there is now no chance that he will make a comeback as President of the LR Party. See Annex 1.

Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra      

**

This is the French translation of the title of the philosophical work by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–​ 1900), Also sprach Zarathustra. Ainsi parlait Zohra Dati © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4603. This text refers to the birth of the daughter of Rachida Dati, former minister of justice and currently mayoress of the 7e arrondissement in Paris.

Albatros. L’      

*

In his poem ‘L’Albatros’, Charles Baudelaire (1821–​67) describes the albatross on the deck of a ship as clumsy and comical. Les Gestes maladroits, un peu comme l’albatros de Baudelaire © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309AC. This description applies to Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister.

‘Anne, ma sœur Anne, ne vois-tu rien venir?’   201

Alceste      

**

Alceste is a character in Le Misanthrope, a play by Molière (1622–​73). Alceste hates the whole of humanity and denounces hypocrisy, cowardice and lack of principles. In the following quotation from Le Canard, the character of Alceste is placed in contrast to that of Jean-​Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher who believed that man was naturally good. Dommage cependant, que Claude Duparfait en fasse un peu trop dans le genre illuminé: très vite ce militant de la vérité, à la fois Alceste et Jean-​Jacques Rousseau . .  . nous semble ridicule. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4864. This was a commentary on the production of the Henrik Ibsen’s play Le Canard sauvage (The Wild Duck) at the Théâtre Antoine. See Annex 4.

Alice au pays des merveilles. Les Aventures d’      

**

Les Aventures d’Alice au pays des merveilles was a story written in 1865 by the English novelist Lewis Carroll (1832–​98). His real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Alice follows a rabbit down a hole and enters a new world. Comme pour Alice, tout passe par une petite ouverture, une porte par laquelle se glisser dans une autre réalité. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5153. This is a reference to the book Slade House by David Mitchell.

‘Animaux malades de la peste. Les’      

***

‘Les Animaux malades de la peste’ is the title of the most frequently quoted fable by La Fontaine. In this fable the animals, faced with the plague, confess their sins in order to clear their consciences. The lion mentions that during his life he has eaten innocent sheep and even a shepherd. When it comes to the turn of the little ass to confess, he admits to having eaten a few blades of grass in a field. Immediately every one of the animals picks on the ass and treats him as a scapegoat, hence the expression crier haro sur le baudet. Les Animaux malades de la piste © Paris Match no. 3684. This pun was the heading of an article about the cruelty suffered by wild animals performing in circuses. See Annex 1.

‘Anne, ma sœur Anne, ne vois-​t u rien venir?’      

**

These words come from La Barbe Bleue (1697) by Charles Perrault (1628–​ 1703) and are spoken by Barbe Bleue’s wife to her sister, asking if the latter,

202  Apprenti sorcier. L’     

at the top of the tower, can see help coming. The sister answers Je ne vois que le soleil qui poudroie, et l’herbe qui verdoie. Anne, n’as-​tu rien vu venir? © Marianne no. 1196, 14–​20 February 2020. EL. This is a reference to the questionable practice of contracting out certain municipal activities to the private sector, e.g. the privatization of parking in Paris. At time of writing, Anne Hidalgo is the mayoress of Paris.

Apprenti sorcier. L’      

***

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1797) was is a poem written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–​1832), Der Zauberlehrling in the original German. Faust is the hero of this sixteenth-century German tale, and sells his soul to the devil in return for the satisfaction of his desires. M. Macron joue, avec une sorte de cynisme mitterrandien, les apprentis sorciers. © Le Point no. 2439 FOG.

‘Arlésienne. L’’      

***

This literally means a young girl from the town of Arles, situated in the region of Provence in the south of France. It is the title of a short story by Alphonse Daudet (1840–​97) taken from Les Lettres de mon moulin (1869), and Daudet later turned the story into a play, for which Georges Bizet (1838–​75) composed the incidental music. In the play, the character of the arlésienne is frequently spoken about but never seen. Mais bien que parrainée par Emmanuel Macron, cette force africaine joue ‘l’Arlésienne’ depuis 2017. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5135. This text refers to the proposed setting-​up of a mixed African-​ nation force of 5,000 men, which has not yet materialized.

Autant en emporte le vent      

***

D’un souffle emporté de cette vie: Autant en emporte le vent. This reference translates into English as Gone with the Wind, a 1939 American film by Victor Fleming based on a novel by Margaret Mitchell (1900–​49). The words of the French title come from ‘La Ballade en vieil langage Françoys’ by the poet François Villon (1431–​63). This gives rise to the pun Otan en emporte Levant © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5150. This was a reference to Turkey (a member of NATO) buying military equipment from Russia. See ‘Ballade des pendus. La’.

‘Ballade des pendus, La’  203

badine pas avec l’amour. On ne      

***

This is the name of a play by Alfred de Musset (1810–​57). It was written in 1834 and produced at the Comédie Française in 1861. The play has quite an anti-​clerical slant. Camille has announced to her childhood love that all men are wicked and that she is going to return to the convent. In a wonderful diatribe, her lover speaks of the ideas that have poisoned her mind, and says J’ai souffert souvent, je me suis trompé quelques fois, mais j’ai aimé. ‘Badiner’ means ‘to banter’, ‘to jest’ or ‘to treat lightly’. Laurence Ferrari ne badine pas avec le respect de son intimité. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 109. The French TV presenter has taken legal proceedings against 20 publications over the past 14 years to defend her right to privacy.

Bagatelles pour un massacre      

**

This is the title of a satirical book by Louis-​Ferdinand Céline (1894–​1961), published in December 1937. It was a best-​seller in its time, one of the biggest titles sold during the German occupation. It has been criticized since for its anti-​Semitism. It was the wish of Céline that this work not be republished after 1945. Très malin, sinon moral, et bagatelles pour de nouveaux massacres © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5143. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are running out of ammunition in their war on the Yemen. President Trump needs Congressional approval for any sale of armaments above $25 million. He has avoided the problem by taking the arms needed by the UAE from the stocks of the American army. These can then be made good, without the intervention of Congress. A ‘bagatelle’ is an object of little value.

‘Ballade des pendus, La’      

**

François Villon (1431–​63) was a French poet of the Middle Ages. Master in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Paris at the age of 21, he led a carefree and joyful existence in the city’s Latin Quarter. When he was 24 years old he is said to have killed a priest during a fight. Amnestied, he went into exile. He returned to Paris after six years’ absence but was again involved in a fight and sentenced to death by hanging. On appeal, his death sentence was quashed. After he reached the age of 31, all trace of him is lost. ‘La Ballade des pendus’ is the most well-​known of his poems. Although it is not certain, many experts think that it was written while Villon was in prison awaiting execution. See above Autant en emporte le vent. La Nouvelle Ballade

204 bataille d’Hernani. Une     

des pendus © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5145. This was the heading of an article related to the return of the children of the French jihadists from Syria. The ballade by Villon is about Christian mercy. This is not the dominant attitude to the returning children on the part of the French population, traumatized over the past few years by Islamist terrorist attacks in France that have so far killed over 250 people.

bataille d’Hernani. Une      

**

Hernani is the hero in the play of the same name by Victor Hugo (1802–​85), which broke with the classical tradition of the three unities of time, place and action. It provoked a fierce reaction from the classicists. During its first performance at the Comédie Française on 25 February 1830, a cabal of the classical school tried to wreck the performance with whistles and cat-​calls. The newspapers were merciless in their criticism of the play by the young romantic. Ultimately, the play won through. ‘Une bataille d’Hernani’ is thus one between the avant-​garde and the conservative moralists. Une vraie bataille d’Hernani! Du coup, la décision est remontée jusqu’à Matignon. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4861. The battle in question is that opposing those people who want to preserve the staircase of honour at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (wrought ironwork of the eighteenth century) and those who wish to demolish it and have it replaced by something more modern.

Bateau ivre. Le      

***

This is the title of a poem by Arthur Rimbaud (1854–​91) written in 1871, when he was only 17, and based on the theme of evasion. He expresses the feeling, as he goes down river, that the boat haulers are no longer guiding his boat. Comme je descendais des fleuves impassibles, Je ne me sentis plus guidé par les haleurs: Toute lune est atroce et tout soleil amer. L’âcre amour m’a gonflé de torpeurs enivrantes. Ô que ma quille éclate! Ô que j’aille à la mer! Qui chantera les charmes de la reprise en Z, ou en G, ou même carrément en Q, version ‘Bateau ivre’:  ‘Oh que ma quille éclate, oh que j’aille à la mer’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4612. This text refers to the forecasts by specialists concerning the economic recovery as expressed in the graphic form of a letter ‘V’ or a letter ‘U’.

‘bête immonde. La’  205

Beaucoup de bruit pour rien      

**

This is the French translation of the title Much Ado about Nothing, one of the most popular comedies by William Shakespeare, published in 1600. On cherche avec eux le piège, la rhétorique à double fond qui ferait de cette expérience de démocratie deliberative jamais vue dans l’Hexagone un ‘beaucoup de bruit pour rien’ orchestré par l’Élysée. © Télérama no. 3657, 15–​21 February 2020. OPM. This text refers to the Convention pour le Climat, made up of 150 people chosen by lottery. They don’t want to be ‘taken for a ride’ by President Macron.

Baudelaire, Charles      

**

Les Fleurs du mal is a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire (1821–​67) that includes most of his poetic work. It provoked an outcry when published and Baudelaire was taken to court, several of his poems being judged ‘immoral’. The total rehabilitation of his work had to wait until 1949. La hantise flirte inévitablement avec la fascination, comme celle que chantait Baudelaire dans son poème ‘Une charogne’ dans ‘Les Fleurs du mal’. © Le Point no. 24371. The fascination in question is that of the cinema-​going public for vampires and blood. See Chapter 1 ‘Albatros, L’’.

Bête humaine. La      

**

La Bête humaine is the title of a novel by Émile Zola (1840–​1902) published in 1890, one of the volumes in the series Les Rougon-​Macquart. The action takes place in the world of steam locomotives and railways. It was made into a film by Jean Renoir in 1938 and starred Jean Gabin. En voyant ces grosses machines tout droit sorties de ‘La Bête humaine’, expédiées à la ferraille avec le souvenir de Jean Gabin, beaucoup de gens se sont bougés. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 152. This text is about steam locomotive enthusiasts who could not bear to see the old locomotives condemned to the scrapyard. They have renovated old rolling stock, rehabilitated certain sections of old railway lines and made successful holiday activities for the visitors to the regions.

‘bête immonde. La’      

**

This is an expression frequently used to refer to Nazism, or to any extreme right-​wing ideology. It comes from a play by Bertolt Brecht, La Résistible Ascension d’Arturo Ui (original title Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui), a satire about the rise of Hitler written in 1941. The exact phrase in context

206  ‘Big Brother [is watching you]’     

is Le ventre est encore fécond d’où a surgi la bête immonde (‘The belly is still fertile from which the foul beast sprang’). En choisissant de s’exprimer dans ‘Valeurs actuelles’, le président savait qu’il pourrait compter sur le grégarisme d’un certain journalisme attentif aux cris d’orfraie des chasseurs de ‘bête immonde’. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4328BL. This text refers to the interview given by President Macron to the magazine Valeurs actuelles, which is on the political right wing and is often accused of being fascist.

‘Big Brother [is watching you]’      

***

‘Big Brother’ (which is never translated as ‘Grand Frère’) is a character in the futuristic novel Nineteen Eighty-​Four by George Orwell (real name Eric Blair (1903–​50)), published in 1949. The expression ‘Big Brother’ is used to describe institutions or their practices that undermine personal freedom and personal privacy. In the dystopian Ninteen Eighty-​Four, Big Brother is omnipresent and the population has been conditioned to accept that ‘Big Brother is watching you’ (le Grand Frère vous surveille). À la fin, le reseau se révèle comme un Big Brother, non avec un œil unique mais avec les yeux à facettes de la mouche géante. © Le Point no. 2434. This is a reference to the dangers of social networks and modern technology, where computer equipment can in fact be a spy in the home.

Bonjour tristesse      

***

Bonjour tristesse was the first novel by Françoise Sagan (1935–​2004), published in 1954 when she was just 18 years old. It was a great success. The title is the second line of a poem by Paul Eluard, ‘À peine défigurée’, in the collection La Vie immédiate: Adieu tristesse, Bonjour tristesse. Bonjour tristesse © L’Obs no. 2848, 6–​12 June 2019. This was the heading of an article about the novel Les Oiseaux de passage by Emily Barnett. It is the story of some friends who have been out of touch since their school days and who meet by chance on the evening of the massacres perpetrated by Islamist terrorists in Paris in 2015.

Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Le      

***

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme is a comedy by Molière that was put on for the first time in 1670. In this play, Molière makes fun of the rich bourgeois

Carabosse 207

M. Jourdain, who wishes to imitate the behaviour and tastes of the nobility. In Act II, Scene iv, M.  Jourdain learns, via his philosophy teacher, that he has been speaking prose for many years without realizing it, hence the expression la prose de M. Jourdain: Par ma foi! Il y a plus de quarante ans que je dis de la prose sans que j’en susse rien, et je vous suis le plus obligé du monde de m’avoir appris cela. Les Strasbourgeois Gentilshommes © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4558. This is the headline of an article about Fabienne Keller and Robert Grossmann, the duumvirate that governed Strasbourg in a despotic manner, according to their opponents. See also below ‘Jourdain. M.’, and Annex 4.

Brave New World      

***

See below Meilleur des mondes. Le.

‘Cachez ce sein’      

***

A misquotation of Couvrez ce sein, from Molière’s Tartuffe. See below ‘Couvrez ce sein’. Cachez ce clitoris © L’Obs no. 2870, 7–​13 November 2019. The heading of an article about attempts at denying women their full erotic and sexual rights. See Annex 4.

Candide      

***

Candide is the title of a philosophical tale published by Voltaire (1694–​ 1778) in 1759, in response, to a certain extent, to the reaction of society to the Lisbon earthquake of 1755. Voltaire reacted against the theory of ‘divine providence’. The character Candide is ingenuous and naïve. Tout comme Candide, Eric Fottorino n’en finit plus de cultiver son jardin . .  . l’ancien directeur du Monde s’est inspiré d’un autre héros de Voltaire pour lancer au printemps dernier Zadig, une revue trimestrielle haut de gamme. © Challenges, no. 635. See below ‘cultiver notre jardin. Il faut’, ‘Pangloss’ and Zadig.

Carabosse      

***

Carabosse is the old, ugly and spiteful fairy of fairy tale. She owes her name to the fact that she is a hunchback. Une drôle de fée Carabosse est passée par là, qui a réduit, d’un coup de baguette législative, le pouvoir des maires de 14 agglomérations. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4861. The operation to reduce the number of administrative layers in local government has resulted in a reduction to the power of certain mayors.

208 ‘cassette! Ma’     

‘cassette! Ma’      

***

In Molière’s play L’Avare, the miser, Harpagon, speaks of his ‘cassette’ (casket) as if he were in love with it. Harpagon n’y retrouverait pas sa cassette. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4589. This text refers to the complexity of bank charges that are impossible to understand. See Annex 4.

‘chair est triste, hélas. La’      

***

These are the first words of the first line of a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé (1842–​98), ‘Brise Marine’:  La chair est triste, hélas! et j’ai lu tous les livres. La Chair est triste, hélas. La moitié des couples interrogés n’ont pas honoré le devoir conjugal depuis au moins un mois. © L’Obs no. 2843, 2–​8 May 2019. AG. This line came from an article dealing with the sexual problems dogging the Japanese: sadism, violence, fetichism etc.

‘Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop.’       *** This is a line from the comedy Le Glorieux, III (1732) by Philippe Destouches (1680–​1754), which in turn comes from Horace: Je ne vous dirai pas: changez de caractère; Car on n’en change point, je ne le sais que trop Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop. Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop. Jean Leonetti a été autrement plus valeureux. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. These are the words of the Prime Minister Édouard Philippe concerning the position adopted by Jean Leonetti, co-​author of the law relating to the end of life. In contrast, the Catholic politician of the Les Républicains, François-​Xavier Bellamy, expressed satisfaction regarding the decision to resume feeding Vincent Lambert. The latter, who had severe, irreversible, brain damage, had been in a vegetative state for over ten years. He was finally ‘disconnected’ from his support systems in July 2019 after a marathon legal battle that has split France.

‘chatouille ou est-​c e que ça vous gratouille? Est-​c e que ça vous’      

**

‘Does it tickle you or does it itch?’ These words are from the play Knock by Jules Romains (1885–​1972). The patient has just told his doctor that

‘Cigale et la Fourmi. La’  209

his throat tickles and itches. With great seriousness the doctor replies:  Ne confondons pas; est-​ce que ça vous chatouille ou est-​ce que ça vous gratouille? The subtitle of the play is ‘The triumph of medical science’. These lines were immortalized by the actor Louis Jouvet. Ça vous chatouille ou ça vous gratouille? © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4661. This refers to a TV programme on Channel 2 where contestants send electrical shocks to a fake guinea pig contestant. The idea is based on the work of the American psychologist Stanley Milgram, conducted in 1963 and bearing on submission to authority. His experiment was used in the film I comme Icare by Henri Verneuil (1979) starring Yves Montand.

‘Chêne et le Roseau. Le’      

***

These words refer to La Fontaine’s fable ‘Le Chêne et le Roseau’ (‘The Oak Tree and the Reed’). Speaking to the oak tree, the reed says Les vents me sont moins qu’à vous redoutables. Je plie, et ne romps pas (‘The winds are less formidable for me than they are for you. I  bend, but I  do not break’). Par deux fois effondrée, la cathédrale gothique plie mais ne rompt pas. © Le Point no. 2447. CG.The cathedral in question is that of Beauvais.

Chimène. Les yeux de nmpl.      

***

To look at sb. with the eyes of Chimène is to look amorously at them with hidden passion. Chimène, one of the female characters in the play Le Cid by Pierre Corneille (1606–​84), is desperately in love with Rodrigue, on whom she casts amorous looks. See Annex 2. QW.

‘Cigale et la Fourmi. La’      

***

‘La Cigale et la Fourmi’ is one of La Fontaine’s best-​known fables. It contrasts the prudential and industrious behaviour of the ant, who spends summer gathering food to prepare for winter, and the frivolous grasshopper, who spends her time singing but finds herself in difficulty when winter comes. She goes to see her neighbour the ant, to tell her that she is hungry (Elle alla crier famine chez la fourmi sa voisine). The ant asks her how she has spent summer, to which the grasshopper replies ‘I spent summer singing.’ The ant responds J’en suis fort aise. Eh bien dansez maintenant. Comme la cigale de la fable, nous risquons des lendemains qui déchantent. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4301. This text refers to the phenomenal weight of the French national debt. See below ‘crier famine chez la fourmi sa voisine. Elle alla’.

210  Clochemerle     

Clochemerle      

**

This is the name of a humorous and satirical novel, written by Gabriel Chevallier (1895–​1969) and published in 1934, about a typical French village and the ludicrous quarrels of its inhabitants. The point at issue in the novel is the mayor’s project to build a public urinal next to the parish church. The term ‘Clochemerle’ is used today in relation to petty, parochial squabbling. Un Clochemerle d’autant plus féroce que les enjeux financiers sont énormes © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5173. The quarrel in question is the attribution (or not) of the term ‘champagne’ to white sparkling wine produced in the Soisson area (the départements of Aisne (02) and Oise (60)). The département of the Marne (51) (in the heart of the champagne region) is against the proposition.

‘cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. Le’      

***

This is the famous quotation from Les Pensées (1670) by Blaise Pascal (1623–​ 62), the French scientist, writer and philosopher. L’Auteur a ses raisons que la raison ignore. © Marianne no. 1151, 5–​11 April 2019. Cesare Battisti, the terrorist, has finally confessed to having killed several people. The novelist Fred Vargas, who has always defended him, believing him innocent, continues to support the terrorist without giving her reasons.

‘cœur? Rodrigue, as-​t u du’      

**

The famous words of Don Diègue to his son in the play Le Cid by Pierre Corneille(1606–​84). Having suffered an affront at the hands of the comte de Gormas, and being too old to fight, Don Diègue asks his son whether he has the courage to avenge his father. ‘Heart’ in this context is a synonym of ‘courage’. See Annex 2. QW.

‘cœur. Tu me fends le’      

***

This is one of the best-​loved lines in French cinema history and of Marseille folklore. It comes from Marius, the first of the plays from the trilogy by Marcel Pagnol (1895–​1974):  Marius (1929), Fanny (1931) and César (1946). The words are spoken by César to Panisse during the famous card game. César is trying to give Escartefigue (his partner in the game) a hidden message that he should play hearts as trump (couper à cœur). In response to Panisse’s accusation that César is cheating, César pretends to be hurt and says that Panisse is ‘breaking his heart’. By the time Escartefigue has understood the message,

cornélien (un dilemme)  211

Panisse has detected the trickery and leaves the card table, throwing his cards in the air. Collègue, tu me fends le cœur. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4660. This was the text of a cartoon in Le Canard, the subject being the overpopulation of the prisons in France. NB ‘collègue’ in Marseille slang means ‘friend’, or ‘chum’, and not a fellow worker.

‘combat cessa faute de combattants. Et le’      

**

These are the words of Rodrigue in Le Cid by Corneille. It refers to a battle that peters out without any great result because of a lack of combatants. Faute de combattants la guerre n’a pas eu lieu à Libération. © Marianne no. 1152, 12–​ 18 April 2019. In spite of the profound dissension within the editorial board of the newspaper Libération, nothing came of it. See Annex 2.

Comédie humaine, La      

**

In 1845, Honoré de Balzac (1799–​1850) decided to gather all of his 137 works under the single title of La Comédie humaine, this being a reference to Dante and La Divine comédie. Comedie humaine à Lourdes © Le Point no.  2435. Lourdes is the title of a documentary film by Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai about the pilgrims in Lourdes, far from the commercial clichés and without any religious consideration. It was here in 1858 that the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Bernadette Soubirous.

Contes des Mille et Une Nuits. Les      

**

The book entitled Les Mille et Une Nuits is an anonymous collection of popular Middle Eastern folktales in Arabic, compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. Known in English as The Arabian Nights, it has given us the characters of Sinbad, Ali Baba and Aladdin. Contes des mille et une nuisettes © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 130. A Turkish businessman has launched the first online, halal sex shop. NB ‘une nuisette’ is a very short, light and sexy nightdress. See below Mille et Une Nuits. Les.

cornélien (un dilemme)      

***

The character Rodrigue, in the play Le Cid by Corneille (see above), is faced with the choice between love and honour and finds himself on the horns of a dilemma, i.e. the choice between avenging his father or keeping Chimène, the woman he loves. Les élèves devront opérer un choix cornélien: opter pour

212 Cosette     

la spécialité 'mathématiques’ . . . ou se contenter de deux heures d’humanités scientifiques du tronc commun. © L’Obs, no. 2841, 18–​24 April 2019. GG. See Annex 2

Cosette      

***

Cosette is the name of the little girl in the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (1802–​85). Her mother sends her to board and lodge with the Thénardiers, who exploit her mercilessly. Apolline de Malherbe, apparaissant bouleversée par ces Français qui vont au travail chaque matin avec la boule au ventre, c’est Marie-​ Chantal qui joue Cosette. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5139. The implication here is that sb. with a name ‘à particule’ can know nothing of the conditions of the working class. Marie-​Chantal is a name that connotes a high social class, the very antithesis of Cosette’s social condition. See Annex 3.

‘coup de pied de l’âne. Le’      

***

When a great man is old and weak, his vassals of the past no longer respect him and are the first to kick him once he is down. The expression comes from the fable by La Fontaine ‘Le Lion devenu vieux’, published in1668: Le Lion, terreur des forêts, Chargé d’ans et pleurant son antique prouesse, Fut enfin attaqué par ses propres sujets, Devenus forts par sa faiblesse. Joaquin Almunia, aujourd’hui commissaire européen aux affaires économiques lui a infligé le coup de pied de l’âne en mettant l’Espagne dans le même sac que la Grèce. © Le Point no. 1952. This is a reference to the martyrdom of José Luis Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, who has become highly unpopular. His old enemy Joaquín Almunia, as one of the European Commissioners, has recently added to his problems by downgrading the economic status of Spain. See Annex 1.

‘Coup d’État permanent. Le’      

***

This was the title of an essay written by the late François Mitterrand in 1964 protesting against the excessive personal powers of de Gaulle under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic. Coupes d’État permanentes © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4588. This play on words refers to the austerity budget and the reductions in State expenditure. NB Mitterrand did nothing to reduce the

‘crier famine chez la fourmi sa voisine. Elle alla’   213

excessive personal power of the President during his 14-​year presidential mandate.

Courteline      

***

Georges Courteline, real name Georges Moineaux (1858–​1929), was a novelist and playwright who came to fame through his work that depicted the petty human comedies of everyday life. His name evokes the pettifogging civil servant at the service window who has an over-​inflated opinion of his own importance and who is both the servant and the slave of ridiculous rules and regulations. His behaviour gives rise to absurd situations. Le décret et l’arrêté . . . qui fixent les rations servies aux élèves (parfois à 10 grammes près) sont régulièrement dénoncés comme un chef d’œuvre à faire pâlir Courteline. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4838. This text calls into question pernickety administrative regulations concerning the food served in school canteens. See below ‘courtelinesque’, and Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir.

courtelinesque      

***

La ville devrait faire partie . . . des nouvelles entités courtelinesques que vient de créer la loi . . . les Puces, “Périmètres d’Usage de Consommation Exceptionnel”, où travailler le dimanche sera autorisé. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4631. This text evokes the rules concerning Sunday opening for certain types of shop in certain parts of the town, which border on the absurd. See above ‘Courteline’. See below Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir.

‘Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir’      

***

This quotation from the play Tartuffe (1664) by Molière (1622–​73) is perhaps the most frequently (mis)quoted and punned-​upon sentence in the French press. The play was forbidden by the court and it was only in 1669 that the ban was lifted. Tartuffe is a hypocritical character and says these words in the scene where he is confronted with a lady wearing a low-​cut dress. See above ‘Cachez ce sein’. See Annex 4.

‘crier famine chez la fourmi sa voisine. Elle alla’      

***

Le même qui crie famine fait travailler pas moins de sept avocats à sa defense. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4863. The controversial comic Dieudonné has been trying to appear penniless, whereas he is employing a battery of lawyers to

214  ‘crier haro sur le baudet’     

defend him against charges of racism and anti-​Semitism. See above ‘Cigale et la Fourmi. La’. See below Annex 1.

‘crier haro sur le baudet’      

***

See above ‘Animaux malades de la peste. Les.’ Haro sur les classes moyennes. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4857. The man in the street is going to pay higher taxes to finance tax reform. ‘Classe moyenne’ does not translate as ‘middle class’. Rather it means the average French people, the vast majority, people of modest means  –​certainly not ‘bourgeois’. The English term ‘middle class’ would refer to the upper social and professional classes in France. See Annex 1.

Crime et châtiment      

***

Crime et châtiment (Crime and Punishment) is the title of a novel by the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–​81) published in 1866. Frime et châtiment © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5150. This was the heading of a front-​page article about the luxurious dinners, paid for by the taxpayer, that were given by the former President of the National Assembly and minister for ecological transition, François de Rugy. The guests at such dinners were not heads of State, and the dinners seemed to be a gathering of friends and acquaintances. With photos showing lobsters à gogo and fine wines at €500 a bottle, de Rugy was forced to resign. ‘Frime’ is ‘showing off’. The papers headlined Homard m’a tuer (sic). See Chapter 2 ‘Omar m’a tuer’.

‘cultiver notre jardin. Il faut’      

***

In the story of Candide (1759) by Voltaire, we learn that work helps us to avoid three things: boredom, vice and need. The concluding words of Candide are Il faut cultiver notre jardin. Je cultiverais mon jardin. Mais ce n’est pas pour demain. © L’Obs no. 2841, 18–​24 June 2019. These are the words of Catherine Deneuve speaking about retirement. It is strange that she should use the conditional rather than the future of the indicative. See below ‘Pangloss’.

Cyrano      

**

Cyrano de Bergerac is a play by Edmond Rostand (1868–​1918). Cyrano has a big nose, which gives rise to the ‘tirade du nez’: C’est un roc! c’est un pic! . . . c’est un cap! Que dis-​je, c’est un cap? C’est une péninsule! This is one of the

‘Demain, dès l’aube . . .’  215

most famous parts of a very long monologue. Jouanno a du nez: elle était dans la promotion Cyrano de l’ ÉNA. Les Dossiers du Canard no. 115. NB ‘avoir du nez’ means to have flair, to have good instincts. Each year (‘promotion’) of the École nationale d’adminstration (ÉNA) bears a famous name, real or imaginary, chosen by the students.

‘Dansez maintenant!’      

***

Vous chantiez au son du carillon subventionné, à l’abri du monopole de la Poste, rassasiés par la gamelle de l’État Providence, eh bien riez maintenant. © Marianne no. 577. This text refers to the privatization of the French Post Office and echoes the words of La Fontaine. See ‘Cigale et la Fourmi. La’, and Annex 1.

dantesque      

***

The greatest work of Dante Alighieri (1265–​1321) was The Divine Comedy, an allegorical poem in three parts: ‘Hell’, ‘Purgatory’ and finally ‘Paradise’. The adjective Dantesque (or Dantean) evokes a scene of horror and evil. It is a vision of hell. En arrivant par la rue Rambuteau, le spectacle est déjà dantesque. © Marianne no. 1153, 19–​25 April 2019. This refers to the view confronting the onlookers at the fire that nearly destroyed Notre-​Dame de Paris.

‘Demain, dès l’aube . . .’      

***

This is part of the first line of one of the most famous poems by Victor Hugo (1802–​85) published in 1856 in a collection entitled Les Contemplations. The poem was written in 1847, four years after the accidental death of his daughter, Léopoldine, aged 19. A  young bride, she died with her husband when their boat sank in 1843, just a few metres from the banks of the Seine. Demain, dès l’aube, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne, Je partirai. Vois-​tu, je sais que tu m’attends. J’irai par la forêt, j’irai par la montagne. Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps. Hier matin, donc, à l’heure où blanchit la campagne, je fais tout comme lui, tout comme il a fait . . . Résultat: travail hors connexion. © Marianne no. 576. This text refers to the trials and tribulations faced by micro-​computer users. See Annex 3.

216 ‘Dessine-moi un mouton!’     

‘Dessine-​m oi un mouton!’      

***

The words of the ‘petit prince’ from the eponymous work by Antoine de Saint-​Exupéry (1900–​44): Le premier soir je me suis donc endormi sur le sable à mille milles de toutes les terres habitées. J’étais plus isolé qu’un naufragé sur un radeau au milieu de l’océan. Alors vous imaginez ma surprise, au lever du jour, quand une drôle de petite voix m’a réveillé. Elle disait: ‘S’il te plait –​dessine-​moi un mouton!’ Non pas ‘dessine-​moi un mouton’ mais ‘achète-​moi un révolver’ © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5133. This was a commentary on the film Comprame un revolver, which addresses the question of young children and gun violence.

Diafoirus      

***

This is the name of a character in the play Le Malade imaginaire by Molière. He is a doctor who is pedantic and fond of pseudo-​scientific expressions but is not particularly interested in his patients’ welfare. His usual recommendation to the patient is purgare, saignare (purges and blood-​letting). Les Diafoirus de la performance économique ne comprennent pas l’utilité sociale d’hommes et de femmes dont le métier est une vocation avant d’être une fonction. © Marianne no.  575. This text refers to the decline in the appreciation, by the general public, of the teaching community in an age where the transmission of a cultural heritage has little or no market value. See Annex 4.

Discours de la méthode      

**

This is one of the most famous works written by the French philosopher René Descartes (1596–​1650). La méthode du discours. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4625. This was the headline of an article bearing on the method of the Iranian President for silencing opponents, Silence dans l’Iran. See Chapter 2 ‘Silence dans les rangs!’.

Don Quichotte      

***

Don Quichotte (in Spanish, Don Quijote) is the main character in the story El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel Cervantes (1547–​1616) published between 1605 and 1615. Don Quichotte is a Spanish nobleman obsessed with the idea of chivalry. He spends his time fighting

envoi. L’  217

imaginary foes by ‘tilting at windmills’. He is accompanied by his faithful servant Sancho Panza and rides upon a horse called Rosinante. En Corse, L’État nous condamne à être des Don Quichotte qui se battent contre des moulins. © Marianne no. 1162, 21–​7 June 2019. The State is failing to support the mayors in Corsica who are trying to fight the local mafia. See below ‘Dulcinée. Sa’.

Dulcinée. Sa      

***

This character comes from Don Quichotte. She never appears but exists in the imagination of Don Quichotte as the most beautiful woman. Dulcinée is often employed mockingly when referring to one’s loved one. Mais il faut croire que ce bon mari mouille trop la chemise pour sa dulcinée. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4870. During her tour of France, the singer Carla Bruni is often upstaged by her husband (Nicolas Sarkozy), who takes advantage of the occasion to make himself seen. See above ‘Don Quichotte’.

‘égaux que d’autres. Certains sont plus’      

**

In the futuristic novel Animal Farm by George Orwell (1903–​50) published in 1945, the animals rebel, drive out the humans from the farm and declare the principles of equality among themselves. Little by little, the pigs take control, and above the pig pen is written a new principle: ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.’ Des lycéens plus égaux que d’autres. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4564. This refers to the difference in treatment given to schools in difficult social areas as opposed to the elite schools in the nicer quarters of Paris.

Émile      

*

Émile; ou, De l’éducation is a treatise on education published in 1762 by Jean-​ Jacques Rousseau (1712–​78). It remains an important part of the reading for any young trainee teacher. The only country where he does not seem to have made any impression is France, where, for many years, children were considered to be jugs to be filled with knowledge rather than as young beings encouraged to discover what they need to know. Dans l’“Émile,” Rousseau explique que les humains préfèrent croire en quelque chose de faux que de ne pas croire. © L’Obs no. 2864, 26 September–​2 October 2019. XDLP.

envoi. L’       Prince, demande à Dieu pardon! Je quarte du pied, j’escarmouche,

**

218  ‘Être et le néant. L’     

je coupe, je feinte . . . Hé! là donc À la fin de l’envoi, je touche. This is part of a monologue in Cyrano de Bergerac written by Edmond Rostand (1868–​1918). À la fin de l’envoi, je touche . . . Dans la soirée du 5, les annonces codées sont diffusées en rafales par la radio de Londres. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4306. These coded messages were intended to trigger the various actions of sabotage on the part of the French Resistance, not only in Normandy but elsewhere, to mislead the Germans into thinking that the Pas de Calais was where the Normandy landings would take place in 1944.

‘Être et le néant. L’      

***

L’Être et le néant is an essay written by Jean-​Paul Sartre (1905–​80) published in 1943. La Lettre et le néant © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4842. This was the title of an article concerning a letter (totally without interest) written by Albert Camus to Sartre and presented as being of capital importance. NB Sartre had no problem publishing his work or staging his plays at a time when permission for such activities was given by the Kommandantur. During that time, Camus was fighting in the Resistance. Judging by the yardstick of existentialism (our actions define who we are) neither Sartre nor his partner Simone de Beauvoir comes out of the war in a particularly good light, hence the scorn poured upon Camus by the ‘mythical’ couple, who tried to ‘rewrite’ their own past and to belittle Camus by calling him a philosopher for upper-​sixth-​form pupils.

‘Être ou ne pas être’      

***

‘To be or not to be’ is the beginning of the famous soliloquy of Hamlet in the play of the same name by William Shakespeare (1564–​16). NB in English, the word ‘monologue’ can be used, but in a theatrical context one speaks more frequently of ‘soliloquy’. Être ou ne pas être dans l’Europe, telle fut la question existentielle du Royaume-​Uni, depuis la fondation des premières institutions de la Communauté. © Marianne no. 1152, 12–​18 April 2019.

Exercices de style      

***

This is the title of the most famous work by the writer Raymond Queneau (1903–​ 76) published in 1947. Students of the French language should, at some stage of their studies, read this unique book. The author tells the

Fleurs du mal. Les 219

same short story in dozens of different ways, each version having its own literary style and register. Queneau was a precursor of this creative mode and co-​founder of the ‘Oulipo’ association with François Le Lionnais in 1960. ‘Oulipo’ stands for ‘Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle.’ It was an association made up of writers and mathematicians. Georges Perec (1936–​82), one of the great names of this association, wrote a novel in 1969 entitled La Disparition. It was written without once using the letter ‘e’. Each Oulipo creation was the result of a self-​imposed constraint of some kind: ‘la contrainte oulipienne’. Le roi lion provoquera à coup sûr des débats passionnés entre ceux qui le considèrent comme un exercice de style inutile et ceux qui se laisseront happer par l’expérience au point d’en oublier l’original. © Le Point no. 2446. PDLV.

Faust, faustien      

***

Christopher Marlowe (1564–​93) was the first playwright to exploit the tale of Dr Faustus, a sixteenth-​century alchemist who, in return for knowledge, sells his soul to the devil, Mephistopheles. Johann von Goethe (1749–​1832) also wrote a play of the same name. Il renouvelle et élargit le pacte faustien de l’aliénation gratuite des données individuelles en échange de l’accès à la messagerie. © Le Point no.  2443. The ‘il’ in question is the project of a cryptocurrency called Libra, to be launched by Facebook.

Figaro      

***

‘Figaro-​ci, Figaro-​là’ comes from the aria ‘Largo al factotum’ from Rossini’s opera Il barbiere di Siviglia, inspired by the comedy Le Barbier de Séville by Beaumarchais (1732–​99). Hidalgo-​ci, Hidalgo-​là © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4858. The opinions of the mayoress of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, are somewhat ‘swing wing’. In the past, she claimed that when a team is tired, it should be changed. Nowadays she refuses to talk about replacing the Prime Minister. She was afraid that the PM might just decide to run against her in the Paris City Hall elections in 2020.

Fleurs du mal. Les      

**

Les Fleurs du mal is the title of a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire (1821–​67) published in 1857. Les Fleurs du mal © Marianne no. 1149, 22–​28 March 2019. This was the heading of an article devoted to the production of flowers throughout the world. Harvested in sordid conditions and full of pesticides, certain flowers and plants are time bombs for the planet and the people harvesting them. See above ‘Albatros, L’’.

220  Foire aux vanités. La     

Foire aux vanités. La      

**

Vanity Fair is a novel written by William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–​ 63). The term comes from the allegorical book by John Bunyan (1628–​88) published in 1678, The Pilgrim’s Progress, which tells of Christian’s journey from the ‘City of Destruction’ to the ‘Celestial City’. À Gérard Depardieu et François-​Marie Banier, pour qui ‘Cannes n’est plus Cannes’, on conseille de plonger dans la Foire aux vanités. Ils s’y reconnaîtront. Et en riront. © L’Obs no. 2844, 9–​15 May 2019.

‘fourmi n’est pas prêteuse. La’      

**

La fourmi n’est pas prêteuse, c’est là son moindre défaut. Le gouvernement a suscité l’ire des fourmis industrieuses ne comprenant pas pourquoi elles devraient payer pour les cigales. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4329. The private pension funds are in good financial shape and they do not see why their funds should be expropriated to balance the public pension funds, which are in the red. See above ‘Cigale et la Fourmi. La’. See Annex 1.

‘galère? Qu’allait-​i l faire dans cette’      

***

In Molière’s play Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671) Scapin tries to extort money from Géronte by telling him that Géronte’s son has been taken prisoner by the Turks and is now on a Turkish galley pending the payment of a ransom. Géronte replies Que diable allait-​il faire dans cette galère?. It is to be noted that ‘galère’ can mean either a ship –​i.e. ‘a galley’ –​or ‘a nightmarish situation’. Que sont-​ils allés faire dans cette galère? © Le Monde no. 23221. This is a reflection on the choice of the city of Bordeaux for the ‘université d’été’ of the right-​wing parties in 2019. It is the synonym of right-​wing party discord. See Annex 4.

Gargantua      

***

This is the name of one of the giants, and the title of the second volume (1534), of the novel pentalogy by Rabelais (1494–​1553), La Vie de Gargantua et Pantagruel. Their names evoke insatiable appetites. Pour compléter le tableau, un rapport sur les cuisines –​des services vétérinaires, celui-​là –​couperait l’appétit à Gargantua. © Le Canard enchainé no. 4622. This text concerns the unhygienic state of certain canteens and the associated health risks. See below Pantagruel.

Grandeurs et servitudes  221

Gavroche      

***

Gavroche is the name of the generous and jaunty street urchin in the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, published in 1862. The painting by Eugène Delacroix (1798–​1863), Liberté guidant le peuple (1830), is said to have been Hugo’s inspiration for this character. Gavroche dies on the barricades during the Paris Uprising of June 1832 as he tries to pick up unspent cartridges while singing his famous song: Je suis tombé par terre, C’est la faute à Voltaire, Le nez dans le ruisseau, C’est la faute à . . .’ He dies before being able to finish his sentence with the name ‘Rousseau’. Le rire l’emporte sur la peur et les Gavroches d’Alger exorcisent les cauchemars qui les hantent depuis plus d’une génération. © Marianne no. 1156, 10–​16 May 2019. This text refers to the demonstrators in Algeria, in the wake of the collapse of the Bouteflika regime, who are no longer afraid to demonstrate for their ideas. See Annex 3.

Germinal      

***

Germinal is a novel by Émile Zola (1840–​1902), the thirteenth in the series Les Rougon-​Macquart, which deals with the question of the inhuman working conditions of miners in the north of France. L’Assommoir is the title of another Zola novel, published in 1877, seventh in the series. It is devoted to describing the world of the workers and the ravages wrought by alcoholism. La seule fois qu’elle a vu un ouvrier, ça devait être au cinéma dans ‘Germinal’, ricanait le délégué d’une mutuelle. Marisol, elle, serait plutôt l’assommante. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4854. This quote refers to the deadly boring (‘assomant’) speech of Marisol Touraine, then minister of social and health affairs, during a conference at the Mutualité française. A socialist, Mme. Touraine has declared personal assets of over €7 million, hence the sarcasm of the delegate at the conference.

Grandeurs et servitudes      

**

Servitude et grandeur militaires is a collection of short stories by Alfred de Vigny (1797–​1863) published in 1835. Un enseignement de l’histoire à la Plutarque et à la Michelet aidera à cette formation dont la conclusion portera

222  Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le bœuf. La     

sur les grandeurs et les servitudes du métier d’État, pour le bien de la nation. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4303. This text refers to the words of Michel Debré, the founder of the École nationale d’administration.

Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le bœuf. La      

***

In the La Fontaine’s fable ‘La Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le bœuf’ (‘The Frog who Wishes to Be as Big as the Ox’), the frog inflates himself to the point of bursting. Le monde est plein de gens qui ne sont pas plus sages: Tout Bourgeois veut bâtir comme les grands Seigneurs, Tout petit Prince a des Ambassadeurs, Tout Marquis veut avoir des Pages. De quoi renforcer l’idée d’une bulle boursière qui, à force d’enfler, ressemble de plus en plus à la grenouille de la fable? © Les Echos no. 23105. NB in modern French we would say ‘qui veut se faire’ and not ‘qui se veut faire’. See Annex 1.

Guerre de Troie n’aura pas lieu. La      

***

This is the name of a play, written in 1935 by Jean Giraudoux (1882–​1944), an allegory of the rise of Hitler, the danger of war and the concessions required to avoid it. La guerre du tabac aura bien lieu. © Valeurs actuelles, no. 4301. The tobacco industry is facing a drop in consumption of between 15 and 20 per cent. The number of smokers in France has dropped by 1.5 million over the past few years.

Gulliver See below ‘lilliputien’.

Hamlet      

***

Hamlet is the name of a prince of Denmark and the central character in the eponymous tragedy by William Shakespeare. Early on in the play the character of Marcellus says ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ (I.iv.90). Hamlet’s soliloquy has given us the famous ‘To be or not to be, that is the question’ (III.i.56). Tel Hamlet dans son royaume pourri –​‘sans être prince du

‘homme est un loup pour l’homme. L’’  223

tout, j’ai fait au Danemark du “be or not to be”, en cellule, pas pour Shakespeare, pour les rats’. © Le Point no.  2437. The text refers to the imprisonment of Louis-​Ferdinand Céline in Denmark from February to October 1946 after his exile in Sigmaringen. Céline was a notorious anti-​Semite and left France with the Pétainist government, which went to Sigmaringen on Hitler’s orders in 1945. See above Bagatelles pour un massacre.

Harpagon      

***

Harpagon is the tight-​fisted character in Molière’s play L’Avare (The Miser). Harpagon represents avarice. He economizes on everything and refuses to spend the slightest amount of money; he only thinks of the money in his casket. Mais l’inspecteur des finances Macron passe pour un Harpagon à côté de Sarkozy. © Marianne no. 1155, 3–​9 May 2019. See above ‘cassette! Ma’, and Annex 4.

Hernani See above ‘bataille d’Hernani. Une’.

‘Heureux qui comme Ulysse’      

***

Ulysses was the Latin name of the Greek hero Odysseus in the poem called the Odyssey, which is ascribed to Homer and relates the wanderings of the King of Ithaca. This is the title and first line of a poem by Joachim du Bellay (1522–​60)  :  ‘Heureux qui comme Ulysse a fait un beau voyage’. Hélas, nos quatre Ulysse se font cueillir à leur arrivée par la police qui les a remis à la police des frontières. Pas sûr qu’ils finissent heureux ni qu’ils aient un beau voyage. © Marianne no. 607. The text refers to clandestine immigrants arrested by the border police and suggests that it is unlikely that they will be happy or have a good journey.

‘homme est un loup pour l’homme. L’’      

**

These are the words of Plautus (254–​184 b c ), a Roman writer, who wrote Homo homini lupus (‘Man is a wolf for man’, i.e. ‘brother will turn on brother’). It was later popularized by the British philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588–​1679) in a work entitled De cive (Of the Citizen). Un loup pour l’homme © Marianne no.  1179. This was the heading of an article that deals with a novella written by László Krasznahorkai entitled Le Dernier Loup. See Chapter 13 ‘Homo homini lupus’.

224  hommes de bonne volonté. Les     

hommes de bonne volonté. Les      

***

This is the title of a saga written by Jules Romains, poet and writer (1885–​ 1972), which includes 27 volumes covering the years 1908–​33. It was a description of all the layers making up French society. Les hommes de bonne volonté. © Marianne no. 619. The context of this quote is the work done by a group of social workers in Palestine to stop the corruption surrounding the distribution of international aid. ‘Les hommes de bonne volonté’, in the biblical sense, are men ‘in whom God is well pleased’. See Luke 2:14.

‘Huître et les plaideurs. L’’      

**

In La Fontaine’s fable ‘L’Huître et les Plaideurs’, two men find an oyster but cannot decide who should have the right to eat it. They ask a judge to decide. The judge eats the oyster and leaves each man with half of the shell. C’est une nouvelle version de l’huître et les plaideurs de Jean de La Fontaine. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4843. This was a reference to the late Maître Jacques Vergès (1925–​2003), who left France at the age of 17 to join General de Gaulle in London. With typical self-​deprecation he confessed that the only war wound he sustained was a cut on his finger, that he had caused himself while opening oysters in Oléron. Vergès was one of the most brilliant lawyers of his time. See Annex 1.

infamie      

**

Tête à claques et veule, il la trompe vigoureusement avec une pharmacienne sexy. ‘N’a-​t-​elle donc tant vécu que pour cette infamie?’ © Marianne no. 1179. BF. This is the background to the TV series Mytho, starring Marina Hands, who plays a neglected housewife who invents an imaginary cancer to gain attention. See below ‘Ô rage! Ô désespoir!’.

Insoutenable Légèreté de l’être. L’      

***

This is the title of a novel by Milan Kundera, written in 1982 (translated into English as The Unbearable Lightness of Being). À son [Cécile Duflot’s] sujet, Daniel Cohn-​Bendit avait un jour évoqué “l’insoutenable légèreté de l’arrivisme”. Personne ne l’a jamais mieux croquée. © Le Canard enchaîné. The very ambitious former minister of ecology Cécile Duflot gave up politics and is now head of Oxfam.

‘ivresse. Pourvu qu’on ait l’  225

inventaire à la Prévert nm.      

***

Jacques Prévert (1900–​77), a French poet, used the ‘inventaire’ as a poetic art form. As its name implies, it is just one long succession of items. It is synonymous with an endless list or litany. His poem begins: Une pierre deux maisons trois ruines quatre fossoyeurs un jardin des fleurs un raton laveur. Le grand débat est terminé. Le gouvernement a reçu toutes les lettres au père Noël et des vœux dignes d’un inventaire à la Prévert. © L’Obs no. 2837, 21–​7 March 2019. MF. See below ‘ubuesque’.

‘Invitation au voyage. L’’      

***

One of the most famous of the poems in the collection Les Fleurs du mal written by Charles Baudelaire (1821–​67). Cette enquête savante, fruit d’une longue plongée dans les archives, est aussi une invitation au voyage. © L’Obs no. 2843, 2–​8 May 2019. This was the conclusion of a review concerning the book Une mer jalousée by Guillaume Calafat, about the Mediterranean and the conflicts that it has provoked over the years:  fishing rights, territorial waters, customs duties etc. See below ‘Luxe, calme et volupté’.

‘ivresse. Pourvu qu’on ait l’      

**

Alfred de Musset (1810–​57) wrote Qu’importe le flacon pourvu qu’on ait l’ivresse? Le Canard enchaîné picked out a typing error in an article published in the TV magazine Télé 7 jours. It was a description of the breakfast taken by the Tour de France cyclists: Il ressemble à un repas: riz, omelette, porridge, flacons d’avoine dans du lait. The word ‘flacons’ (the plural of flask, small bottle) should have been ‘flocons’ (flakes), hence the Canard’s quip, Qu’importe le flocon pourvu qu’on ait l’ivresse? © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5149.

226  ‘J’écris ton nom, Liberté’     

‘J’écris ton nom, Liberté’      

**

The source of this quotation is the litany ‘Liberté’ in Poésie et vérité (1942) by Paul Éluard, the nom-​ de-​ plume of Eugène Grindel (1895–​ 1952). He entered the Resistance in 1942. Poésie et Vérité contains the poems that are a direct attack on Nazism and collaboration. The most famous among them is ‘Liberté’. Thousands of copies of this poem were dropped by the Royal Air Force over the occupied countries of Europe. Three pages long, it begins: Sur mes cahiers d’écolier Sur mon pupitre et les arbres Sur le sable sur la neige J’écris ton nom . . . Liberté. Liberté, j’écris ton nom. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4572. This quotation is an allusion to the book Journal d’un négrier au XVIII siècle published in 1734 by Captain William Snelgrave, bearing on the black slave trade and republished by Gallimard.

‘Je suis oiseau: voyez mes ailes’      

**

This is yet another reference that we owe to La Fontaine. It is from the fable ‘La Chauve-​souris et les deux Belettes (‘The Bat and the Two Weasels’). In this fable, a bat is on the point of being eaten by a weasel, who takes him for a mouse. But the bat says to the weasel: ‘I am a bird, look at my wings. Long live the birds who fly through the air.’ A little later, another weasel is on the point of eating the bat, taking him for a bird. The bat pretends to be a mouse, saying ‘What makes a bird? It’s the feathers. I  am a mouse. Long live the Rats!’. Once again, she saves her own life. Je suis oiseau, voyez mes ailes, je suis souris, vivent les rats. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4850. Cécile Duflot, former minister and member of the Parti écologiste, changes her speech according to political circumstances. She is known to be an opportunist with flexible opinions. See above Insoutenable Légèreté de l’être. L’, and Annex 1.

‘Jean qui pleure et qui rit’      

**

This refers to two opposite sides of the same coin and comes from a collection of ‘petits poèmes’ by Voltaire, this particular one dating from 1772. The poem contrasts Jean in the morning, who contemplates the ills of the world and is depressed, and Jean in the evening who, thanks to wine, women and good

Knock 227

food, sees life from the opposite angle. Florian qui pleure, Marion qui rit. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5174. This is a reference to the misfortunes of the former National Front executive Florian Philippot, who has left the movement to found his own party, and Marion Maréchal, Marine Le Pen’s niece, who has the wind in her sails.

Jourdain. M.      

**

In the play Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Molière ridicules M.  Jourdain, the bourgeois, who wants to imitate the nobles in every aspect of their lives. He thus takes lessons in fencing, dancing and philosophy, and is informed by his ‘maître de philosophie’ that the language he is speaking is called ‘prose’. It is then that M. Jourdain says the famous line: Par ma foi! Il y a plus de quarante ans que je dis de la prose sans que j’en susse rien. On faisait déjà de la politique spatiale militaire comme Monsieur Jourdain de la prose, sans le savoir. The words of Jean-​Yves Le Gall, President of the Centre national d’études spatiales, quoted in Le Canard enchaîné no.  5152. See also above Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Le, and Annex 4.

Journal d’un curé de campagne      

*

This is the title of a novel by Georges Bernanos (1888–​1948) published in 1936. The same year, it was awarded the Grand Prix of the Académie française. This novel was among a list of those rated as the best of the first half of the twentieth century. It was adapted for the cinema by Robert Bresson in 1951. Catholique; monarchiste mais antifasciste, l’auteur du ‘Journal d’un curé de campagne’ fut d’une rare lucidité sur la montée des périls en Europe. © L’Obs no. 2848. MF. 6–​12 June 2019.

kafkaïen      

***

An adjective that reminds us of the absurd and oppressive atmosphere of Kafka’s novels. Selon l’avocat . . . cette situation kafkaïenne relève d’un travail dissimulé. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5135. This text concerns a French translator/​interpreter of Punjabi and Hindi working for the French ministry of justice since 1994 but denied the right to social security.

Knock      

**

Knock; ou, Le Triomphe de la médecine is a play by Jules Romains (1885–​1972) presented for the first time in Paris at the Comédie des Champs-​Élysées in 1923. The main role was played by Louis Jouvet. In this grating comedy, Romains denounces all forms of manipulation, medical, ideological or commercial.

228  Lettres persanes     

Y toucher (est c’est indispensable) c’est à coup sûr se mettre à dos les retraités et les salariés qui, contrairement au célèbre aphorisme de Jules Romain dans ‘Knock’, n’ignorent pas, eux, qu’ils sont de futurs retraités. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4302. The reform of the pension scheme in France is an explosive subject. See above ‘chatouille ou est-​ce que ça vous gratouille? Est-​ce qu ça vous’.

Lettres persanes      

**

Lettres persanes (1721) is an epistolary novel by Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu (1689–​1755). In it he ridiculed the manners and mores of the court of the eighteenth century. Montesquieu plays the guide to a Persian visitor who is particularly naïve. One can read Ah! Ah! Monsieur est Persan? C’est une chose bien extraordinaire! Comment peut-​on être Persan? Martin Amis qui s’inquiète de la prochaine interdiction des ‘Lettres persanes’ pour ‘appropriation culturelle’ (puisque Montesquieu n’est pas persan et qu’il se mêle donc de ce qui ne le regarde pas) © Valeurs actuelles no. 4303. ‘Cultural appropriation’ as a concept hit the headlines with the case of the Sorbonne and the cancellation of a production of the play Les Suppléantes by Aeschylus. This is seen as another step in the direction of the dictatorship of identities. The actors were to have worn black masks. Anti-​racists protested, saying that this was cultural appropriation.

Liaisons dangereuses. Les      

***

A novel written by Pierre Chodolos de Laclos (1741–​1803) published in 1782, and the title of a film (translated as Dangerous Liaisons) directed by Stephen Frears in 1988. Les Liaisons dangereuses © Le Monde no. 20130. This is the headline to a piece describing the possible conflicts of interest on the part of politicians who also earn their living as lawyers. A special system allows French politicians (who are not obliged to take the bar exam) to become lawyers. They have to prove that they are senior civil servants who have exercised their profession for at least eight years in the civil service or international organizations. Nobody has yet been refused.

lilliputien      

**

In Gulliver’s Travels, a satirical work by Jonathan Swift, published in 1721, the hero is washed ashore after a shipwreck and finds himself a prisoner of a race of tiny people, less than 6 inches tall, who are the inhabitants of the island of Lilliput. Lilliputian is the corresponding adjective, meaning tiny. Au total, la capitale consacre maintenant 600 millions d’euros par an à la propreté.

madeleine de Proust. La  229

Un budget XXL pour des résultats lilliputiens. © Les Echos no. 23140KB. This piece refers to the problem of Paris being a dirty city.

‘Luxe, calme et volupté’      

***

The poem by Charles Baudelaire ‘L’Invitation au voyage’ comes from the collection Les Fleurs du mal. Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté, luxe, calme et volupté. Les beaux devant, les moches derrière. Luxe, calme, et volupté: dans les restaurants du groupe Costes, les critères esthétiques sont décisifs pour l’attribution des tables aux clients. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4854. This piece refers to the practice by the Costes restaurant group of putting the attractive clients at the best tables and the less physically attractive customers at tables where they will be out of sight. It is to be noted that this line of the poem is frequently misquoted as Calme, luxe et volupté.

Machiavel. Nicolas      

***

Niccolò Machiavelli (in French Nicolas Machiavel (1469–​ 1527)) was a Florentine politician who wrote a political work entitled Le Prince (original title: Il principe or, in Latin, De principatibus) in 1513. In it he gives advice to princes on how to obtain power and how to keep it, and takes examples from both Greek and Roman history. No holds are barred; underhand manœuvres and calculations are all part of the method. The end justifies the means. There is no room here for morality, hence the adjective ‘Machiavellian’, synonymous with craftiness and deceit. Le machiavélisme des modes opératoires, le temps qu’il aura fallu pour déchirer le silence, tout cela impressionne. © Marianne no. 1172, 30 August–​5 September 2019. This refers to the difficulty of bringing sexual predators to court.

madeleine de Proust. La      

***

In the first volume of À la recherche du temps perdu (Du côté de chez Swann), the French writer Marcel Proust (1871–​1922) writes of a little cake called ‘une madeleine’, which he used to dunk in his tea as a child. Je portai à mes lèvres une cuillerée du thé où j’avais laissé s’amollir un morceau de madeleine. This simple memory triggers a surge of childhood reminiscences. Today, it can be a smell, a taste or anything else that suddenly takes us back to our childhood. La PlayStation deviendra-​t-​elle bientôt une madeleine de Proust? © Challenges no. 635AS. The Sony PlayStation 5, which should be launched at the end of 2020, could be the last game console, given the prodigious progress made in the field of computer intelligence. See above À la recherche du temps perdu.

230 main invisible. La     

main invisible. La      

***

This expression was first used by Adam Smith in his book The Wealth of Nations published in 1776. This book shares the fate of many other famous titles, such as Mein Kampf and Das Kapital, in that they are books frequently referred to but very rarely read. ‘The invisible hand’ is presented by defenders of liberalism as a quasi-​commandment of Adam Smith. Not only was Smith unsure of the invisible hand, but in a book that has over 1,200 pages, the term ‘invisible hand’ appears . . . once! ‘The devil can cite the scriptures to his own advantage.’ Adam Smith predicted that the division of labour would make robots of intelligent workers; nobody ever quotes him on this. En libéral sincère il est confiant que la main invisible de l’économie réglera tout d’elle-​ même. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. The person in question is Boris Johnson!

‘Maître corbeau’      

***

Maître Corbeau sur un arbre perché . . . This fable of La Fontaine is perhaps the most well-​known of them all, ‘Le Corbeau et le Renard’, in which the fox, by craftiness, gets the crow to let go of the cheese he has in his beak, the lesson being that the flatterer lives at the expense of the person who listens to him. Apprenez que tout flatteur vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute. On est comme le renard en dessous de l’arbre: on attend que le corbeau ait une crampe ou qu’il finisse par être convaincu de lâcher le fromage. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4846. This piece describes the manœuvres of the multinational corporation LMVH to obtain the ‘fromage’ that the house of Hermès represents. ‘Hermès’ is a luxury brand name in the world of fashion and perfumery. See Annex 1.

Médecin malgré lui. Le      

**

Le Médecin malgré lui is a play by Molière in three acts staged for the first time in 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-​Royal, where it was a great success. It is a parody of the medical practices of the period and constitutes a denunciation of charlatanism with a satire on credulity. Le Médecin malgré tout © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5181. This was the heading of an article dealing with the new minister of health Olivier Véran, who is a neurologist by profession. See Annex 4.

Meilleur des mondes. Le      

***

Le Meilleur des mondes (original title: Brave New World) is the French title of the dystopic novel by Aldous Huxley (1894–​1963). Le Meilleur des mondes

Mère Courage 231

numériques © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4857. This refers to the possibility of tracking people who are equipped with modern technology, such as mobile phones, computers, tablets etc. The French translation of the English title comes from Voltaire’s Candide (1759) and is from a speech of Pangloss, the naïve optimist: Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles. Candide was Voltaire’s reaction against the theory of divine will following the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. The English title comes from La Tempête (original title: The Tempest (1610/​11)) by Shakespeare. It uses the words of Miranda, full of dramatic irony because she doesn’t understand the true nature of her situation: O wonder How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in’t! (V.i.182–​5) Ô, merveille! Combien de belles créatures vois-​je ici réunies! Que l’humanité est admirable! Ô splendide Nouveau Monde Qui compte de pareils habitants. See below ‘Pangloss’.

Mémoires d’outre-​t ombe      

***

Les Mémoires d’outre-​tombe is an autobiographical work by François René de Chateaubriand (1768–​1848) written between 1809 and 1841. Est-​ce une raison pour nous assommer avec ces mémoires d’Outre-​Ego? © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 122. This refers to the egocentrism of the French intellectual Bernard Henri Lévy, who compares himself to Chateaubriand. Lévy was once described as ‘intelligence destroyed by narcissism’. NB the ‘e’ of ‘ego’ does not take an acute accent; égocentrique and égocentisme do!

Mère Courage      

***

Mother Courage is a play by Bertolt Brecht (1898–​1956), the full title of which is Mother Courage and Her Children (original title:  Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder). It was written in 1938 while Brecht was in exile. The action takes place against the backdrop of the Thirty Years War and constitutes a

232  Messieurs les ronds-de-cuir     

denunciation of the absurdity of war. Un combat solitaire, selon lui; l’État ne soutenant pas suffisamment les maires courage de l’île © Marianne no. 1162, BR, 21–​7 June 2019. This piece refers to the struggle of a handful of mayors in Corsica against the local mafia, and the fact that such mayors are not given the support they deserve from the State. NB the pun on ‘mère’ and ‘maire’.

Messieurs les ronds-​d e-​c uir      

***

Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir is a novel by Georges Courteline (1858–​1929) published in 1893, which describes, in a caustic way, office life and the shortcomings of the bureaucrats working there. ‘Un rond-​de-​cuir’ is a pejorative expression that can be translated into English as ‘a pen-​pusher’, ‘a civil servant’, ‘a jobsworth’, a slave to the rules, and aware of his or her power to be a nuisance. Et l’Hôtel-​Dieu, pourtant condamné à la fermeture par les ronds-​ de-​cuir de l’Assistance publique? 130% d’occupation. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4852. The Hôtel-​Dieu is a hospital in the 4e arrondissement of Paris working well over capacity but scheduled for closure. See above ‘Courteline’, and ‘courtelinesque’.

‘Mignonne, allons voir si la rose . . .’      

***

‘Sweetheart, let us go and see if the rose . . .’. Words of the French poet Pierre de Ronsard (1524–​85). The title and first line of a poem having as its theme carpe diem. The poem ends with an exhortation to cueillez, cueillez, vostre jeunesse. QW.

Mille et Une Nuits. Les      

**

Les Mille et une Nuits is a collection of popular folk tales of Arab origin, written in Arabic with Persian and Indian influences. The story-​teller is Shéhérazade. Briefly put, a sultan, betrayed by his wife, seeks revenge by marrying a virgin every day and having her executed the day after the honeymoon. The sultan marries Shéhérazade, who has a plan to put an end to the massacre. She tells the sultan a story that night, but does not finish it. The sultan is so eager to hear the end of the story that he postpones the execution. Each night, she begins a story without finishing it. This goes on for ‘mille et une nuits’, at the end of which the sultan decides not to kill Shéhérazade but to keep her with him forever. Among the most famous characters of these tales are Ali Baba, Sinbad the sailor and Aladdin. À défaut d’un “islam des Lumières” introuvable, ils fantasment un islam progressiste digne des Mille et Une Nuits . . . La charia et le djihad

‘Mon père, ce héros au sourire si doux’  233

sont des inventions d’islamistes, leur disons-​nous. Non, ce sont des piliers théologiques, répondent les musulmans. Mais nul n’est plus sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4310. BL. This highlights the problem in France of deciding what is and what is not authentic Islam. See above Contes des mille et une nuits. Les.

Misérables, Les      

**

Victor Hugo (1802–​85) wrote: tant que les trois problèmes du siècle, la dégradation de l’homme par le prolétariat, la déchéance de la femme par la faim, l’atrophie de l’enfant par la nuit, ne seront pas résolus . . . tant qu’il y aura ignorance et misère, des livres de la nature de celui-​ci ne seront pas inutiles. Hugo décrit tout: la naissance d’une émeute, la surprise des forces de l’ordre, le retournement de la boutique contre les émeutiers, les marchands qui veulent protéger leur vitrine et leurs biens, la façon dont l’émeute est tout de suite caractérisée comme un soulèvement de la canaille. © L’Obs no.  2845, 16–​22 May 2019. This piece refers to the similarities between Hugo’s prose and the situation of the gilets jaunes demonstrations today. See Annex 3.

‘Mon père, ce héros au sourire si doux’      

***

These words come from a poem by Victor Hugo entitled ‘Après la bataille’ (1859). Mon père, ce héros au sourire si doux, Suivi d’un seul hussard qu’il aimait entre tous Pour sa grande bravoure et pour sa haute taille, Parcourait à cheval, le soir d’une bataille, Le champ couvert de morts sur qui tombait la nuit. The poem goes on to relate that, coming across a dying Spaniard –​the enemy –​ Hugo’s father ordered the hussar to give the dying man a drink of rum. As the hussar leaned forward to give the man a drink, the man took a pistol and fired at Hugo’s father, missing him by an inch. ‘Donne-​lui tout de même à boire’, dit mon père. Mon quincaillier, ce héros . . . © Marianne no. 1155, 3–​9 May 2019. A  2019 film by Samuel Bigiaoui entitled ’68, mon père et les clous tells the story of an old-​fashioned hardware shop in the Parisian Latin quarter. See Annex 3.

234  ‘Montagne qui accouche d’une souris. La’     

‘Montagne qui accouche d’une souris. La’       ** This fable by La Fontaine was inspired by Horace in Ars poetica, but is equally known as a fable by Aesop. Une montagne en mal d’enfant Jetait une clameur si haute Que chacun au bruit accourant Crut qu’elle accoucherait sans faute, D’une cité plus grosse que Paris: Elle accoucha d’une souris. Les verts, on l’a déjà vu, c’est la montagne qui accouche d’une souris. Avec eux, souvent, le soufflé retombe. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. TD. A sarcastic comment about the Parti écologiste.

Nineteen Eighty-​F our      

***

A]-​t-​il voulu se référer au supplice de Winston, le héros de 1984, de George Orwell, à qui ses tortionnaires imposent à hauteur de visages, une cage grillagée contenant un rat? Le Canard enchaîné no. 4836. To describe the effect of his period in police custody from 10 to 12 June 2013 for questioning regarding the Tapie–​Lagarde affair, Stéphane Richard, chairman and CEO of Orange, said on his release ‘I have a rat in my head.’ See above ‘Big Brother’, below ‘Orwellien’, and Chapter 11 ‘Tapie. Bernard’.

Notre-​D ame-​d e-​Paris      

**

Notre-​Dame de Paris and Les Misérables are two of Victor Hugo’s great successes. On va jusqu’à faire parler Hugo, lui faire dire qu’il aurait apprécié qu’on donne pour Notre-​ Dame mais qu’on n’oublie pas pour autant les Misérables. © Le Canard enchaîné, no. 5138. This is a reflection on the vast amounts of money that have been promised to restore the cathedral; Hugo would have liked some of that money to go to the poor. See Annex 3.

‘Nous partîmes cinq cents’      

***

Nous partîmes cinq cents; mais par un prompt renfort Nous nous vîmes trois mille en arrivant au port, Tant, à nous voir marcher avec un tel visage, Les plus épouvantés reprenaient leur courage! (Pierre Corneille, Le Cid, Act IV, Scene iii)

‘Ô temps, suspends ton vol . . .’  235

Nous partîmes cinq cents, Nous nous vîmes trois mille bloqués au port. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5153. These were the words of a cartoon referring to the ship Ocean Viking, which left the port of Marseille to save migrants. The Italian government has recently voted harsher penalties for ships’ captains involved in such activities. See Annex 2.

novlangue. La      

**

‘La novlangue’ –​‘Newspeak’ –​in English, is the official language of Oceania, imagined by George Orwell for his dystopia Nineteen Eighty-​Four, published in 1949. Le propre de la novlangue est d’imposer des mots qu’il convient d’adopter très rapidement pour envoyer un signe ostentatoire d’adhésion au régime. Si vous persistez à parler d’immigration sans ajouter tout de suite qu’il s’agit d’une richesse, cela suffit à vous rendre suspect. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4301. This text raises the question of political correctness and the forced adhesion to the mainstream of opinion.

‘Ô rage! Ô désespoir!’      

***

This must be as famous in French as ‘To be or not to be’ is in English. It forms the opening words in the monologue of Don Diègue in the tragi-​comedy Le Cid by Pierre Corneille. In Act I, Scene iv, an old man, Don Diègue, has just been insulted by a young man, the comte de Gormas, but is unable to fight. He vociferates against his incapacity to take revenge. Ô rage! Ô désespoir! Ô vieillesse ennemie! N’ai-​je donc tant vécu que pour cette infamie? Le tourisme vu par France 2: otages, ô désespoir © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. This refers to the liberation of two French tourists who were captured in a hot spot in Benin, but two French commandos died in the rescue operation. See Annex 2.

‘Ô temps, suspends ton vol . . .’      

***

These are the words of Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–​1869) in the poem ‘Le Lac’, in which he addresses the theme of time passing too quickly and the ephemeral nature of human happiness. Ô temps! suspends ton vol et vous, heures propices! Suspendez votre cours:

236 Océania     

Laissez-​nous savourer les rapides délices Des plus beaux de nos jours! On aimerait que cette trêve dure au moins jusqu’au lundi de Pâques. Pas de conférence de presse du président, pas de ‘gilets jaunes’ samedi. ‘Ô temps, suspends ton vol.’ © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299CN. The tragic fire of Notre-​ Dame put an end, albeit momentarily, to petty political squabbling.

Océania      

*

Oceania is the name of a fictitious superstate in the novel Nineteen Eighty-​ Four by George Orwell. It is one of three totalitarian regimes, the two others being Eurasia and Eastasia. Vivrons-​nous bientôt à Océania, ce territoire imaginé par Orwell où règne la pensée unique? L’écosystème idéologique actuel semble propice aux principes de gouvernance du parti unique de 1984. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4310 BL. This text refers to the impoverishment of intellectual debate in France.

‘On m’assassine’      

**

Au voleur! au voleur! à l’assassin! au meurtrier! Justice, juste Ciel! je suis perdu, je suis assassiné, on m’a coupée la gorge, on m’a dérobé mon argent! These are the words of Harpagon in Molière’s L’Avare, Act IV, Scene vii. Le lobby bancaire a aussitôt poussé des cris d’orfraie sur l’air bien connu du ‘On me tue, on m’assassine.’ © Marianne no. 660. This is a reference to the decision of the British government to impose an exceptional tax on bank bonuses and the consequent shrieks of protest by the banks. See the online chapter ‘Menagerie’, at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758. See Annex 4.

orwellien      

***

Avec la vidéosurveillance à portée de tous, les flippés du cambriolage pensaient se doter d’un gardien; ils se retrouvent dans un monde orwellien, où qui croit surveiller, est surveillé à son insu. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5136. See above ‘Big Brother’. With the installation of various types of electronic equipment in the home, people are, in fact, being spied upon by the very equipment that was supposed to protect them.

‘Ôte-​m oi d’un doute’      

**

From Le Cid by Corneille. These are the words of Rodrigue when he addresses Chimène’s father, the comte de Gormas  –​the man who has

Pantagruel 237

insulted Rodrigue’s own father, Don Diègue : Ôte-​moi d’un doute /​Connais-​ tu bien Don Diègue? This was mentioned in an article about the group Naïve New Beaters and their leader David Boring, who had roles in several films, including La Fille du 14 juillet (2013) by Antonin Peretjatko and Otez-​moi d’un doute (2017) by Carine Tardieu © Le Point no. 2459. ASJ. See Annex 2.

Oulipo      

***

Oulipo stands for ‘Ouvroir de littérature potentielle’. On assiste à un épisode de politique oulipienne avec des plateaux télévisés conçus pour réagir à des déclarations que je n’ai pas faites. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5138. This was a reference to the cancellation of President Macron’s TV address to the nation on learning of the fire at Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris. NB ‘un ouvroir’ is a workroom. See above Exercices de Style. See below ‘Ouvroir de littérature potentielle’.

Ouvroir de littérature potentielle      

**

Avait-​il [the columnist] observé la pleine lune trop longtemps? Appliqué une recette inédite de l’Ouvroir de littérature potentielle? © Le Monde no. 20230. This is a comment on a printer’s error in an article in which the journalist spoke about the creation of 10  million jobs instead of the correct figure, which was 300,000. See above Exercices de Style, and ‘Oulipo’.

pacte faustien. Un See above ‘Faust, faustien’.

Pangloss      

**

In Candide, the philosophical tale by Voltaire, Dr Pangloss represents the naïve optimist to whom we owe the words Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles. Voltaire wrote this as an ironic response to the popular reaction to the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, which destroyed the city. Ses rares détracteurs, de son vivant, pouvaient railler sa ‘pensée Pangloss’. © L’Obs no. 2848, 6–​12 June 2019. PR. This was part of an article devoted to the late Michel Serres, philosopher and humanist. See above ‘cultiver notre jardin. Il faut’.

Pantagruel      

***

Pantagruel is the name of a giant, the title character in the first volume of La Vie de Gargantua et Pantagruel by Rabelais (1494–​1553) published in 1532.

238 Panurge. Moutons de nmpl.     

‘Pantagruelian’ is synonymous with gigantic, worthy of a giant and the appetite to go with it. À son ami Rabelais, l’imprimeur [Étienne Dolet NDLR] joua le très mauvais tour de diffuser une version non expurgée de Pantagruel, ce qui aurait pu mener l’auteur directement au bûcher. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5145. DH. This quote was taken from an article about the book Le Martyre d’un libre penseur, Étienne Dolet by Jean Jaurès. Dolet (1509–​46) was a humanist, poet, printer and freethinker who perished at the stake for having expressed doubts about the immortality of the soul. He was a friend of Rabelais.

Panurge. Moutons de nmpl.      

***

In Quart livre by Rabelais, there is a character called Panurge who has been insulted by the sheep merchant Dindenault. To take his revenge, Panurge buys a sheep and throws it into the sea. All of the merchant’s sheep follow. Dindenault, who is holding on to the last ram, is also drowned as the ram jumps into the sea, blindly following the flock. Critiquer la direction (du PS [Parti socialiste])? C’est donner le sentiment de tirer contre son camp au pire moment. Ne rien dire, c’est passer pour un mouton de panurge. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4629. This refers to the catastrophic state of the Socialist Party in France.

panurgisme. Le      

***

This is a reference to ragging or hazing in schools. . . .qui se fait dans la douleur et le panurgisme © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4856. See Chapter 1 ‘bizutage’. See above ‘Panurge. Moutons de’.

‘par l’odeur alléché’      

**

From ‘Le Corbeau et le Renard’ by La Fontaine. Maître Corbeau, sur un arbre perché Tenait en son bec un fromage. Maître Renard, par l’odeur alléché Lui tint à peu près ce langage Que soient apparus un ‘Shoah business’ et dans son sillage, nature humaine oblige, quelques escrocs par l’odeur alléchés, qui songerait à le nier? © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4852. This refers to the publication by the polemist Eric Naulleau of a book based on interviews with Alain Soral, ex PC, ex FN and

passions tristes  239

a self-​confessed anti-​Semite who has been sentenced by the courts on several occasions for his anti-​Semitic remarks. See Annex 1.

part du lion. La      

***

Although it means the biggest part, it originally meant the whole. In La Fontaine’s fable of ‘La Génisse, la Chèvre et la Brebis en société avec le Lion’, the four animals, after having decided in advance to divide their possible ‘gain’ into four equal parts, succeed in catching a stag. The lion divides the prey into four equal parts but attributes each part to himself, invoking the ‘droit du plus fort’. This is often used today as ‘la loi du plus fort’ (might is right). Dans El Perdido (1961) western de Robert Aldrich, Kirk Douglas partage l’affiche avec Rock Hudson. C’est pourtant lui qui se taille la part du lion, en vertu de son principe selon lequel “la vertu n’est pas photogénique”. © Valeurs actuelles no.4342. LD. See Annex 1.

‘Partir c’est mourir un peu’      

***

Edmond Haraucourt (1856–​1941) was a French poet and novelist. One of his most well-​known poems is the ‘Rondel de l’adieu’ (1890): Partir, c’est mourir un peu, C’est mourir à ce qu’on aime: On laisse un peu de soi-​même En toute heure et dans tout lieu. Martyr, c’est pour rire un peu. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5159. The sentencing of J.-​L. Mélenchon provoked his reaction Tout ce souk pour ça! He had claimed to be the victim of justice obedient to the wishes of Macron but the whole affair became a farce. See Chapter 2 ‘République, c’est moi’.

passions tristes      

***

The expression ‘passions tristes’ comes from Spinoza, who spoke about the feelings related to imperfections in oneself: hatred, fear, anxiety etc. Les lettres de Nietzsche consacrent une philosophie pour malades capable de remédier aux passions tristes et de trouver les forces vitales nécessaires à la ‘victoire sur l’hiver’. © l’Obs no.  2848. MB. 6–​12 June 2019. In 1870, Nietzsche fell seriously ill to the point of having to resign his post at the university of Bâle. It was during several stays in Switzerland and Nice that he drew up the essence

240 patience     

of his philosophy, which he published in subsequent books:  Humain, trop humain (1878), Aurore (1881) and Le Gais Savoir (1882).

patience      

**

In the fable ‘Le Lion et le Rat’ by La Fontaine, the lion is caught up in a snare; all of his rage and strength are of no avail. A small rat comes to the rescue and gnaws through the ropes. The moral of the story is: Patience et longueur de temps Font plus que force ni que rage. Comme le lion de La Fontaine, celui de Publicis sait bien que ‘patience et longueur de temps font plus que force ni que rage’. Les Echos no. 22994, 22 July 2019. Le Lion et la saison. This quote refers to the rather disappointing results of Publicis in 2019, and the impatience of the stock exchange with its short-​ term vision. See Annex 1.

‘patte blanche. Montrer’      

***

‘Montrer patte blanche’ is to give sb. proof of one’s identity in order to gain entry to a given place. In La Fontaine’s fable ‘Le Loup, la Chèvre et le Chevreau’, the mother goat leaves her young kid at home and tells her not to open the door until she hears the code. The wolf has overheard the code. In the mother’s absence, he knocks at the door and gives the code, but the suspicious kid is not taken in and says Montrez-​moi patte blanche ou je n’ouvrirai point. . . . pour sécuriser une zone interdite [sic] en centre-​ville où, pour pénétrer, les habitants devaient montrer patte blanche. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5135. When Emmanuel Macron visited Angers in 2019, the whole of the area he was to visit was cordoned off by hundreds of gendarmes and police, to avoid contact with the public. For the inhabitants of the quarter it was necessary to produce some form of ID to access their homes. See Annex 1.

Peau de chagrin. La      

***

‘Chagrin’ comes from the Turkish word çâgri, which means the ‘rump’ or ‘hindquarters’ of a mule. This is the title of a novel by Balzac (1831). The ruined hero finds a magic piece of hide that enables him to realize his every wish. But with every wish, the piece of hide shrinks. With the last wish, the hero will die. It is frequently used today to describe dwindling budgets. Le canadien s’est réduit comme peau de chagrin. En voulant concurrencer Airbus

Petit Poucet. Le 241

et Boeing dans l’aviation commerciale, Bombardier a perdu des décennies de croissance dans le férroviaire, l’aviation et le loisir © Les Echos no. 23140. AB. This text refers to the takeover of the Canadian railway rolling-​stock giant Bombardier by the French company Alstom in 2020.

peau de l’ours (ne vendez pas la)      

**

This is a very old French proverb corresponding to the English ‘Don’t count your chickens’. In the fable by La Fontaine ‘L’Ours et les deux Compagnons’, two men, who are in need of money, decide to sell to their neighbour, a furrier, the skin of a bear who is still alive. But they fail to capture it, hence the moral of the story: Il m’a dit qu’il ne faut jamais. Vendre la peau de l’Ours qu’on ne l’ait mis par terre. Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours des Pyrénées. © Le Canard enchaîné 4622. The context of this quotation is the tendency of some republican députés to write off the political future of François Bayrou. Bayrou comes from the region of the Pyrenees. A few years ago, some bears from eastern Europe were set free in this region to stem the decline in the bear population. See Annex 1.

Père Goriot. Le      

**

Le Père Goriot is a novel by Honoré de Balzac published in 1835. It is part of La Comédie humaine. Le Père Goriot adores his daughters but they only return his affection in proportion to the money he gives them. Les pères doivent toujours donner pour être heureux. Fort de cette phrase du ‘Père Goriot’, le cinéaste québécois Sébastien Pilote, réussit un film paysan superbement tourné sur un père plein d’abnégation . . . © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4858. See below ‘Rastignac’.

‘petit chat est mort. Le’      

**

These are the words of Agnès in the play L’École des femmes by Molière. See Annex 4. QW.

Petit Poucet. Le      

***

This is the title of one of the most famous fairy tales by the French writer Charles Perrault (1628–​1703), which is the equivalent tale to that of Hansel

242  Petit Prince. Le     

and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. Le Petit Poucet was adapted by Perrault in France and appeared in Les Contes de ma mère l’Oye in 1697. A woodcutter and his wife can no longer feed their seven sons. They decide to take the children to the forest and lose them there. But the youngest child has overheard the plan and fills his pocket with pebbles. As they advance into the forest, the boy drops a pebble from time to time, and in this way the children find their way home. On pouvait le suivre à la trace, comme le Petit Poucet. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4861. This refers to an accident on a départementale road when a tractor lost its load of compost. The police followed the trail of compost. It was recovered and turned out to be toxic.

Petit Prince. Le      

**

See above ‘Dessine-​moi un mouton !’.

picrocholine adj.      

***

This term derives from the Greek pikros, meaning ‘prickly’ or ‘bitter’, and kholê, meaning ‘anger’ or ‘bile’. ‘Une guerre picrocholine’ refers to a war whose origin is obscure and ridiculous. It comes from the name of the Rabelaisian character Picrochole, who wages war against Grandgousier in the book Gargantua. It is in fact a satire against the war waged by Charles V of Spain, who had the delirious ambition of establishing a universal monarchy. Plutôt que les guerres picrocholines, elle préfère s’adresser au plus grand nombre, choisir des causes qui font consensus: verbalisation du harcèlement de la rue, pénalisation renforcée des violences sexuelles et, dernièrement, lutte tous azimuts contre les féminicides. © L’Obs no. 2865, 3–​9 October 2019. This text refers to the work of Marlène Schiappa, junior minister for sexual equality and anti-​discrimination.

Pinocchio      

**

Pinocchio is a fictional character and hero of a children’s story Les Aventures de Pinocchio, written in 1881 by the journalist and writer Carlo Collodi. Whenever Pinocchio tells a lie, his nose grows longer. Je me fiche de la prochaine élection. These are the words of Emmanuel Macron, hence Le Canard’s response, Bonjour le Pinnocchio © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5139.

Pléiade. La      

***

‘La Pléiade’ refers to the group of seven great French poets of the Renaissance including Ronsard and du Bellay. It was in 1553 that Ronsard chose the name

Possibilité d’une île. La 243

‘Pléiade’ to desigate this group. Originally, the Pleiades referred to the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, placed by Zeus as a group of seven stars in the constellation of the Bull. À moi la Pléiade © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4572. In the rubric of Le Journal de Carla B there is an echo of the good press reports concerning Carla Bruni . . .so gifted that she could claim to be part of the Pleiades. Created in 1931, the ‘Éditions de la Pléiade’ of Gallimard (1923) are a collection of classical and contemporary literature. The books themselves are characterized by Bible-​quality paper, small format, a supple leather cover and a carefully chosen font. See Chapter 7 ‘Pléiades’.

‘plus petit que soi. On a souvent besoin de’      

**

The opening lines of the fable ‘Le Lion et le Rat’ are: Il faut autant qu’on peut, obliger tout le monde: On a souvent besoin d’un plus petit que soi. The moral of the story is that we should be polite and agreeable towards everyone because we often need the help of people who are less well placed than we are. Donc, on a effectivement besoin de plus petit que soi. © Marianne no. 606. See above ‘patience’. See Annex 1.

‘Pont Mirabeau. Le’      

**

These lines come from the poem ‘Le Pont Mirabeau’ by Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet and writer (1880–​1918): Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine Et nos amours Faut-​il qu’il m’en souvienne La joie venait toujours après la peine. Il marcha en flânant vers la Seine où coulent nos amours faut-​il que je m’en souvienne. Et tout à coup, Fiat lux! © Les Echos no. 22994, 22 July 2019. Saint-​ Laurent comédien et martyr. ‘Il’ refers to Laurent Wauquiez, a member of the Républicains, in a political fiction.

Possibilité d’une île. La      

**

La Possibilité d’une île is the title of the fourth novel by Michel Houellebecq, published in 2005. It notably addresses the question of cloning. L’Impossibilité

244  ‘pot de terre et le pot de fer. Le’     

d’une île © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 128. This refers to the history of violence in Corsica and the struggle of the Corsicans to preserve their culture.

‘pot de terre et le pot de fer. Le’      

***

This term generally refers to a losing battle between the weak and the strong. It can be found in La Fontaine (Book 5, fable 2). Car son combat –​ remporté in fine –​est celui si familier, du pot de terre contre le pot de fer: celui d’une citoyenne ordinaire contre la machine étatique aveugle. © Marianne no.  1181, 1–​7 November 2019. This text refers to the fight of a French soldier’s widow to have the responsibility of the army recognized in her husband’s death. He died after having been exposed to depleted uranium radiation in Kosovo. Ne nous associons qu’avec nos égaux; Ou bien il nous faudra craindre Le destin d’un de ces pots. The moral of the story is that we should keep company with people of our own class and not mix with people from a higher class. It is also a Biblical reference. See Ecclesiastes 13:2.

‘Poule aux œufs d’or. La’      

***

‘La Poule aux œufs d’or (Book 5, fable 13)  by Jean de La Fontaine was published for the first time in 1668. It is the fable of a greedy man who had a hen that laid golden eggs. He was so greedy that he killed the hen in order to get at the eggs. But there were none. Un jackpot que se partagent quelques familles qui tirent sur la corde jusqu’à l’user, au risque de tuer la poule aux œufs d’or © Les Dossiers du Canard no.  152. This text discusses the abuses in the tourist trade at Mont Saint-​Michel:  e.g. the famous omelette of the restaurant-​hotel La Mère Poulard is sold at between €38 and €55. At two eggs per person, the price charged seems exorbitant. The number of tourists has dropped from 3.5 million visitors fifteen years ago to 2.4 million visitors last year in 2018, hence the reference to killing the hen that lays the golden eggs. NB the omelette in question is made by separating the yolk and the white of the egg, The whites are beaten to a fluffy consistency then the yolks added. In English the story is known as ‘The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs’, based on the fable by Aesop.

Princesse de Clèves. La 245

Pour qui sonne le glas      

***

The author of this famous phrase was not (as many people think) Hemingway (1899–​1961), who used it as the title of one of his novels, but John Donne (1573–​ 1631), an English poet and eminent member of the metaphysical school of poetry. . . . any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. . . . la mort de tout homme me diminue parce que je fais partie de l’humanité. Aussi n’envoie jamais demander pour qui sonne le glas: il sonne pour toi. Cortisone le glas © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5143. This was the pun and headline of an article dealing with the shortage at French chemists of cortisone, a product that is important for millions of patients but not a big money-​spinner for the pharmaceutical labs.

‘pourri dans le royaume de . . . Il y a quelque chose de      

***

The translation of the lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet is frequently used in French. Il y a quelque chose de pourri dans le royaume de l’argent. © Le Point no. 1882.

Précieuses ridicules. Les      

**

A one-​act comedy by Molière, written in prose and presented for the first time in 1659. Cosmétiques: Les précieuses ridules © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 131. The market for products to counter the ageing of the skin –​above all anti-​ wrinkle products –​is growing exponentially. The pun is on the word ‘ridule’, which is a small wrinkle. See Annex 4.

Princesse de Clèves. La      

**

This is the title of what many people consider to be the first truly modern French novel (published in 1678), written by Marie Madeleine Pioche de

246  Promesse de l’Aube. La     

La Vergne, otherwise known as Madame de Lafayette (1634–​93), a French woman of letters. The title hit the headlines when Nicolas Sarkozy spoke disparagingly about the choice of this book for one of the competitive civil service examinations in France. He said that the person who chose this book must be either un sadique ou un imbécile. Since his remarks were made, sales of this book have sky-​rocketed, the purchase of the book becoming an act of political defiance. Il continue la haute couture . . . mais pour les grands textes, de ‘La Princesse de Clèves’ à l’édition anniversaire de la collection ‘Bouquins’. © Le Point no.  2436. This text refers to the work of the fashion designer Christian Lacroix, who now works on books and theatrical costumes.

Promesse de l’Aube. La      

**

The title of an autobiographical work by Romain Gary, retracing his steps as a child in Poland, a teenager in Nice and a fighter pilot in Africa during the Second World War, published in 1960. He was one of the great writers of the twentieth century, having won the Goncourt twice. He won it in 1956 with Les racines du ciel. He then won it under his pen name, Émile Ajar, with La Vie devant soi in 1975. La Promesse de l’Aube is as much the story of his mother, fanatically proud, who goes to any length to ‘promote’ her son. Baroin, la promesse de l’aube se fait toujours attendre. © Challenges no.  625. François Baroin, mayor of Troyes and President of the association of French mayors, is a rising star on the political right and a possible presidential candidate for the right-​wing party in 2022.

purgare      

**

The words quoted below are attributed to the minister of health dressed up as Doctor Diafoirus in a cartoon. In the play Le Malade imaginaire, Molière describes the moment when Argon takes his oral exam to become a doctor. He is questioned by a master of the university: Comment soigner l’hydropisie? Le candidat répond ‘Clysterium donare, postea saignare, ensuita purgare’ [Utiliser le clystère, puis saigner et enfin purger]. L’examinateur donne son avis ‘Bene, bene’. Je préconise une bonne purge dans les rapports de santé. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 122. This concerns the scandal of the medicine Médiator, produced by the Servier laboratories. Some critically important passages in the Senat report had been ‘corrected’ by the number 2 of the pharmaceutical company! See Chapter 11 ‘Médiator’.

Quasimodo 247

‘Quand blanchit la campagne’      

**

See above ‘Demain, dès l’aube . . .’.

‘quand la bise fut venue’      

***

This comes from the fable ‘La Cigale et la Fourmi.’ La cigale, ayant chanté tout l’été, se trouva fort dépourvue quand la bise fut venue. Je risque fort d’être pris au dépourvu par la reprise. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4859. The words of an unemployed worker. See Annex 1.

‘quand tu nous tiens! X’      

***

Amour, amour quand tu nous tiens /​On peut bien dire ‘Adieu prudence’. These are the last two lines of the fable by La Fontaine ‘Le Lion amoureux’. Décadence, quand tu nous tiens © Marianne no. 1152, 12–​18 April 2019. See Annex 1.

‘Quand vous serez bien vieille’      

**

‘Quand vous serez bien vieille’ is a poem by Pierre de Ronsard (1524–​85), one of the leading poets of the group known as ‘la Pléiade’ This sonnet comes from a collection of poems entitled Sonnets pour Hélène, published in 1578. The theme of carpe diem is dear to Ronsard’s heart. Quand vous serez bien vieille, au soir, à la chandelle, Assise auprès du feu, dévidant et filant, Direz, chantant mes vers, en vous émerveillant: Ronsard me célébrait du temps que j’étais belle. Quand je serai bien vieille au soir, à la chandelle © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5169. These words were put into the mouth of Greta Thunberg by the cartoonist Kerl. See above ‘Mignonne, allons voir si la rose . . .’.

Quasimodo      

**

Quasimodo the hunchback and the beautiful Esmeralda are the two main characters in the novel by Victor Hugo Notre-​Dame de Paris, published in 1831. Dans l’enchevêtrement fabuleux des arcs, des chapiteaux, des tourelles, des gargouilles se profilait l’ombre démesurée de Quasimodo, avec Esmeralda dans ses bras. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4299. Following the fire at

248 Questionnaire de Proust nm.     

Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris, Denis Tillniac, godfather of one of the bells of the cathedral, gave voice to his thoughts. See Annex 3.

Questionnaire de Proust nm.      

**

This questionnaire was originally an English game dating from the middle of the nineteenth century. Proust modified some of the questions. It was popularized by Bernard Pivot during his literary and cultural magazine programme Bouillon de Culture on the French TV channel Antenne 2. The idea was taken up by James Lipton (an admirer of Bernard Pivot) in the USA, during his own TV programme Inside the Actors [sic] Studio, during which he gave this questionnaire to his movie-​star guests. Among the many questions from Le Questionnaire de Proust one could cite the following: ‘Le principal trait de mon caractère; La qualité que je préfère chez l’homme; La qualité que je préfère chez la femme; Ce que j’apprécie chez mes amis; Mon principal défaut; Mon occupation préférée; Ce que je déteste par-​dessus tout’. Both Pivot and Lipton added a question to the original list: ‘What would you like to hear God to say to you when you arrive in paradise?’. Henri Loyrette [Director of the Paris Louvre] se soumet au questionnaire de Proust © Le Point 1962.

‘Qu’importe . . .’      

**

See above ‘ivresse. Pourvu qu’on ait l’’.

rabelaisien adj.      

**

François Rabelais (1494–​1553) was a French writer, humanist and anti-​clerical whose work was comical, satirical and sometimes obscene. He criticized the Church and the abuse of princes, being something of a free thinker. His major works are Pantagruel (1532) and Gargantua (1534). He has given us the adjectives pantagruélique, picrocholine and gargantuesque, and the noun panurgisme. Pierre Dubois n’a cessé de les collecter, de nous enchanter, en les racontant à sa manière rabelaisienne et flibustière. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4856. This text relates to the publication of the book L’Elfméride by Pierre Dubois and René Hausman, which addresses the question of customs and seasons. See above Gargantua, Pantagruel and ‘panurgisme. Le’.

Raisins de la colère. Les      

*

Les Raisins de la colère (The Grapes of Wrath) is a novel by John Steinbeck, published in 1939, for which the author received the Pulitzer Prize in 1940.

‘Rome, l’unique objet de mon ressentiment!’   249

It was made into a film by John Ford the same year. The action takes place during the Great Depression in the USA in 1929 and describes the struggles of a poor family of share-​croppers. Punned upon frequently it is sometimes used as the definition of a hangover, ‘la colère du raisin’. Les Raisons de la colère © Télérama no. 3648. This is an explanation concerning the anger and violence behind the gilets jaunes demonstrations

Rastignac      

***

Eugène de Rastignac is one of the characters in the novel by Honoré de Balzac (1799–​1850) Le Père Goriot. He has no money but is bitterly ambitious about ‘arriving’ in high society, and to this end he uses women to gain entrance to the world he admires. Bernard Tapie, Rastignac du Blanc-​Mesnil, la commune de la banlieue ouvrière du nord de Paris où il a grandi © L’Obs no. 2837, 21–​7 March 2019. See Chapter 11 ‘Tapie. Bernard’.

‘Rat de ville, et le Rat des champs. Le’      

**

This is another of the fables of La Fontaine, which tells the story of a rat who lives in town and a rat who lives in the country. It tells of the tranquillity of life in the country and the tumult of town living. Le RN des villes n’est finalement pas si différent du RN des champs. © Le Monde no. 23233. This text addresses the question of the electoral arguments used by the Rassemblement National in the towns and in rural areas. See Annex 1.

révolte qui gronde. La      

*

Aristide Bruant (1851–​1925) wrote a revolutionary poem called ‘La Chanson des canuts’ in 1894, which contains the line: Car on entend déjà la révolte qui gronde. Entends-​tu, Victor Hugo, la révolte qui gronde, l’immense clameur qui gonfle les poitrines des seniors. © Marianne no. 608. This is a reference to a study conducted on school textbooks to see how they might be the vehicles of ‘ageism’. From Ronsard and Corneille to Hugo one can find many instances of negative attitudes towards old age. See Chapter 6 ‘canuts. Les’. Hugo frequently used the apostrophe entends-​tu in his poems.

‘Rome, l’unique objet de mon ressentiment!’      

**

In the tragedy Horace by Pierre Corneille, first performed in 1640, Camille, a Roman woman, gives voice to the hate she feels for her own city. In the ‘Imprécations de Camille’ we learn that her lover, one of the Curiatii, from

250 ronds-de-cuir     

the enemy camp, has just been killed by her own brother. She curses the town for having destroyed her family. Rome, l’unique objet de mon ressentiment! Rome, à qui vient ton bras d’immoler mon amant! Rome qui t’a vu naître, et que ton cœur adore! Rome enfin que je hais parce qu’elle t’honore! Rom, unique objet de leur ressentiment © Les Dossiers du Canard no.  130. This headline reflects the attitude of the political right towards the Roms and their expulsion from France. NB ‘Les Roms’ are equally known by other names: ‘Gitans’, ‘Tsiganes’, ‘Manouches’, ‘Romanichels’, ‘Bohémiens’. These are all ways of referring to ‘les gens de voyage’.

ronds-​d e-​c uir      

**

See above ‘Courteline, ‘courtelinesque’ and Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir.

Rosinante      

**

Rosinante (Rocinante) is the name of Don Quichotte’s horse in the novel Don Quichotte by Miguel de Cervantes. See above ‘Don Quichotte’, and ‘Dulcinée. Sa’.

Rousseau      

**

Jean-​Jacques Rousseau (1712–​78) wrote Émile, in which he presented his ideas on education and upbringing. His contention was that man is inherently good but life in society corrupts him. He is not the writer who first wrote about the concept of the ‘noble savage’, but his name is often erroneously associated with the origin of the idea. Nous croyons, sans être pour autant rousseauistes, que l’homme peut être bon. © Le Canard enchaîné 4589. See above Émile.

Rubempré, Lucien de      

**

Les Illusions perdues is a novel in three parts by Honoré de Balzac published between 1837 and 1843: Les Deux Poètes, Un grand homme de province à Paris and Les Souffrances de l’inventeur. This is part of the vast work called La Comédie humaine. In Les Illusions perdues, Lucien de Rubempré is a character who embodies the social climber. Depuis sa jeunesse, l’ambitieux Éric [Zemmour], complexé

‘Sans autre forme de procès’  251

d’avoir loupé l’ÉNA par deux fois, se voit en Lucien de Rubempré, le héros des ‘Illusions perdues’ de Balzac. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 129. Éric Zemmour is a polemist. See above ‘Rastignac’.

Saison en enfer. Une      

*

This is the title of a collection of poems in prose form written in 1873 by Arthur Rimbaud (1854–​91). En tant que premier secrétaire du PS, je vais vous lire deux poèmes ‘Une Saison en enfer’ et ‘Le Bateau ivre’. © Le Canard enchaîné 4595. These were the words of François Hollande in a cartoon showing the ship of the Socialist Party sinking. The Socialist Party seems to have lost direction and is in a sorry state, without an electoral platform but with the eternal battle of egos among the future contenders for the presidential nomination. See above Bateau ivre. Le.

‘sanglots longs. Les’      

***

These are words from the poem by Paul Verlaine (1844–​ 96) ‘Chanson d’automne’, which appeared in Poèmes saturniens in 1866. The first verse of the poem, slightly modified, was used by the BBC in June 1944 to indicate to the Resistance network that the Normandy landings would take place within 48 hours. It was given with ‘messages personnels’, which were coded messages intended for the resistance. Les sanglots longs Des violons De l’automne Blessent* mon cœur D’une langueur Monotone. (*Bercent in the original poem) . . . mais le plus souvent ce sont de longs sanglots contenus qui meutrissent les visages. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. This was a comment on the faces of the bystanders on the embankment of the Seine as they contemplated the fire ravaging Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris in April 2019.

‘Sans autre forme de procès’      

**

The words are taken from the fable ‘Le Loup et l’agneau’ by La Fontaine:

252 Seigneur des anneaux. Le     

On me l’a dit: il faut que je me venge. Là-​dessus, au fond des forêts Le loup l’emporte et puis le mange, Sans autre forme de procès. Il se ménage lorsqu’il sera en ma possession de me liquider d’une manière ou d’une autre. Sans autre forme de procès comme dans La Fontaine. © Le Point no. 2437. The writer Céline was convinced that if he had been forced to return to France from his exile in Denmark after the Second World War, he would have been assassinated for his anti-​Semitism and close relations with the Vichy régime. See above Hamlet. See Annex 1.

Seigneur des anneaux. Le      

***

Le Seigneur des anneaux is the magnum opus of British writer J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–​1973). Les seniors des anneaux © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 131. It has been noticed that the directors of sports federations are often very old. João Havelange was 95 years old when he resigned from the International Olympic Committee. The ‘anneaux’ in question are the Olympic rings.

‘selon que vous serez puissant . . .’      

***

This is the conclusion drawn from the fable by La Fontaine ‘Les Animaux malades de la peste’, the most frequently quoted of the fables. Selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable; les jugements de cour vous rendront blanc ou noir. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4642. In short, depending on whether you are powerful or poor the court will declare that you are black or white. This quote was made in relation to the different treatment given to famous people involved in court cases. In this respect we can cite the example of two gilets jaunes, imprisoned for two years without remission for seriously damaging a motorway toll gate, and that of Ms Lagarde, former President of the International Monetary Fund, now President of the European Central Bank, involved in a scandal involving her decision (against the advice of her advisors) to award Bernard Tapie €400 million in an arbitration case. She was found guilty of negligence but was declared exempt from serving any sentence because of ‘her international reputation’! See Chapter 8 ‘Deux poids, deux mesures’.

sept cercles de l’enfer. Les      

**

The Circles of Hell (there were nine, not seven) are the concentric circular zones into which hell is divided according to Dante’s Inferno in the first part

servitude volontaire  253

of the Divine Comedy. Each circle represents the place of punishment for a given sin. First circle: limbo. The first circle is home to the unbaptized, and virtuous pagans. Second: lust. Third: gluttony. Fourth: greed. Fifth: anger. Sixth: heresy. Seventh: violence. Eighth: fraud. Ninth: treachery. Si le smartphone nous ouvre les portes de l’Enfer de Danté, Instagram en est le neuvième cercle, celui dans lequel le narcissisme poussé jusqu’à l’idolâtrie conduit à faire des selfies devant Auschwitz. © Marianne, no. 1188. NP. How technology brings out the worst in us.

‘serpents qui sifflent sur nos têtes? Pour qui sont ces’      

*

This is a famous verse of Racine from the play Andromaque. It is a well-​ known tongue-​twister. Ces serpents mutants n’ont pas fini de siffler sur les têtes des chercheurs. © Marianne no.  649. The context of this quote is the danger constituted by cross-​breeding in snakes, producing venom unknown to science.

servitude volontaire      

***

Étienne de La Boétie (1530–​63) believed that political regimes are founded on fear and that this serves to dissimulate the absence of legitimacy from the people. People submit of their own will to the powers that be out of a feeling of inferiority and habit. The people should stop thinking that they are inferior to the government. In this respect, de La Boétie may be considered the father of civil disobedience. He was five centuries in advance of French political thought This thesis is unbelievably topical, in the light of the gilets jaunes demonstrations. Quant à la servitude, le fait que nous l’aimons n’est pas seulement une récente création de la société de consommation, car La Boétie analyse ce phénomène dans son ‘Discours de la servitude volontaire’. The words of the French intellectual Michel Onfray. © Marianne no. 1158. KBV.

254 Sésame     

Sésame      

***

In the tale of the Arabian Nights, we find the story of ‘Ali Baba et les Quarante Voleurs’. ‘Open Sesame’ was the magic expression used by the thieves to access the cave in which their treasure was hidden. Il faut souvent passer des années en France avant de décrocher ce sésame [a stay permit]. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4852. This is a reference to the difficulties enountered by people applying for a stay permit in France. See above Contes des Mille et Une Nuits. Les, and Mille et Une Nuits. Les.

Sganarelle      

**

He is a recurrent character in Molière’s plays. This quotation is an allusion to the play Dom Juan (1665), which ends in tragedy. Sganarelle’s master has been taken to hell, but the only thing the comic character Sganarelle can shout about is his lost wages: Ah! Mes! gages! mes gages! The context is the financial crisis and the bosses of certain ruined institutions crying out for their bonuses and stock options amid the disaster. Alors qu’un immense drame vient de se jouer sous leurs yeux, ils demeurent comme Sganarelle sur la scène vide à scander: nos gages! nos gages! © Nouvel Observateur 2321.2010. This quote is interesting from two points of view. It illustrates the spelling connection between English words beginning with ‘w’ and their French equivalent beginning with ‘g’ (See Chapter 2 ‘Mort aux vaches’), and the word ‘gages’, which is just one of the many words that the French language possesses to refer to various types of remuneration, each word having a specific nuance, e.g. la solde (soldier), le salaire (employee), les appointements (civil servant), la rémunération (general term), le cachet (actor), les gages (domestic servant), les honoraires (member of the professions:  doctor, lawyer etc.), les émoluments (civil servant), la vacation (temporary worker), le revenue (general term) etc.

‘S’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​l à.’      

***

The words of Victor Hugo (1802–​85) in the poem ‘Ultima verba’ in the collection Les Châtiments, written in 1853, two years after the coup d’État of Napoleon III. An amnesty was going to be proposed to opponents of the regime such as Hugo, but the condition of the amnesty was that the person in question would submit to the authority of Napoleon. Hugo was among those who refused the terms, being totally against the regime of Louis Napoleon. Speaking of those who resisted the ‘dwarf’, Hugo wrote: Si l’on n’est plus que mille, eh bien, j’en suis. Si même ils ne sont plus que cent, je brave encore Sylla [sic].

Tartarin/tartarinade 255

S’il en demeure dix, je serai le dixième; Et s’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​là. McCartney. Let it bio. S’il ne restait qu’un chanteur du bio, l’ex-​Beatles [sic] serait celui-​là. © Les dossiers du Canard enchaîné no. 151. This was the heading of an article about Paul McCartney’s conversion to veganism. See Chapter 7 ‘Charybde en Scylla (tomber de)’.

souris et des hommes. Des      

*

This is the title of the novel by John Steinbeck published in 1937. Des sourires et des hommes. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. This was the heading of an article about gender parity at the Cannes Film Festival.

Statue du Commandeur. La      

**

Molière’s Dom Juan was staged for the first time on 15 February 1665 at the Théâtre du Palais Royal. In the play, the ghost of Le Commandeur, a man whom Dom Juan has killed in a duel a few months before, finally comes to take Dom Juan to hell as a punishment for his evil ways. Mais le magazine économique n’a pas jugé utile de publier ce chiffre dans l’article consacré à la ‘statue du Commandeur du capitalisme français’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5139. The figure in question is €6.52 million, the remuneration of Denis Kessler for 2018, for which the magazine Challenges criticized him severely but without reporting it publicly.

Sur un arbre perché      

*

Mais comme dans le film avec Louis de Funès ‘Sur un arbre perché’, le conducteur coincé n’a d’autre choix que d’attendre des secours. © Marianne no. 609. This text refers to a scene in a film with Louis de Funès where the car he is driving is dangerously perched on a cliff edge and he cannot move for fear of upsetting the delicate balance of the car. See above ‘Maître corbeau’. See Annex 1.

Tartarin/​t artarinade      

***

Tartarin de Tarascon is the hero in a series of novels by Alphonse Daudet (1840–​97) The name of Tartarin is synonymous with a boastful person. Tartarin de taxation © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4857. A  former minister of labour wanted to propose a reform that would do away with bogus jobs. The number of politicians currently under investigation or indicted for having been involved in bogus jobs makes his suggestion laughable.

256 Tartuf(f)e, tartuf(f)erie     

Tartuf(f)e, tartuf(f)erie      

***

Tartuffe is the character in the play of the same name by Molière and represents the arch-​hypocrite, particularly in the field of religion. In this play, Molière attacks the excesses of the Compagnie du Saint Sacrement, thus provoking the ire of the religious cliques. The King forbade public performances of the play, and one priest even demanded death at the stake for Molière. It is to Tartuffe that we owe two of Molière’s most famous quotations: Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir and Ah! pour être dévôt, je n’en suis pas moins homme. L’école ne doit pas être à la merci des traditions rétrogrades qui, de Tartuffe à Ramadan, sacralisent la soumission, notamment celle des femmes condamnées unilatéralement à cacher leur corps. © Marianne no.  1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019. This text refers to the problem posed by ostentatious religious symbols at school: crucifixes, veils, kippas etc. See above ‘Cachez ce sein’, and ‘Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir’.

‘temps ne fait rien à l’affaire. Le’      

**

Reference 1: . . . Au reste, vous saurez, Que je n’ai demeuré qu’un quart d’heure à le faire. –​Voyons, Monsieur, le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire. (the words of Alceste in Le Misanthrope) Reference 2: ‘Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire’ is a song by Georges Brassens that came out in 1961. The song claims that stupidity is intemporal and has nothing to do with age. In it we can hear the various words ‘con’, ‘quand’ and ‘qu’on’ playing on the near homophony. Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire, Quand on est con, on est con. Qu’on ait vingt ans, qu’on soit grand-​père, Quand on est con, on est con. Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire, comme disaient Molière et Brassens. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4870. This was a reference to the disparity of ages among

‘Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre.’  257

the candidates of the National Front (now called the Rassemblement National) in the municipal elections of 2014.

Thénardier      

***

In the novel by Victor Hugo Les Misérables, published in 1862, the Thénardier are inn keepers of Le Sergent de Waterloo, in which Cosette is exploited as a servant. Les Thénardier de Levallois répliquent par des noms d’oiseaux. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5141. The Balkany couple (mayor and deputy mayor of Levallois in the Hauts-​de-​Seine département (92)) are now in court after many years of doubtful operations, accused of tax evasion, money laundering and corruption. Le Canard published articles about their implication in shady real estate deals in their town of Levallois and received insults from the couple in return. ‘Repliquer par des noms d’oiseaux’ means to call sb. names. See above ‘Cosette’. Patrick Balkany was jailed for four and five years respectively, and his wife dispensée de peine. They were cleared of the charge of corruption. Patrick Balkany was later released from prison on medical grounds (February 2020).

Thoughtcrime      

*

Un de ces sites Internet s’appelle ‘Thoughtcrime.org’, une référence au ‘crime de pensée’ dans le roman dystopique ‘1984’ de George Orwell. © Le Point no. 2435.

tour d’ivoire      

***

This comes from Pensées d’août à M. Villemin by Charles Augustin Sainte-​ Beuve (1804–​69). The quote refers to Alfred comte de Vigny, the French writer (1797–​1863): Et Vigny, plus secret, comme en sa tour d’ivoire, avant midi, rentrait. En attendant leur rémission complète, ils doivent se résigner et attendre sur leur île de béton, seuls, au 16e étage de leur tour d’ivoire, la décrue annoncée de l’épidemie. © Paris Match 3693. ND. This texts refers to two people who have been treated for COVID-​19 and who are now in virtual quarantine in their deserted, ultramodern block of flats in Wuhan.

‘Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre.’      

*

‘Everything comes at the opportune moment for the person who knows how to wait.’ Words of the poet Clément Marot (1496–​1544). La Fontaine

258  Tristes Tropiques     

(1621–​95) also wrote a similar phrase, Tout vient à point à qui sait bien attendre. Tout vient à point. Les Echos no. 20497. The context of this quote is the strong financial position of GDF-​Suez after it had patiently worked towards stability.

Tristes Tropiques      

**

Triste Trumpique © Le Canard enchainé n° 5149 DF. This was the heading of a text that revealed the opinion held by the British ambassador to Washington about President Trump, who is described as ‘inept’, ‘unpredictable’ and lacking in self-​confidence.

‘Tu seras un homme, mon fils.’      

**

The poem If by Rudyard Kipling (1865–​1936), the English poet and novelist, enumerates the qualities that one needs to possess in order to be a man worthy of the name. The poem ends with the words Tu seras un homme, mon fils. Tu sera [sic] trader mon fils. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 122. This is a consequence of the exorbitant bonuses paid out to traders who work for BNP Paribas and Natixis.

Ubu (roi)      

***

Ubu was the name of an absurd character created by the French writer Alfred Jarry (1873–​1907). Ubu was captain of the dragoons in the army of the King of Poland. ‘Ubuesque’ is synonymous with ‘ludicrous’. Ce n’est ni à l’Europe de Jean Monnet, ni à celle de de Gaulle, ni à celle de Delors que nous avons affaire, c’est l’Europe du père Ubu. © Marianne no. 1155. JJ. This refers to the absurd situation of Turkey, a country that is essentially Asiatic and ideologically opposed to western culture but is involved in negotiations to join the European Union.

ubuesque      

***

Le politiquement correct peut devenir ubuesque. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4301. This text refers to the difficulty encountered by Anne Sinclair (a famous TV newsreader and journalist) in getting her ID papers renewed. She was born in New  York of French parents. The irony of the story is that she was a model for the bust of ‘Marianne’ (the symbol of the French Republic) some years ago.

‘Va, cours, vole et nous venge . . .’  259

‘Un seul être vous manque et tout est dépeuplé’      

***

This is the most famous line of the poem ‘L’Isolement’ by the French poet and writer Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–​1869): Que me font ces vallons, ces palais, ces chaumières, Vains objets dont pour moi le charme est envolé? Fleuves, rochers, forêts, solitudes si chères, Un seul être vous manque, et tout est dépeuplé! Un seul hêtre vous manque et tout est des peupliers. © Le Canard enchaîné 4604. This is a pun by the late Jean-​Paul Grousset, member of the Canard enchaîné team. ‘Un hêtre’ is a beech tree, ‘un peuplier’ is a poplar tree.

Utopie nf.      

***

This was an imaginary island described in a book of the same name written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More (1478–​1535). The island is described as having the perfect political and social system. The opposite of ‘utopia’, less frequently used, is ‘dystopia’ e.g. Brave New World or Nineteen Eighty-​Four. Le marxisme a relayé le communisme des sects et le socialisme des utopistes pour prendre en charge la tradition évangélique et puritaine . . . contre les privilégiés sans légitimité. ©L’Obs no. 287, 07–​13 November 2019. JD.

‘Va, cours, vole et nous venge . . .’      

**

In Le Cid, by Pierre Corneille, these are the words of Don Diègue to his son, Don Rodrigue. The father has asked the son to avenge the insult he has suffered at the hands of Don Gomès: Je ne te dis plus rien. Venge-​moi, venge-​toi; Montre-​toi digne fils d’un père tel que moi. Accablé des malheurs où le destin me range, Je vais les déplorer. Va, cours, vole, et nous venge. De Villiers court, vole, envoie des équipes aux quatre coins du monde. Ces fameux documents, il les trouvera et les fera connaître. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5135.The documents in question concern Europe and its conception by the Nazi jurist of Hitler, Walter Hallstein. These documents and facts have

260 ‘vaincre sans péril. À’     

been known for many years although many people are still unaware of their existence. See Annex 1.

‘vaincre sans péril. À’      

*

These words are said by the comte de Gormès to Rodrigue in Le Cid by Pierre Corneille, Act II, Scene ii: Trop peu d’honneur pour moi suivrait cette victoire: À vaincre sans péril, on triomphe sans gloire. On te croirait toujours abattu sans effort; Et j’aurais seulement le regret de ta mort. Quand il y a sur place un candidat comme lui, pas besoin de FN, on est déjà bien représenté. À vaincre sans péril. © Le Canard enchaîné. Lionel Luca (popular right wing) had nobody facing him in the municipal elections in the Alpes-​ Maritimes in 2014. Thus, there is no glory when one wins without danger. See Annex 1.

‘valeur n’attend pas le nombre des années. La’      

***

Reference 1:  this is Don Rodrigue’s reply, in Le Cid by Pierre Corneille, to Don Gomès, whom he has just challenged. Gomès doesn’t want to kill a young man, for there will be no glory in it for him. He tries to discourage Rodrigue by alluding to his young age. Rodrigue replies: Je suis jeune, il est vrai; mais aux âmes bien nées, la valeur n’attend point le nombre des années. Il ne faut pas réveiller un vieux con qui dort même si, dans le domaine de la connerie, comme dans les autres, la valeur n’attend pas le nombre des années. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 131. Reference 2:  Alain Delon, an old man now, sometimes says stupid things, according to his children. Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort is the title of a film directed by José Pinheiro starring Alain Delon. See Annex 1.

Valjean       See Chapter 6 ‘Vidocq’.

**

‘Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage.’   261

Vian, Boris      

**

Boris Vian (1920–​59), a French writer, wrote a poem that later became a song, called ‘Le Déserteur’. It is in the form of a letter addressed to the President of the Republic by a man having received his call-​up papers and who chooses not to comply with the conscription order. Vian published the song in 1954 at the end of the war in Indochina and the French defeat (1946–​54). Certains ont pillé Boris Vian pour appeler à l’objection de conscience. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 129. The people taking part in the Manif pour tous (right wing) twisted the slogans and symbols of the left to suit their needs. See Chapter 2 ‘Monsieur le Président, je vous fais une lettre’.

Vieil Homme et la mer. Le      

**

The Old Man and the Sea is the title of the masterpiece by Ernest Hemingway (1899–​1961) published in 1952. It was his last work of fiction. The story is about the magnificent combat between an old fisherman and a huge marlin. With this story he won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in 1954. Le vieil homme et l’enfant © Marianne no. 1160, 7–​13 June 2020. CD-​M. This was the heading of an article about the book Koba by Robert Littell, which makes the journalist think about the film Le Vieil Homme et l’enfant by Claude Berri (1967), where the Jewish child is the hero in a world where his parents have disappeared.

vieux lion rugit encore. Le      

*

This is an allusion to the old lion in the fable ‘Le Lion devenu vieux’; the lion is unable to roar. Le malheureux Lion, languissant, triste, et morne, /​Peut à peine rugir. Le vieux lion rugit encore. © Marianne no. 629. This is the title of an article devoted to the war speeches of Winston Churchill. See Annex 1.

‘Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage.’      

**

Nicolas Boileau (1636–​1711) was a man of letters of the Grand Siècle. In L’Art poétique he gives advice to a writer about his work. He should add to it sometimes, erase things often, but above all polish and polish the work. In fact, there are three well-​known phrases in this verse: Ce que l’on conçoit bien s’énonce clairement, Hâtez-​vous lentement, et sans perdre courage, Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage.

262  Vol de nuit     

Cent fois sur le Bédier © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5181. This was the heading of a text concerning Pierre Bédier, Président du Conseil Départemental des Yvelines, who was found guilty of corruption in 2008. His recent election as President of a social housing organization (HLM) in the Yvelines has just been invalidated by the Conseil d’État because he does not present the required level of morality. It needs to be pointed out that a French politician can be found guilty of corruption and sentenced, but this, in no way, compromises his future career development. He has simply dissolved the former organization, created a smaller one, and remains its President.

Vol de nuit      

*

Vol de nuit is a novel by Antoine de Saint-​Exupéry, published in 1931 and winner of the Femina Prize of the same year. The action takes place in South America during the infancy of commercial aviation. Saint-​Exupéry was director of L’Aéropostale d’Argentina and tells the story of a director of a postal air company. Vols d’ennui. Dinard-​ Nottingham, Brive-​ Porto, Bergerac-​ La Haye, Dole-​Fez. Grâce aux compagnies low-​cost, on peut décoller d’à peu près partout et atterrir nulle part. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 152.

Voltaire      

***

François-​Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire (1694–​1778), was a French writer and philosopher who was prominent in France at the time of the Lumières. His work is highly topical at the present time in the context of religious intolerance. Il faut attendre les XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles pour que des voix couvrent enfin celles des grands moralistes. Voltaire par son aura, ses engagements, la puissance de sa pensée, efface des esprits la peur du Jugement dernier. On parle raison, philosophie, plaisir. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4864. This was a commentary on a book entitled Une histoire de la frivolité by Sabine Melchior-​ Bonnet. See above Meilleur des mondes. Le.

‘Voltaire. Je suis tombé par terre, c’est la faute à’      

*

See above ‘Gavroche’.

‘Waterloo, Waterloo, Waterloo, Morne plaine’      

***

This is a quotation from Les Châtiments by Victor Hugo (1852) that alludes to the ‘sad plain’ where the French lost the Battle of Waterloo.

Annex 1 La Fontaine  263

Waterloo, Waterloo, Waterloo, Morne plaine! Comme une onde qui bout dans une urne trop pleine, Dans ton cirque de bois, de coteaux, de vallons, La pâle mort mêlait les sombres bataillons. C’est en Seine-​et-​Marne dans la nuit du 7 au 8 novembre qu’une caténaire est sabotée. La plaine y est morne. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4648. This is a reference to the sabotage of SNCF infrastructure. Seine-​et-​Marne (77) is a département to the south-​east of Paris. See Annex 3.

Zadig      

***

Zadig; ou, La Destinée is a philosophical tale by Voltaire published in 1747. Un poète est né lundi soir. Il s’agit de Fréderic Lefebvre . . . Victor Hugo a trouvé un successeur avec l’ami de Zadig et Voltaire. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5137. Lefebvre quoted the poetry of Hugo in the wake of the fire at Notre-​ Dame. See Chapter 2 Zadig. The literary references are by far the most important cultural references in the French press. Because of space considerations I have been led to delete some of the original references that I have not found in my latest research. Given that they are nonetheless important I have listed them below without any development so that readers, if they so choose, may do some follow-​up reading. Amédée; Arlequin; Béatrice; Columba; d’Artagnan; Folcoche; Homme révolté; Illuminations (Rimbaud); Mémoires d’une jeune fille rangée; Jument de Roland; Passe-​muraille. ANNEXES

Annex 1 La Fontaine The works of Jean de La Fontaine (1621–​95) are the most frequently quoted literary source in the French press. The first six books were finished by 1668. The fables are based on his own life experience and inspired by the apologues of Aesop. La Fontaine enjoyed the patronage of Nicolas Fouquet, the Intendant of Louis XIV, and knew the château of Vaux-​le-​ Vicomte very well. The foreign student should know the most frequently quoted works. Out of the fourteen books we should point out that the eleventh and twelfth are not sources of any quotations. The majority of references come from the first ten.

264  Annex 1 La Fontaine

We should distinguish: The fables that are quoted with the original text. The fables that are referred to merely by their title. The periphrases that are neither the title nor a quotation of the original text. LIVRE PREMIER Fable 1: ‘La Cigale et la Fourmi’ • • • • •

. . . se trouva fort dépourvue quand la bise fut venue elle alla crier famine chez la Fourmi sa voisine je vous payerai, intérêt et principal La Fourmi n’est pas prêteuse; c’est là son moindre défaut Eh bien, dansez maintenant.

Fable 2: ‘Le Corbeau et le Renard’ • • • • •

Maître Corbeau sur un arbre perché Maître Renard par l’odeur alléché Lui tint à peu près ce langage Vous êtes le phénix des hôtes de ces bois Apprenez que tout flatteur vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute.

Fable 3: ‘La Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le Bœuf ’ Only the title is quoted. Fable 5: ‘Le Loup et le Chien’ The dog’s dinner bowl is referred to, but equally the marks of the collar on his neck. Fable 6: ‘La Génisse, la Chèvre et la Brebis en société avec le Lion’ C’est le droit du plus fort. Fable 7: ‘Le Rat de ville et le Rat des champs’ Only the title is quoted.

Annex 1 La Fontaine  265

Fable 10: ‘Le Loup et l’Agneau’ La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure. Fable 16: ‘La Mort et le Bûcheron’ Plutôt souffrir que mourir, c’est la devise des hommes. Fable 21: ‘Les Frelons et les Mouches à miel’ On fait tant, à la fin, que l’huître et pour le juge, les écailles pour les plaideurs. Fable 22: ‘Le Chêne et le Roseau’ Je plie, et ne romps pas. LIVRE SECOND Fable 2: ‘Conseil tenu par les Rats’ La difficulté fut d’attacher le grelot (‘Who will bell the cat?’) Fable 4: ‘Les deux Taureaux et une Grenouille’ Les petits ont pâti des sottises des grands. Fable 5: ‘La Chauve-​souris et les deux Belettes’ Je suis oiseau, voyez mes ailes, Je suis souris, vivent les rats. Fable 11: ‘Le Lion et le Rat’ Il faut autant qu’on peut, obliger tout le monde: On a souvent besoin d’un plus petit que soi. Patience et longueur de temps Font plus que force ni que rage. LIVRE TROISIÈME Fable 4: ‘Les Grenouilles qui demandent un roi’ Only the title is quoted.

266  Annex 1 La Fontaine

Fable 5: ‘Le Renard et le Bouc’ En toute chose il faut considérer la fin. Fable 11: ‘Le Renard et le raisin’ Ils sont (les raisins) trop verts Fable 14: ‘Le Lion devenu vieux’ Le coup de pied de l’âne This is neither the title nor a quote Fable 18: ‘Le Chat et un vieux Rat’ La méfiance est mère de la sûreté. LIVRE QUATRIÈME Fable 1: ‘Le Lion amoureux’ Amour! Amour! quand tu nous tiens, on peut bien dire: Adieu prudence! Very frequently, in the press, another word is substituted for ‘Amour’. Fable 15: ‘Le Loup, la Chèvre et le Chevreau’ Montrer patte blanche, ou je n’ouvrirai point. The expression as used today is Montrer patte blanche. LIVRE CINQUIÈME Fable 2: ‘Le Pot de terre et le Pot de fer’ Only the title of the fable is quoted. Fable 3: ‘Le petit Poisson et le Pêcheur’ Un tiens vaut, se dit-​on, mieux que deux tu l’auras.

Annex 1 La Fontaine  267

Fable 6: ‘La Vieille et les deux Servantes’ La Vieille les fit tomber par là de Charybde en Scylla. See Chapter 7 ‘Charybde en Scylla (tomber de)’. Fable 10: ‘La Montagne qui accouche’ Elle accoucha d’une souris. Fable 13: ‘La Poule aux œufs d’or’ Only the title is quoted. Fable 20: ‘L’Ours et les deux Compagnons’ Il m’a dit qu’il ne faut jamais Vendre la peau de l’Ours qu’on ne l’ait mis à terre. The expression, as used today is Ne vendez pas la peau de l’ours. LIVRE SIXIÈME Fable 5: ‘Le Cochet, le Chat et le Souriceau’ A periphrasis is made of the text: il ne faut pas juger les gens sur la mine. Fable 10: ‘Le Lièvre et la Tortue’ Rien ne sert de courir; il faut partir à point. Fable 18: ‘Le Chartier embourbé’ Aide-​toi, le ciel t’aidera. LIVRE SEPTIÈME Fable 1: ‘Les Animaux malades de la Peste’ This is by far the most frequently quoted fable and the one from which three very famous quotations are taken:

268  Annex 2 Corneille

• • •

Ils ne mouraient pas tous, mais tous étaient [‘étoient’ in the text] affectés à ces mots on cria haro sur le baudet Selon que vous soyez puissant ou misérable, les jugements de la cour vous rendront blanc ou noir. NB In modern French, ‘soyez’ is replaced by ‘serrez’.

Fable 7: ‘La cour du Lion’ Periphrasis is used. One speaks of une réponse de Normand, which is an ambiguous and evasive reply. Fable 10: ‘La Laitière et le Pot au lait’ Le lait tombe, adieu veau, vaches, cauchon, couvée. LIVRE HUITIÈME Fable 9: ‘Le Rat et l’Huître’ . . . tel est pris qui croyait prendre Fable 10: ‘L’Ours et l’Amateur des jardins’ We speak simply about le pavé de l’ours. LIVRE NEUVIÈME Fable 9: ‘L’Huître et les Plaideurs’ The title is quoted. Fable 17: ‘Le Singe et le Chat’ We use a periphrasis with the expression tirer les marrons du feu.

Annex 2 Corneille Pierre Corneille (1606–​84) is the second of the most frequently quoted literary sources, particularly his tragi-​comedy Le Cid (1637). These are quoted as in the original text or punned upon in some way. • •

À vaincre sans péril on triomphe sans gloire. Et le combat cessa faute de combattants.

Annex 4 Molière  269

• • • • • • •

Je suis jeune, il est vrai, mais aux âmes bien nées, La valeur n’attend point le nombre des années. Nous partîmes cinq cents, mais par un prompt renfort, Nous nous vîmes trois mille en arrivant au port. Ô rage! Ô désespoir! Ô vieillesse ennemie! N’ai-​je donc tant vécu que pour cette infamie? Ôte-​moi d’un doute. Rodrigue, as-​tu du cœur? Va, cours, vole, et nous venge. Va, je ne te hais point.

Annex 3 Hugo • • • • • • • • • • • •

Cosette Demain, dès l’aube Gavroche Misérables Mon père, ce héros au sourire si doux Morne plaine Notre-​Dame de Paris Quand blanchit la campagne S’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​là. Thénardier Valjean Waterloo

Annex 4 Molière • • • • • • • • • • •

Alceste Bourgeois gentilhomme Cachez ce sein Couvrez ce sein Cassette Qu’allait-​il faire dans cette galère? Harpagon Jourdain Médecin malgré lui On m’assassine Petit chat est mort

270  Annex 4 Molière

• • • • •

Précieuses ridicules Prose de M. Jourdain Tartuffe Sganarelle Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire.

Chapter 6

Historical references

Heureuse la nation qui n’a pas d’histoire. (Cesare Beccaria)

From the intercultural point of view, it is important to realize that some cultures attach much more importance to the past than others. For the French, the weight and importance of the past are enormous, and have to be taken into account when approaching French culture in general. The importance of the past reaches far beyond the confines of history proper, with its references to the Sun King, Napoleon and Waterloo. French culture is at the antipode of American culture, with its mantra ‘You are as good as your last performance.’ As the late Alain Peyrefitte wrote in his book Le Mal français, when you pass the exam for Polytechnique or l’ÉNA, it’s like a rocket that will take you to the end of your career, whatever catastrophes you may provoke on the way. Giscard d’Estaing left office in 1981; when welcomed to a TV talk show today he is referred to as ‘Monsieur le Président’, an office he held decades ago! In France, one is constantly reminded that a middle-​aged politician was first in his year at university!

Action française      

**

In 1898, at the height of the Dreyfus affair, Henri Vaugeois founded the political movement known as Action française. It was nationalistic, royalist and anti-​Semitic, largely influenced by the ideas of Charles Maurras (1868–​ 1952) and closely related to Les Camelots du Roi. See below ‘Cagoule’. Venu de l’Action française et de l’antisémitisme chrétien, l’écrivain abandonne ses anciennes allégeances dès l’instant où il voit ses amis devenir indifférents au mal. © L’Obs no. 2848, 6–​12 June 2019. MF. This quote refers to the change in the political outlook of Bernanos, faced with the rise of Mussolini and the

272 Alésia     

role of the Church in the Spanish Civil War. See Chapter 5 Journal d’un curé de campagne.

Alésia      

*

This was the name of a Gallic fort situated on Mount Auxois in what is today the département of the Côte d’Or (21). It was to this place that Vercingétorix retreated with his army before surrendering to Caesar after a two-​month siege in around 52 b c . Notre histoire de France repose encore, fragilement, sur quelques mythes fondateurs: la bataille d’Alésia, le sacre de Charlemagne, Jeanne d’Arc et le baptême de Clovis. © Le Point no.  2458. The question is asked about the reality of these ‘historical’ events.

Allez dire      

*

These were the words pronounced by Mirabeau on 23 June 1789 having received the order from the King to disband. Allez dire au Roi que nous sommes ici par la volonté du peuple et que nous n’en sortirons que par la force des baïonnettes. ‘Go and tell the King that we are here by the will of the people and that we shall be expelled only by the force of bayonets.’ Alors, la révolte du Parlement européen aura-​t-​elle lieu. Verra-​t-​on un Mirabeau de l’Union hurler un jour à Strasbourg ou à Bruxelles “Nous sommes ici par la volonté du peuple et nous n’en sortirons que par la force des baïonnettes”? © Le Point no. 2439. EG. The text refers to the weak position of the European Parliament, which is perceived as having no power. The question is asked: will Strasbourg rebel one day?

Anastasie      

**

The history of censorship is long, and one of the first instances of censorship dates back to 1559 and the Index librorum prohibitorum of the Catholic Church. Since 1874, the satirical press in France has represented censorship as an old shrew, with long finger nails and bearing a pair of gigantic scissors. Revoilà la censure, revoilà Anastasie, vêtue des habits neufs de la high-​tech. Et qui tiendra les ciseaux? Les géants du Net, chargés de dire le bien et le mal, le vrai et le faux, le licite et l’illicite. Depuis cent trente-​huit ans, la grande loi de 1881 nous protégeait de ce délire. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5149. This was taken from an article concerning a proposed law to fight cyber-​hatred. See ‘Loi du 29 juillet 1881’ at www.routledge.com9780367376758:  Legal terminology.

appel du 18 Juin nm.  273

Ancien Régime nm.      

***

The chrononym Ancien Régime refers to pre-​revolutionary France, the France of the divine right of kings and absolute monarchy, the world as it was before 1789. Et puis la société britannique ne ressemble en rien à celle, fracturée, de l’Ancien Régime. © Marianne no. 1156, 10–​16 May 2019. This text refers to the respective situations of France and England at the time of the continental blockade against England, imposed by Napoleon in 1802 and called the Continental system.

année 1793 nf.      

*

Cette tentation naturelle de refaire en permanence 1793. The words of a right-​ wing député quoted in © Marianne no. 623. The years 1792–​3 marked a period of riots, turmoil and the inability of the government to control prices. It was in 1793 that the last seigneurial rights were abolished without compensation. M. Copé has frequently expressed his equal dislike of the night of 4 August 1789, i.e. the famous event known as the ‘abolition of privileges’. His remarks were made in the wake of public indignation at the abusive privileges of the banking world that came to light during the financial crisis.

Années folles. Les      

**

‘Les Années folles’ (known in English as the Roaring Twenties) is a chrononym designating a period of intense activity in the world of art, literature and entertainment that began in 1920 and came to an end with the depression in 1929. The two artistic centres in Paris, at that time, were Montmartre and Montparnasse. En 1925, à Paris, Charles, jeune bourgeois en rupture de ban, se lance dans la transformation d’un bouge sordide –​La Taverne du Baron –​en un cabaret prestigieux qui devient vite l’un des fleurons des Années folles. The cabaret in question is ‘La Boule rouge’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5143. See Chapter 3 ‘ban, être en rupture de’.

appel du 18 Juin nm.      

***

This was the famous message broadcast by de Gaulle from the BBC in London in 1940 exhorting the French to continue the fight against the Germans. This ‘call’ was made soon after the call of Maréchal Pétain asking the French to lay down their arms. La manifestation des blouses blanches partira de la place du 18 Juin, clin d’œil à l’appel du même nom et à son esprit de résistance. © Le

274 armada nf.     

Canard Enchaîné no. 4616. This refers to the demonstration in Paris by medical staff. See Chapter 12 ‘blouses blanches. Les’.

armada nf.      

***

This Spanish word (armed force) is particularly associated with the fleet of warships that Spain sent against England in 1588 and that was destroyed, partly by the expert English navy, partly by the atrocious English weather. Dénoncez les crimes du totalitarisme communiste et hop, une armada de gardiens du temple marxiste-​léniniste-​maoïste vous dira rouler pour le fascisme. © Le Point no.  2436. This text refers to double standards being used when passing judgement on totalitarian regimes, whether communist or fascist. See Chapter 8 ‘gardiens du temple, les’.

Austerlitz      

***

Austerlitz (located today in the Czech Republic) was one of the most brilliant battles fought by Napoleon. It took place on 2 December 1805. He defeated the combined Austro-​Russian armies. Since this battle, we speak of ‘the sun of Austerlitz’, the sun of victory. Si la publication de la Phénoménologie de l’esprit [1806] fut l’Austerlitz de la pensée hégélienne . . . celle du livre de Rudolph Haym fut son Waterloo. © Marianne no. 604.

Bad Godesberg      

**

Bad Godesberg is a quiet suburb of Bonn and used to be the seat of the German federal government. It was the location of most of the foreign embassies and government offices. The Congress of Bad Godesberg, held in 1959, was a landmark in the history of European social democracy. It was during this congress that the German social democrats decided to break with all reference to Marxism and accept the principles of the market economy. Le camp progressiste a accompli son Bad-​Godesberg. © Marianne no. 590. NB there is a hyphen in Bad-​Godesberg when used metaphorically.

Bastille. La      

**

This was the famous Parisian fortress built in 1370 by Charles V. It became a State prison under Richelieu. The prison was stormed and taken by the mob on 14 July 1789 but only a handful of prisoners were imprisoned there at the time. A symbol of oppression, it was demolished during the Revolution. In its place today, in the 4e arrondissement, is a vast roundabout with a statue

Bérézina nf.  275

commemorating the Revolution of 1830. Comme la prison de la Bastille a pu représenter l’arbitraire royal et l’iniquité de l’Ancien Régime, Le Fouquet’s, ce repaire de sybarites aux ronds de serviette en argent, a été élevé au rang de symbole d’une élite prospérant sur le dos de la plèbe. © l’Obs no. 2837, 21–​27 March 2019. This text refers to the gutting of the famous restaurant-​cum-​ bistrot by the violent elements within the ranks of the gilets jaunes during the demonstrations of March 2019. NB contrary to popular belief, 14 July is not the commemoration of the storming of the Bastille but the anniversary of the Fête de la fédération of 1790.

Bataille du rail. La nf      

***

La Bataille du rail is the title of a film by René Clément (1946) that tells the story of the Resistance operations carried out by French railwaymen to sabotage railway rolling stock and infrastructure in Nazi-​occupied France. The film was quickly taken out of circulation because it showed exactly how the railwaymen went about their sabotage operations. France was at war at the time, and the Vietnamese were taking inspiration from the film to attack the French railway network in Indo-​China. L’autre bataille du rail. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5169. The heading of an article concerning the railway strikes and the battle for the succession of the CGT union leadership.

Belle Époque nf.      

***

This chrononym is generally understood to be the period around 1900 when life was agreeable and lighthearted, corresponding in England to the Edwardian period, i.e. the reign of Edward VII (1901–​10). La Belle Époque intime. Oubliés d’une histoire que leur a préféré les avant-​gardes, les peintres intimistes des années 1900 ressurgissent à l’occasion d’une exposition au Palais Lumière. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. This text refers to an exhibition at the Palais Lumière in Évian-​les-​Bains, entirely devoted to the ‘intimistes de la Belle Époque’ (sometimes called the last impressionists).

Bérézina nf.      

***

Berezina (or Bérézina) is the name of a river in Belarus, which the retreating French army of Napoleon crossed in 1812 during the retreat from Moscow. It is used today as a synonym of rout, catastrophe and total failure etc. Mais trouver la bonne personne, motiveé, pour partir vers une Bérézina annoncée n’est pas facile. © Le Monde no. 23359 (NB the upper-​case letter). These were the words of Benjamin Grivaux on his withdrawal, as LREM candidate, from the

276 bonnet phrygien nm.     

Paris municipal election campaign. His withdrawal took place in the wake of sex-​tape revelations of infidelity. Agnès Buzyn, the former Minister of Health, was nominated as his successor. Bérézina is associated (as is Dunkirk) with defeat. And yet, as with Dunkirk, Bérézina was a considerable feat on the part of the French military engineers to build a pontoon bridge enabling the evacuation of the retreating French troops.

bonnet phrygien nm.      

***

The Phrygian cap was the cap worn by freed slaves in the Roman Empire. It was adopted by the French revolutionaries as of 1790 as a symbol of liberty and civic spirit. This is the bonnet that became one of the symbols of the French Republic. Marianne is represented wearing the Phrygian bonnet. Un groupe de jeunes filles, grimé en Marianne avec bonnet phrygien et écharpe tricolore, brandit le code civil. © Le Monde no. 23247. This text refers to the demonstrations in Paris by opponents of the PMA. See Chapter 14 ‘PMA’.

boulanger, boulangère, petit mitron      

**

On 5 October 1789, because of food shortages, the women of Paris, led by Reine Audu at the head of a crowd of between 7,000 and 8,000 women, marched on the château of Versailles where the King and his family were living. They camped in front of the château and the following day forced the King and his family to go back to Paris. The crowd shouted:  Nous ne manquerons plus de pain, nous ramenons le boulanger, la boulangère et le petit mitron (‘We will not go without bread because we are bringing back to Paris the baker, the baker’s wife and the baker’s boy’). Reine Audu prit la tête des femmes déboulant à Versailles le 5 octobre 1789 pour y venir chercher le roi. Pauline Léon . . . se battit pour une garde nationale féminine. © Le Point no. 2447. FGL. Pauline Léon was born in September 1768 in Paris and was a prominent figure during the French Revolution. She took part in the storming of the Bastille. She petitioned for the right of women to bear arms. She died in 1838. For the context see below ‘Charlotte Corday’. NB Le Boulanger, la Boulangère et le Petit Mitron is also a play by Jean Anouilh that went on stage for the first time in 1968 at La Comédie des Champs-​Élysées.

Bourgeois de Calais. Les      

*

One of the famous events of the Hundred Years War, and the subject of one of the most famous creations of Rodin, was the surrender of the Bourgeois de Calais. In 1346, England’s Edward III laid siege to Calais. Eventually, the city

Cagoule nf.  277

surrendered. Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders would surrender themselves to him. He demanded that they walk out wearing nooses around their necks, and carrying the keys of the city. One of the town leaders, Eustache de Saint Pierre was the first to volunteer, followed by five others. According to Froissart, their lives were spared thanks to the intervention of England’s Queen Philippa of Hainault. Au début du conflit dans le Donbass, un Zelensky en panique propose d’aller s’agenouiller, tel un bourgeois de Calais, devant Poutine. © Paris Match no. 3651. This text refers to the new Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelensky. ‘Donbass’ is the name of an armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia that has been taking place in the east of Ukraine since 2014, the eastern part being dominated by russophones.

bouton de guêtre nm.      

**

See Chapter 2 ‘guêtre. Jusqu’au dernier bouton de’.

Bouvines      

**

The Battle of Bouvines was fought on 27 July 1214, and opposed the royal troops of Philippe Auguste and a coalition of French princes and lords. The victory of Philippe marked the beginning of the decline of seigneurial domination and the emergence of royal power. Un récit glacé, détaché de l’enthousiasme que la nation a fait naître de Bouvines à Valmy, d’Austerlitz à la Libération, ne permet pas de saisir ‘l’âme de la France’ dont parlait Ernest Renan ou qu’évoquait Charles de Gaulle. © Marianne no.  1159, 31 May  –​6 June 2019. A recently published book entitled L’Archipel français addresses the question of the atomization of French society and the weakening of the idea of the united ‘nation’. See below ‘Valmy (la bataille de)’.

Cagoule nf.      

**

La Cagoule was the nickname given by the press to the secret organization the Comité secret d’action révolutionnaire, which came into existence after the riots of 6 February 1934. It was an extreme right-​wing, anti-​republican, anti-​ Semitic and anti-​communist organization that took part in political subversion during the 1930s. Inversement, des fractions non-​négligeables de l’Action française, de la Cagoule et d’autres organisations anti-​juives du même type, se sont portées vers la Résistance . . . par un rejet instinctif de l’occupation allemande. © Marianne no. 574. This text refers to the fact that quite a few members of right-​wing, anti-​Semitic organizations in fact joined the Resistance because of their refusal to accept the German occupation of France.

278 cahiers de doléances     

cahiers de doléances      

***

A ‘cahier de doléances’ was a register in which assemblies in charge of electing députés to the Estates General wrote down their wishes and grievances. Although this practice goes back to the fourteenth century, the most famous of all the ‘cahiers’ are those associated with the year 1789 and the French Revolution. Les syndicats ont des cahiers de revendications. Les ‘gilets jaunes’ ont des cahiers de doléances. © Marianne no. 1156, 10–​16 May 2019. The gilets jaunes had a list of claims, among which were a referendum on citizen initiative, a national bank, lottery voting and a revolutionary programme.

Canossa      

***

Canossa is a small town in Italy to which the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, was obliged to go to ask Pope Gregory VII to lift his excommunication on 25–​7 January 1077. The Pope kept him waiting for two days. ‘Aller à Canossa’ now means to capitulate in a humiliating manner in front of one’s opponent. C’est un drame de plus pour la chrétienté, qui, aux prises avec le désenchantement du monde occidental et les dérives sexuelles d’une partie de son clergé, prend à bas bruit, tête baissée, la route de Canossa. © Le Point no. 2433. This was written in the wake of the fire at Notre-​Dame, yet another drama for the Christian community, already badly shaken by the affairs of sexual abuse by the clergy.

canuts. Les      

**

The revolt of the ‘canuts’ was the first modern insurrection in France in the new industrial era. The ‘canuts’ were artisans who worked in the silk industry in Lyon. They revolted in 1831 because of the refusal on the part of the silk manufacturers to respect the minimum prices agreed upon by the industrial tribunal and the Préfet. One of the characteristics of the revolt was machine-​ breaking. Another revolt took place in 1834. It was put down by the Army with considerable loss of life. En 1831, les canuts Lyonnais ne s’étaient-​ils pas révoltés contre le bloc bourgeois formé autour de Louis-​Philippe? © Marianne no. 1162. LH.

‘Carmagnole (dansons la)’      

*

The Carmagnole (1792) was originally a dance performed by a large group in ring formation. During the dance, people would stamp their feet loudly, imitating cannon shot. During the French Revolution ‘to make somebody dance

Champs de Mars 1791  279

the Carmagnole’ was a euphemism for ‘to guillotine’ them. Le Président a reparlé dans un discours au canon de la Carmagnole. © Marianne no. 598. This means that the President’s speech was made in violent and stirring terms.

catacombes nfpl.      

*

This was the name given to the underground passages dug out by the early Christians in the countryside of Rome. They served as both graveyards and as refuges during persecutions. Les catholiques n’ont pas disparu dans les catacombes, ils sont encore bien présents et actifs, mais ils ne sont plus qu’une des îles parmi d’autres de l’archipel français. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4307. This is the analysis of Jérôme Fourquet in his book L’Archipel français, an essay on a divided society.

Cathare      

*

See Chapter 2 ‘Tuez-​les tous.’

Cauchon (l’abbé)      

**

Pierre Cauchon (1371–​1442), Bishop of Beauvais, embraced the Burgundian party, and thus the English camp, in the Hundred Years War. He presided at the ecclesiastical court that sentenced Joan of Arc to be burned at the stake as a heretic. La trahison devient un brevet de civisme; l’évêque Cauchon siège au Conseil du roi d’Angleterre. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4315.

Champollion      

**

Jean-​François Champollion (1790–​1832) was the French Egyptologist who (with the help of the works of the English Egyptologist Thomas Young (1773–​ 1829)) was the first man to decipher the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone. Les Champollion du Finistère. Cet été, la mairie de Plougastel-​Daoulas offre 2,000 euros à qui saura décrypter une inscription mystérieuse. Est-​ce l’ancien Breton, du basque, un code secret ou le charabia d’un tailleur de pierre illettré? © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. PD. This text refers to a mysterious block of granite located in the cove of Caro, in Brittany, and bearing 20 lines of text that none of the experts can decipher. It was discovered in 1979 and is thought to date from the eighteenth century. NB one may write ‘decypher’.

Champs de Mars 1791      

**

On Sunday 17 July 1791, after the King had been arrested while fleeing to join the émigré army in Koblenz, a peaceful crowd assembled on the Champs

280  ‘Chant des partisans’ nm.     

de Mars to demand a new constitution and the destitution of the King. The National Guard, commanded by Lafayette, opened fire, without warning, on men, women and children. Several dozen people were killed. The people were given to understand that they had been useful idiots in pushing the Revolution forward but that they had no right, in the new order, to meddle with government. The gilets jaunes are seen as an echo of this event. See below ‘Jacquerie’. QW.

‘Chant des partisans’ nm.      

*

This became the song of the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War (lyrics by Maurice Druon and Joseph Kessel, music by Anna Marly). See below ‘Vol noir’. Ami, entends-​tu Le vol noir des corbeaux Sur nos plaines? Qui mieux que lui . . . pouvait lui donner son chant de ralliement, ce ‘Chant des partisans’ dont il (Kessel) composa les couplets avec Maurice Druon? © Valeurs actuelles no. 4315.

Charles Martel      

**

Charles Martel (688–​ 741) was the Frankish military leader who led the combined Frankish-​Burgundian army that in October 732 defeated the Arab army between Tours and Poitiers, thus putting an end to the last of the great Arab invasions of Europe. So little is known about this battle, the exact location and the numbers of soldiers involved, that many historians are divided as to its real importance in stemming the Arab invasion. But most agree that it was important in setting up the Carolingian dynasty, of which Martel was the founder. C’est tout ce qui vient de l’étranger, qu’il s’agisse du téléphone fabriqué en Chine, du plombier polonais, de la fraise espagnole ou du réfugié syrien qu’il convient, pour ce nouveau Charles Martel, de bouter sans délai hors de France. © Le Point no. 2438. The text refers to the polemist Eric Zemmour, who is a violent opponent of the ‘laxist’ immigration policy of the government. NB ‘Carolingian’ comes from ‘Charles’.

Charlotte Corday      

**

Charlotte Corday, born Marie Anne Charlotte Corday on 27 July 1768 in the region of the Auge, was guillotined on 17 July 1793 in Paris for having

chevalier de La Barre. Le  281

assassinated Marat in his bath on 13 July that year. Jean-​Paul Marat (1743–​ 93) was a député montagnard of the Convention during the French Revolution. On a retenu la ‘maraticide’ Charlotte Corday, la féministe Olympe de Gouges ou l’égérie des Girondins, Mme Roland. © Le Point no. 2447. This is a quote from a review of the book Les Égéries de la Révolution by Jean and Marie José Tulard. See below ‘Olympe de Gouges’. NB during the Revolution the montagnards were a group of left-​wing republican politicians including Danton, Marat and Robespierre. They were so called because they sat in the high seats of the Assembly, and are contrasted with the moderate deputés, who were collectively called the ‘Marais’.

Chemin des Dames nm.      

**

‘Le Chemin des Dames’ was one of the most bloody battlefields of the First World War. It became notorious after the catastrophic attacks made by General Nivelle against the German front in the spring of 1917. Over 200,000 Frenchmen were killed within two months for no gain. It was after this attack that the first mutinies began to break out. In fact, this delightful name, ‘Le Chemin des Dames’, comes from the fact that Adélaïde and Victoire, two daughters of Louis XV, used to take this route from Paris to the palace of Bove in the département of the Aisne (02). The Battle of ‘Le Chemin des Dames’ is also known as the second Battle of the Aisne. Mascotte de l’armée américaine, dans l’enfer du Chemin des Dames en février 1918, ce bull-​terrier a participé à 17 batailles. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. This comes from a review of the film Stubby, about a dog who, without the slightest training, was able to detect the wounded in no man’s land in the 1914–​18 war. He was adopted by the troops and became their mascot.

chevalier de La Barre. Le      

**

Le chevalier François-​Jean Lefebvre de La Barre (1745–​66) was a young nobleman sentenced to death for some adolescent blasphemy by the court of Abbeville. He was decapitated and burned. After his death, he was defended by Voltaire. Une large fraction de la gauche, hier anticléricale, a condamné, non les menaces, mais l’injure faite à la religion (elle aurait condamné le chevalier de La Barre?) © Marianne no. 1196, 14–​20 February 2020. JFK. This concerns the case of a teenage girl who, after having been insulted on the web by some Muslims, reacted violently against their religion. As with the Salman Rushdie affair, the death threats against her were not criticized but her attack against religion was.

282 Cinquième colonne     

Cinquième colonne      

**

This expression refers to hidden partisans or supporters within a State or organization. It originates with the declaration made on the radio of Franco in November 1936 during which a general announced that four columns were converging on Madrid and that a fifth column was already in place in the city. This was a psychological manœuvre to destabilize the republican forces by fanning suspicion. Cette christianophobie islamiste s’est battue sur les chrétiens d’Irak et de tout le monde musulman qui les voient comme la cinquième colonne ‘croisée’ des ‘américano-​sionistes’ © Valeurs actuelles no. 4301. JF.

Colbert/​c olbertisme      

***

Jean-​ Baptiste Colbert (1619–​ 83) was a French politician who held several positions during the reign of Louis XIV, including minister of finance (Intendant des Finances (1661)) and Contrôleur général (1665). His stewardship of the economic affairs of the country was associated with State intervention, centralization, uniformity, rigour and a constant concern for reducing State expenses. L’intellectuel est à l’origine du concept de localisme qui se confond parfois avec celui de colbertisme dans la bouche des cadres du parti. © Le Point no. 2468. The intellectual in question is a eurodeputé who is trying to develop new ideas for the programme of the Rassemblement National.

collier (L’affaire du)      

***

See Chapter 11 ‘Collier de la Reine’.

collaboration      

***

The collaboration between Vichy and the Nazis started in 1940 and ended in 1945. It involved concerted actions directed by Maréchal Pétain with the German occupying forces. À cette date (1943) les revirements byzantins (Céline) commençaient à se multiplier et de nombreux collabos, sentant le vent tourner, préparèrent les tondeuses avec lesquelles ils achèteront bientôt leur brevet de patriotisme. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4300. The text refers to the late conversion of collaborators to the Gaullist side, tondeuses (‘clippers’) referring to women shaved in public by ‘heroic’ Resistants who, days before, had been faithful servants of the Vichy regime.

Conseil national de la Résistance nm.  283

Comité de salut public nm.      

**

Le Comité de salut public was the first body set up by the revolutionary Convention to face the dangers threatening France in the spring of 1793. The committee was created on 6 April 1793. Over time, Danton, Robespierre, Couthon and Saint-​Just were members. It had practically dictatorial powers. NB In less than a year, all of the members cited had died on the guillotine. . . . il est liberticide de vouloir imposer ces comportements aux autres, de créer une police des mœurs, avec délateurs, censeurs, châtiments. L’idée d’un comité de salut public qui délivrerait au cas par cas l’autorisation de prendre l’avion, est aussi odieuse qu’impraticable. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4309. MF. This text refers to the idea of restricting air travel with a view to protecting the planet.

Communards nmpl.      

**

Assez de condescendance. Éviter de nous pincer le nez, sauf à répéter le mépris des bons bourgeois pour les communards en 1871, où ils voyaient des sauvages et des hirsutes à passer par les armes. © L’Obs no. 2845, 16–​22 May 2019. This was a reflection following Emmanuel Macron’s condescending remark referring to Jojo le gilet jaune in the wake of the mass demonstrations by gilets jaunes against Macron’s policies. See below ‘Commune’.

Commune nf.      

**

This was the name of the revolutionary government set up in Paris (and some provincial towns) after the successive defeats of the French Army at the hands of the Prussians in 1870. The bloody week from 22 to 28 May saw the troops from Versailles put down the revolt by means of a bloody massacre of the Communards. L’Association internationale des travailleurs n’aura qu’une vie assez brève, puisque l’organisation disparaît dès 1872, minée par les divisions idéologiques de son bureau et des désaccords au sujet de la Commune de Paris. © L’Obs no. 2844, 9–​15 May 2019. This text was taken from a review of the book by Nicolas Delalande La Lutte, et l’entr’aide: L’âge des solidarités ouvrières. See Chapter 1 ‘Temps des cerises. Le’.

Conseil national de la Résistance nm.      

***

This was the body that directed and coordinated the actions of the various Resistance organizations within France from mid-​1943 onwards. Its first

284 Contrat social. Le     

President was Jean Moulin, martyr and hero of the Second World War. It was also responsible for drawing up the political platform to be implemented on the liberation of France, a platform to set up social democracy in France with the creation of social security, a distributive pension scheme, a free press etc. These are precisely the advantages that are now under threat. The former President of the French employers’ federation, Baron Seillière, once said il faut défaire méthodiquement le programme du Conseil national de Résistance. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4554.

Contrat social. Le      

**

The Social Contract was written in 1762 by Jean-​Jacques Rousseau (1712–​78) and extolled the virtues of liberty and equality. The ideas of the book were to inspire the revolutionary forces at work in the France of the eighteenth century. It gave us the famous opening line in Chapter  1:  L’homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers. Elle [la notion de service public] découle de la notion de contrat social et de l’idée que l’État préserve l’intérêt général dans le sens défini par le peuple souverain. © Marianne no. 1162, 21–​7 June 2019. NP. LD. SQ.

Convention. La      

**

‘La Convention nationale’ was the political regime that governed France between 21 September 1792 and 26 October 1795 during the Revolution. It took over from the Legislative Assembly and founded the First Republic. C’est dire si la revendication en 1793 de ‘légion féminine’ et de ‘compagnies d’amazones’ fit frémir les députés de la Convention toutes tendances confondues. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5142. The role of women was important in the French Revolution and some of their demands were well beyond what the leaders of the Revolution were prepared to give them. See above ‘boulanger, boulangère, petit mitron’.

corvée nf.      

**

This was the name of the work that a serf was obliged to do for his lord without being paid for it. In the Army, it is the equivalent of ‘fatigue duty’. Today, it means any inevitable and disagreeable chore. De nombreux autres ‘oushebtis’ (statuettes funéraires) destinées à remplacer le mort dans ses corvées, agricole ou autres, de l’au-​delà © Challenges no. 609. BG. The statuettes in question were part of the catalogue of Egyptian items on auction at the gallery Artcurial in Paris.

danse de Saint-Guy (St Vitus’ dance)  285

Coup d’État de Napoléon III      

**

This took place on 2 December 1851. Après le coup d’État bonapartiste de 1851, aidé par la fidèle Juliette Drouet, le poète se fit la malle, déguisé en ouvrier et muni d’un faux passeport au nom de l’imprimeur Lanvin. © Marianne no. 1157, 17–​23 May 2019. This is a reference to the escape of Victor Hugo, who was to remain in exile in Guernsey until the fall of Napoleon III in 1870. In 1840, after a failed coup d’État, Napoleon III was sentenced to life imprisonment in the fort of Ham. It’s interesting to remember that Napoleon III too escaped from his prison dressed as a workman. See Chapter 2 ‘bordel peuplé de nains. Un’.

croisade nf.      

**

‘The Crusades’ were the armed expeditions sent by the Popes to defend the holy places in the Middle East, to fight against the ‘infidels’ in the name of the Christian faith. They took place during the Middle Ages, essentially between 1095 and 1291. À Toronto, c’est Bianca Wylie qui mène la croisade. Les entreprises de la tech font la loi et prennent la place des municipalités. Elles sont comme le cheval de Troie. © Le Point no. 2443. HV. Bianca Wylie is the spokesperson of the association #BlockSidewalk. Sidewalk is a project to create the city of tomorrow. It is a subsidiary of Google and many people are worried by the collection of personal data 24/​7 with no clear guidelines as to how this information will be managed. See Chapter 7 ‘cheval de Troie’.

Croix-​d e-​Feu (l’association des)      

**

This was an association of First World War veterans, war-​wounded and soldiers decorated for gallantry, founded in 1927 by Maurice Hanot. The leader between 1932 and 1936 was Colonel de La Rocque. It is seen by English historians as an expression of French fascism. It was dissolved in 1936 by the Front Populaire. Le cheminot . . . qui a lu ‘l’Huma’ toute son enfance . . . devenu Croix de Feu à l’adolescence, qui se revendique aujourd’hui ‘catholique’ et d’extrême droite © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5145.This was one of the portraits drawn of the people whose lives were part of the Channel 3 TV programme ‘Un siècle dans leur tête’.

danse de Saint-​G uy (St Vitus’ dance)      

*

This is an illness characterized by rapid, uncontrolled movements of the body. In the Middle Ages, people suffering from this disease were considered to be

286 Danton     

possessed by the devil and were burned alive. Legend has it that Vitus (the Latin equivalent of Guy), born in Sicily, was tortured as a child by the governor Valérien, because he would not bow down to idols. He was responsible for many miraculous healings, was taken before the Emperor Diocletian and suffered martyrdom. De grâce, arrêtons cette danse de Saint-​Guy permanente, ces allers-​retours incessantes entre Londres et Bruxelles: les adieux courts sont les meilleurs. © Marianne no. 1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019. A remark made in the wake of the never-​ending discussions surrounding Brexit.

Danton      

**

He was born in 1759 and died by execution on the guillotine in 1794 in Paris. He was a lawyer on the King’s counsel and a politician. He was one of the most corrupt politicians of the revolutionary period. Robespierre and Saint-​ Just had him in their sights. He was advised by friends to flee abroad. He refused, saying the famous words On n’emporte pas la Patrie à la semelle de ses souliers. Quand la politique américaine était dirigée par des Wasps [white Anglo-​Saxon Protestants] qui avaient encore à la semelle de leurs chaussures le souvenir de la terre européenne © Valeurs actuelles no. 4303. From a debate between Alain Minc and Henri Gaino as to whether or not the West is dead.

Diên Biên Phu      

**

This is the name of the battle in North Vietnam between the French and the Viêt Minh that raged from 13 March to 7 May 1954. Encircled and cut off from their base, the French surrendered, putting an end to French hegemony in Indo-​China. The name of this battle is sometimes used as a synonym for Waterloo. Ce n’est pas le Diên Biên Phu du productivisme, mais avant de disposer des mines viet, la Chine devra affronter le vétéran [General Giap] du Vietminh. © Marianne no.  637. This text refers to the mining concessions granted to China by Vietnam but accompanied by the warnings of an ecological disaster voiced by the elderly General Giap. NB Viêt Minh may be written as one word or two.

Dreyfus, Alfred      

***

En France, l’affaire Dreyfus a donné lieu à un déluge d’antisémitisme qui ne touche pas, loin s’en faut, la seule extrême droite . . . et aux États-​Unis, le capitaine d’industrie Henry Ford parlera des Juifs comme des ‘germes’ devant être ‘nettoyés’. © Marianne no.  1160, 7–​13 June 2019. YD. See Chapter  11 ‘Dreyfus, Alfred’.

Édit de Villers-Cotterêts  287

Droits de l’Homme      

***

France has been closely identified with the Rights of Man since the Declaration of Rights made on 26 August 1789 by the Constituent Assembly. It begins by declaring that men are free and equal in rights. This was in fact the death warrant of the Ancien Régime. That being said, only propertied men could vote in the post-​1789 elections, and women had to wait until 1945 for the privilege. In Japan, Le Parti libéral-​démocrate veut en finir avec cette Constitution largement inspirée par les principes de la Déclaration des droits de l’homme française de 1789. © L’Obs 2843, 2–​8 May 2019.

Drumont, Édouard      

***

Édouard Drumont (1844–​1917) was a French journalist, writer, politician and polemist. He was an anti-​Dreyfusard, nationalist and anti-​Semite, the founder of the Ligue nationale antisémitique de France. He was one of the main historical figures of anti-​Semitism in France. Zemmour à nouveau suscite des controversies où l’esprit de nuance n’est pas convié. Les délires de Drumont, les ligues des années trente, l’idéologie de Vichy sont convoqués pêle-​mêle pour nourrir un procès qui rappelle plutôt ceux de l’Inquisition. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4327. The polemist Zemmour has provoked a witch-​ hunt in which advertisers have threatened to withdraw their advertising budgets from magazines or TV channels that invite him to talk. See below ‘Inquisition’, and ‘maurrassien’. See Chapter  11 ‘Panama. L’Affaire du canal de’.

Édit de Nantes      

***

In the Edict of Nantes, negotiated in 1598, Henri IV granted Protestants freedom of conscience. Its revocation in 1685 by Louis XIV had the effect of provoking the exile of many Huguenots, since their religion was forbidden and their churches closed. The late Serge Dassault saw a parallel between this revocation and the tax on wealth (impôt de solidarité sur la fortune (ISF)), which has led many bankers to leave France. L’ISF fait autant de mal que [la Révocation de] l’Édit de Nantes qui a fait partir les banquiers. His words were quoted in © Le Canard enchaîné no 4666. The current President, a former director of the Rothschild Bank, has since abolished this tax.

Édit de Villers-​C otterêts       See ‘Villers-​Cotterêts (l’ordonnance de)’.

**

288 émigrés de Coblence nmfpl.     

**

émigrés de Coblence nmfpl.      

Between the fall of the Bastille in 1789 and the year 1800, over 140,000 French nobles, bourgeois and priests went into exile. Many of them went to Koblenz in Rhenish Prussia. It is here that the émigré princes formed a counter-​revolutionary army. C’est que, parait-​il, il ne faudrait pas les effrayer, ces dignes héritiers des émigrés de Coblence. © Marianne no.  643. This text refers to the more well-​off elements of the French population who are ready to move from France to England to escape the tax laws of their country. See Chapter 2 ‘Ils n’ont rien appris ni rien oublié’.

éminence grise nf.      

***

Originally applied to Cardinal Richelieu’s grey-​clad private secretary Joseph François Leclerc du Tremblay (1577–​1638). As a Capucin (a branch of the Franciscan order) Père Joseph exercised great power and influence over Richelieu without having any official title or post. Because of his power, he was addressed as ‘Éminence’, a term of address usually reserved for cardinals. Today, it refers to someone who exercises discreet power and influence without holding an official position, i.e. the power behind the throne. Le plus ‘brexiteur’ de tous les Américains, l’éminence grise de Donald Trump, un certain Steve Bannon © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. AC.

États généraux nmpl.      

***

This is a reference to the convocation of the Estates General in Versailles on 4 May 1789, aimed at finding a solution to the financial problems of the kingdom, which unwittingly accelerated the revolutionary movement. Disappointment felt by the Third Estate led it to arrogate to itself the title of National Assembly. Au mois de novembre nous avons réuni une centaine d’experts lors des États généraux des nouvelles régulations. © Marianne no. 1150, 29 March–​4 April 2019. This text concerns the proposition to dismantle the GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft). See below ‘Grenelle’.

événements d’Algérie. Les nmpl.      

**

See Chapter 12 ‘actions de maintien de l’ordre’, and ‘événements. Les’.

Félix Faure qui périt en heureuse posture       ** President of the Third Republic in 1895, he is remembered above all for the farcical situation in which he died on 16 February 1899. He died ‘en épectase’,

forges (Comité des, Maîtres des) nm.  289

i.e. during an orgasm, in the presence of his mistress, Marguerite Steinheil. A priest was called for and Faure’s mistress was shown out by the back door. On arriving in the room, the priest asked the valet ‘Le Président a-​t-​il toujours sa connaissance?’ (‘Is the President still conscious?’). The valet, having understood ‘Is his acquaintance still with him?’, replied ‘Ah non, Mon Père, on l’a fait sortir par derrière’ (‘No, Father, we showed her out via the service exit’). La pauvre Meg est surnommée ‘La pompe funèbre’ (this is a reference to fellatio and to undertakers). And Clemenceau quipped: Il voulait être César, il ne fut que Pompée. In French, Pompey can be construed as the past participle of the verb ‘pump’. © Les dossiers du Canard no. 108 and © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4566.

Fille aînée de l’Église nf.      

**

Clotilde (c. 475–​545), Queen of France, was the wife of Clovis I, the first King of the Franks. She was instrumental in her husband’s conversion to Christianity. History has it that as defender of Catholicism, France became known as ‘the eldest daughter of the Church’. Be that as it may, it was in 1896 that Cardinal Langénieux first spoke about France in these terms and popularized the expression. L’Europe –​comme hier la France pour l’Église –​ ‘était la fille aînée de l’Amérique’. © Marianne no. 1151, 5–​11 April 2019.

fleur au fusil. La      

**

This expression sums up the innocent and carefree mood in which thousands of enthusiastic conscripts went to the Front in 1914, convinced that it would all be over by Christmas. Ça commence comme tant d’autres films sur la guerre de 1914–​1918, celle pour laquelle on a inventé l’expression ‘partir la fleur au fusil’. © Le Point no. 2443. The quotation comes from an article about a war documentary entitled ‘Pour les soldats tombés’ by Peter Jackson, based on totally remastered Imperial War Museum footage.

forges (Comité des, Maîtres des) nm.      

**

With the Industrial Revolution emerged the great dynasties of the iron and steel works, such as the Wendels and the Schneiders. This gave rise to the Comité des forges, a metallurgical employers’ organization, set up in 1864 with a view to defending their interests. This lobby was considered to be one of the most reactionary and influential forces among the large employers. These great industrialists also created the new towns, houses for the workers, schools, churches etc. It was a paternalism based on work, family and religion. Benjamin Griveaux (LREM), candidat à la mairie de Paris, a fait appel

290 Fouquet, Nicolas     

à Joséphine Missoffe, fille du baron Ernest-​Antoine Seillière de Laborde, ex-​ patron du Medef. Dernière représentante de la dynastie Wendel des maîtres des forges(. . . célèbre pour sa fibre populaire. © Marianne no. 1190. Here, the connotation is one of reaction and conservatism. Griveaux was forced to withdraw from the election following the revenge-​porn scandal.

Fouquet, Nicolas      

***

Nicolas Fouquet (1615–​80) was the surintendant des finances of Louis XIV. It was he who built the château of Vaux le Vicomte. Tradition has it that it was Louis XIV’s jealousy of the magnificent château that led both to the fall of Fouquet and to the construction of the château of Versailles. Une rencontre va s’avérer déterminante: celle de Nicolas Fouquet. Le surintendant général des finances du jeune Louis XIV et  alors l’un des grands mécènes. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4315. The encounter in question is that of Fouquet and La Fontaine. When Fouquet fell into disgrace, La Fontaine defended him but was ostracized for his trouble. Fouquet died in exile, in total obscurity, in the Italian village of Pignerol (Pinerolo). See Chapter 2 ‘Où ne montera-​t-​il pas?’.

Fouquier-​T inville, Antoine Quentin      

***

Magistrate and French politician (1746–​95), he was the public prosecutor of the revolutionary court. He became the symbol of ruthlessness and cruelty during the Terror. On reste légèrement gêné face aux jugements en forme de couperet de notre Fouquier-​Tinville du journalisme, même quand on apprécie le travail de ses enquêteurs. © Marianne no. 1166, 19–​25 July 2019. NP. This was a reflection on the ‘lynching’ of the ex-​minister of ecology, de Rugy, who was forced to resign amid the uproar provoked by the photos of lobsters and fine wines to which he treated his guests when he was President of the National Assembly. The online medium Mediapart is the Fouquier-​Tinville in question. See Chapter 5 Crime et châtiment.

France et Navarre      

***

Navarre was a small kingdom straddling the Pyrenees that came into existence in the ninth century. The last King of Navarre was Henri III (Bourbon). He reigned between 1572 and 1610. On becoming King of France in 1589, as Henri IV, he merged the two kingdoms. All of the French sovereigns from Henry IV until the Revolution held the title ‘King of France and of Navarre’. Today, the expression ‘France et Navarre’ means ‘everywhere’. Le Crédit Agricole, la banque auprès de laquelle sont endettés tous les agriculteurs de

Girondins nmpl.  291

France et de Navarre © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4569. See Chapter 12 ‘Banque verte. La’.

Fronde nf.      

***

La Fronde (1648–​53) is the general term used to describe the troubles and violence that agitated France while Louis XIV was under age, during the regency of Mazarin. It was seen as the nobles’ revolt against increasing royal authority, hence Louis’s mistrust of the nobles and his fanatic desire to bring them to heel when he was an adult. It was also a revolt among the people. Historians see the period of the ‘Fronde’ as having two phases: first phase, la Fronde parlementaire (1648–​9); second, the ‘Fronde’ of the princes (1651–​3), which is seen as the last revolt of the nobles against central royal authority in the seventeenth century. Vent de fronde à la BCE © Les Echos no. 23105. The last decisions of Mario Draghi at the BCE (Banque Centrale Européenne) provoked rejection by over a third of the governors on the council.

Front populaire nm.      

***

The Front populaire was the name given to the left-​wing coalition that governed France between 1936 and 1937 at a time when the country was in a financial and social crisis, and against a backdrop of fascism and anti-​Semitism. Under the Matignon Agreements, the workers were given a fortnight’s paid holiday, the working week was reduced to 40 hours and education was made compulsory up to the age of 14. Léon Blum was the Président du Conseil and, as a Jew, was attacked by the right-​wing parties with a violence that one can hardly imagine today. Il est vrai qu’il y avait à l’époque une gauche unie, des syndicats puissants et des classes moyennes organisées. Cela portait un beau nom, cela s’appelait le Front populaire. © Marianne no. 1156, 10–​16 May 2019. This contrasts with the situation in France in 2020: a totally fragmented left, weak unions, and the ‘class moyenne’ disorganized and disappearing.

Girondins nmpl.      

**

During the French Revolution, they were the party who opposed the centralization of the government that the Jacobins defended. La diversité des analyses [of the findings of the Commission Balladur on territorial reform] révèle le prisme toujours renouvelé des vieilles oppositions entre jacobins et girondins. © Marianne no. 623. This text highlights the eternal tension in France between those in favour of decentralization and those in favour of powerful central control. See below ‘Jacobin’.

292 Gotha (Almanach de) nm.     

Gotha (Almanach de) nm.      

***

Some give 1763 as the date of the first publication of the ancestor of Who’s Who. It was the reference guide to the high nobility and European royal families between 1763 and 1944. It was always written in French. The ‘gotha’ today refers to high society in general. ‘The Family Business Network Summit’, Gotha du capitalism familial © Challenges no. 635. Membership of this network is restricted to family business owners; the summit is an annual event.

Grand Siècle nm.      

***

Quintessentially, this chrononym refers to the seventeenth century and the period (1643–​1715) of the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV (1638–​1715), one of the longest reigns in history. It was a period during which France dominated the world in the arts and sciences; it was the heyday of French culture, the century of Molière, Corneille, Descartes, Fermat and Pascal. In military and demographic terms, France was also the strongest power in Europe. Proposant des parallèles audacieux, l’exposition souligne habilement la postérité tardive que connut aussi le talentueux paysagiste du Grand Siècle. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4299. The landscape painter in question is Claude Lorrain and the exhibition was held in Geneva at the Musée d’art et d’histoire.

Grenelle      

***

Grenelle was originally the Parisian street (no.  127)  in which the Ministry of Labour has been located since 1905. The street is situated in the 6e and 7e arrondissements. It was here that the agreements of Grenelle were negotiated during the unrest in Paris in May 1968. Today, it has become a noun (the ‘Grenelle of the Environment’) to indicate any broad-​scale discussions on a particular problem where all questions are put on the table and proposals for legislation are made. See above ‘États généraux’. On sourit quand Laurent Berger propose un ‘Grenelle’, sachant que la CFDT n’a même pas essayé d’entrer dans l’action [of the gilets jaunes]. © Marianne no. 1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019.

Grognards nm.      

***

This was the affectionate term used by Napoleon to refer to the soldiers of his Old Guard, the most faithful and experienced men of his Grande Armée. The name comes from the fact that they frequently complained about their conditions. ‘Grogner’ is ‘to moan’ or ‘to grumble’. Les grognards du gaullisme

Henri IV  293

. . . voient dans l’instauration de la participation étudiante une prime aux émeutiers de Mai. © Marianne no. 1153, 19–​25 April 2019. When de Gaulle began making concessions and proposals for reform, it was seen by the Gaullist old guard as a form of capitulation. In fact, de Gaulle was far too ahead of his time, proposing not only worker participation in the profits of the company but equally participation in the running of it. He was on the point of proposing profound banking reform when he was overthrown in 1969. An executive director of the Rothschild bank replaced him: a certain Georges Pompidou.

Grosse Bertha      

*

The ‘Grosse Bertha’ was a huge piece of siege artillery that the Germans used in the First World War. It had a range of over 9 km. It is now synonymous with ‘heavy guns’. L’an dernier déjà . . . les képis [the gendarmes] avaient sorti la Grosse Bertha pour une histoire de chiffons. Les commandants divisionnaires –​ un nouveau grade d’officier  –​tenaient à arborer les cinq galons réservés aux lieutenants-​colonels et colonels de l’armée ou de la gendarmerie. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5146. A  petty quarrel between the police and the gendarmerie about who is entitled to wear how many stripes on their uniform!

GUD      

*

The GUD was created in 1968 at the right-​wing University of Assas (the faculty of law). The abbreviation GUD stood for Groupe union défense and was a right-​wing reaction to the left-​wing disturbances of 1968. It was active, with violent actions until 1970, the date of its dissolution. Frédéric Chatillon, grand copain de Marine Le Pen et ancien patron du groupuscule autodissous Groupe union défense © Valeurs actuelles, no. 4299.

Henri IV      

***

Henri IV was born in 1553 in Pau and died, assassinated in Paris in 1610, by Ravaillac. Ces archiducs du CAC 40 peuvent gagner . . . ce qu’un salarié à 1800 euros par mois ne pourrait accumuler qu’en ayant travaillé, dans tel cas de grand patron, depuis le règne d’Henri IV, dans tel autre depuis le règne de Clovis, dans un ou deux cas limites depuis le règne du pharaon Ptolémée, comment suivre? Marianne no. 1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019. Referring to the astronomical salaries of certain bosses in France, highlighted by the Carlos Ghosn affair. NB Henri IV is the name of one of the most prestigious lycées of Paris. See Chapter 9 ‘Henri IV. Le lycée’.

294 hussards noirs nmpl.     

hussards noirs nmpl.      

***

It was under Jules Ferry, several times minister of education (Instruction publique), that education in France was made non-​denominational (1880), free of charge (1881) and compulsory (1882). The non-​denominational primary school teachers (maîtres) were seen as an army of the Republic, intended to foster tolerance, knowledge and rationalism among the pupils and to combat superstition and bigotry. Teachers were elevated to the rank of ‘civil servant’ of the Third Republic. Charles Peguy (1873–​1914) wrote Nos jeunes maîtres étaient beaux comme des hussards noirs. Black was the colour of the clothes of the maîtres graduating from the teacher training colleges founded by Guizot in 1833. Alors que les gilets jaunes se calment, Blanquer fait tout pour énerver les hussards noirs. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5136. The latest reform of the education system has provoked strikes in the ranks of the teaching profession. Blanquer was the minister of education at the time.

idiots utiles nmpl.      

***

An expression often attributed to Lenin and Trotsky. It was later used to describe the well-​meaning intellectuals who, in the West, defended the Soviet Union. They were manipulated; they were stupid but useful to the regime in place. Même si Emmanuel Macron le traite avec les égards dus à son utilité virtuelle, Nicolas Sarkozy, soucieux de ne pas jouer les idiots utiles, l’assassine volontiers en petit comité rapporte ‘Le Figaro’. © Le Point no. 2431. This text highlights the fact that Sarkozy is not going to be ‘used’ by Macron. See Chapter 2 ‘poubelles de l’histoire. Les’.

index (mettre à l’) nm.      

**

The expression was first used in 1559 (Index librorum prohibitorum) by the papal authorities to ban books considered as heretical or otherwise undesirable for Christian readers. Today, it means to condemn and exclude. . . . les Américains qui demandent à leurs ‘allies’ de les suivre dans la mise à l’index de l’entreprise phare du rival chinois © L’Obs no.  2020, 30 January–​5 February 2020. PH. This text refers to the pressure of the Americans on their European allies to ‘boycott’ the giant Chinese telecoms equipment provider Huawei.

Inquisition      

***

The Spanish Inquisition (1478–​1834) was a judicial institution set up by the papacy to combat heresy in Spain. It served indirectly to consolidate power

Jarnac (un coup de)  295

in the monarchy of the newly unified Spanish kingdom. It is associated with barbaric cruelty. Les réseaux sociaux sont devenus des tribunaux d’inquisition. © Le Point no.  2434. Social networks are accused of being like vigilante courts where one can be condemned without being able to defend oneself (one’s self).

Jacobin nm.      

***

The revolutionary club of the Jacobins used to meet in the Dominican convent at the Church of Saint-​Jacques in Paris (the Hebrew Jacobus giving us the English James and the French Jacques: cf. Jacobite Rebellion). They were the extreme partisans of a centralized State. Il y a des moments dans l’histoire d’un peuple où il faut assumer d’être jacobin. The words of Gérard Collomb, mayor of Lyon, former minister of the interior under Emmanuel Macron. Or Emmanuel Macron avait fait campagne sur la France girondine. © Le Point no. 2431. See above ‘Girondins’.

Jacquerie nf.      

***

The ‘Jacquerie’ or ‘Great Jacquerie’ was the name given to the peasants’ revolt in north-​eastern France in 1358 during the Hundred Years War. There have been many such risings since, and the term has come to mean any form of revolt. Taxation was often the spark that caused the explosion. Ne peut-​on pas voir dans le mouvement des gilets jaunes une jacquerie du XXIe siècle? © Le Point no. 2430. The movement of the gilets jaunes was born of the despair of many working class people who, come the middle of the month, no longer have any money. The movement was triggered in 2018 by the announcement of a hike in petrol prices. See above ‘Fronde’.

Jarnac (un coup de)      

***

This word has its origin in the duel opposing Guy Chabot, lord of Jarnac, and François de Vivonne, lord of the Châtaigneraie, on 10 July 1547. Although the blows given by Chabot (two thrusts touching the back of the left knee) were perfectly fair play, the term has come to mean an unfair and treacherous blow. This word lends itself to the play on words ‘j’arnaque’, meaning ‘I swindle’. Entre coup de Jarnac, baisers de Judas et manœuvre florentine, les municipales à Paris, dans le seul camp républicain, promettent d’être ‘une campagne de chien’. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4329. This was the opinion of a member of the Republican Party concerning the municipal elections in Paris in March 2020. See Chapter 8 ‘Judas’.

296 Jean Moulin     

Jean Moulin      

**

He was born in 1899 in Béziers. He was Préfet of the Aveyron. He escaped to London via Spain to join the Resistance movement of de Gaulle. He gave de Gaulle an account of the needs of the Resistance in terms of finance and material. De Gaulle sent him back to France with the mission of uniting the various Resistance movements in France. He chaired the first meeting of the Conseil Général de la Résistance. He was arrested in Caluire, a Lyon suburb, betrayed by one of the members of his group. He was tortured at the Gestapo headquarters in Lyon and then deported to Germany; he died of his wounds on the train on 8 July 1943. His ashes were taken to the Panthéon in 1964. See Chapter 7 ‘édile’.

Jeanne d’Arc      

***

Jeanne d’Arc was born c. 1412 in what is today the Grand Est (Lorraine) region. She was a seventeen-​year-​old peasant girl who heard voices telling her to deliver her country from English rule. She met Charles VII and led his troops to victory against the English. She raised the siege of Orléans and enabled Charles VII to be anointed King in Reims. Her actions are seen as reversing the trend of the Hundred Years War in favour of the French. She was captured by the Burgundians (allies of the English) and sold for £10,000. She was tried for heresy by the Bishop of Beauvais, found guilty and burned at the stake in 1431. She thus became a French heroine, and saint of the Catholic Church; she was nicknamed ‘La pucelle d’Orléans’ (‘The Maid of Orleans’). Vous pouvez leur brosser une fresque nationale qui va de Jeanne d’Arc à aujourd’hui, leur expliquer qu’il faut lire des livres, c’est sans doute vrai, mais vous ne philosophez qu’après avoir mangé. © Le Point no. 2440. The words of Gérald Darmanin. One cannot be interested in intellectual or cultural matters on an empty stomach.

Jeu de paume nm.      

**

Under the terms of the Tennis Court Oath, taken in Versailles on 20 June 1789, the Third Estate vowed not to separate until the constitution had been established. Because of a misunderstanding about the hall in which the Third Estate was to meet, the members found it occupied by troops and misconstrued the situation. Thinking that they were being prevented from meeting by military force, they withdrew to the largest hall nearby, which happened to be the indoor tennis court. Chamfort est l’ami de Mirabeau, il est là au Serment du Jeu de paume. © Le Nouvel Observateur 2361.2010. See Chapter 10 ‘Jeu de paume (Paris)’.

Maginot (la ligne)  297

‘Lafayette, nous revoilà.’      

**

Pour causer français, Lafayette nous voilà. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5135. Galeries Lafayette, the big Paris department store, refers to its sales staff as ‘personal stylists’ who are trained at its ‘retail academy’. See Chapter  2 ‘Lafayette, nous revoilà.’

Louis XIV      

***

The Sun King, an absolute monarch, responsible for the construction of Versailles and the bringing to heel of the nobility, was born in 1638 and died in 1715. Louis XVI (1754–​93) was guillotined during the French Revolution. In a cartoon, the caption reads Macron gouverne comme Louis XIV [while Macron adds] tant que je ne finis pas comme Louis XVI. © Marianne no. 1188.

Lumières (le Siècle des) nm.      

***

‘The Age of Enlightenment’. ‘This chrononym refers to the European philosophical movement of the eighteenth century characterized by rationalism and learning, a spirit of scepticism and empiricism in social and political thought’ (Webster), and represented by writers such as Voltaire, Condorcet, Rousseau etc. C’est une négation de l’héritage universel des Lumières. © Le Point no.  2431. This was a comment on the cancellation of the performance at the Sorbonne of the play Les Suppliantes by Aeschylus, following accusations of racism. The white actors wore black masks and were accused of cultural appropriation by the black community. Le romantisme est aussi une réaction contre les Lumières qui ont voulu en terminer avec les fées, les lutins, les nymphes, les saints qui guérissent, les fantômes dans les combles du Combourg de Chateaubriand. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4300.

Machiavel      

***

NB Machiavelli in English. In English we tend to keep the original spelling of Italian names, e.g. Caravaggio (Caravage), Tintoretto (Le Tintoret) Michelangelo (Michel-​Ange) etc. See Chapter 13 Le Florentin. QW.

Maginot (la ligne)      

***

Named after André Maginot, minister of war in 1930. It was the name given to a defensive line of fortifications built by France along its frontier with Luxembourg, Germany and Italy. Since the attack by the Germans through

298 main invisible nf.     

Belgium, the Maginot line has come to mean a monumental but ineffective system of defence. Le secret fiscal est donc aussi bien défendu que la France l’était par la ligne Maginot en juin 1940: s’il on attaque de face, elle est impregnable. Il suffit donc de passer par les côtés. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5154. This text refers to the fact that the IT system of the tax authorities was penetrated by hackers who proved that the system presented alarming weaknesses in terms of access.

main invisible nf.      

***

See Chapter 5 ‘main invisible. La’.

‘Maréchal, nous voilà!’      

**

See Chapter 2 ‘Maréchal, nous voilà!’.

maurrassien      

**

Charles Maurras was born in 1868 in Martigues, Bouches-​du-​Rhône. He was a journalist, politician and poet, and a member of the Académie française. He was a theorist of integral nationalism and was one of the leading figures of Action française. In his opinion, French society was decadent and undermined by corruption, these evils dating from the French Revolution. He considered that France was being divided among four pressure groups: the Jews, the Protestants, the freemasons and foreigners. These are themes that are frequently heard in the press today. The emergence in France of diverse communities, such as Islam, LGBT, vegans etc., has even led to the publication of a book, L’Archipel français by Jérôme Fourquet, which underlines the fractional aspect of current French society. Ils viennent de traditions très différentes. Certains, bien sûr, s’inscrivent dans la filiation de l’extrême droite maurrassienne, défendant une identité blanche et chrétienne. © L’Obs no. 2864, 26 September–​2 October 2019. OR. This text describes the various horizons from which the neoreactionary forces come.

Mers el-​Kébir      

*

Arabic for ‘The great port’, it is a port in Algeria that had served as a French naval base since 1935. After the capitulation of the French in 1940, the British, afraid that the French naval force would fall into the hands of the Germans, destroyed it on 3 July 1940 in an operation code named ‘Catapult’ and carried out by the British fleet. Over 1,200 French sailors died in the attack after the French had refused the options open to them. Après

Napoléon III  299

l’armistice, la Grande Bretagne choisit d’attaquer les bâtiments français pour se prémunir d’une récupération par les Allemands. À Mers el-​Kébir plus de 1,200 Français périssent sous les bombardements britanniques. © Marianne no. 1160, 7–​13 June 2019. LO.

Monarchie de Juillet nf.      

**

The July Monarchy (1830–​48) was set up with Louis Philippe as King after the July Revolution. There were three days of violent demonstrations in Paris (Les Trois Glorieuses) that saw the overthrow of King Charles X. La plupart des bâtiments de la mairie datent de la monarchie de Juillet . . . et du Second Empire. © Le Point no. 2435. After the destruction of many buildings during the Commune of Paris in 1871 the question was asked at the time, as it is being asked today about Notre-​Dame: should the rebuilding be identical to the original? See above ‘Commune’.

Montesquieu      

**

Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (1689–​ 1755) was a French philosopher who developed the theory of the separation of powers in government in his work entitled De l’esprit des lois (1748). He maintained that a government in which the separation of powers was not respected could not claim to have a constitution. Le principe de bonne gouvernance selon Montesquieu? La séparation des pouvoirs. © Marianne no.  615. This is a highly topical issue. The Procureurs de la République in France are not, as the European Courts have pointed out, members of the judicial system as such, but are political appointees directly under the influence of the executive to whom they owe their appointment. They decide whether a case goes to court or not.

Napoléon III      

**

He was born in 1808 and died in 1873. Following the coup d’État of 1851, Louis Napoleon became the Emperor of the Second Empire. It was a period of industrial and commercial expansion. The Second Empire ended in the collapse of the Army at Sedan during the Franco-​Prussian War of 1870–​ 1. Exiled, Napoleon III died in England in Chiselhurst. His wife, Eugénie, was born in Spain in 1826. She was the youngest daughter of the Count and Countess Teba. She died in Madrid in 1920. The irony is that her son, le prince impérial, died in 1879, fighting in the British Army against the Zulus. All three members of this family are now buried in England at Farnborough. L’Hôtel du Palais à Biarritz repose sur les fondations de la villa impériale que Napoléon

300 No man’s land     

III construisit pour l’impératrice Eugénie. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4318. The G7 summit took place in Biarritz in August 2019.

No man’s land      

***

A ‘no man’s land’ (‘terre n’appartenant à personne’) is an English expression that is never translated into French. In the First World War, it referred to the area of land between the German and the allied trenches. C’est un libéralisme dévoyé qui a transformé l’Union européen en un no man’s land. © Marianne no. 1158, 24–​30 May 2019.

nuit du 4 Août. La      

***

Against the backdrop of ‘The Great Fear’ following the fall of the Bastille and increasing violence nationwide, the National Assembly adopted a series of decrees during the night of 4 August 1789 (and until 11 August) whereby feudal and ecclesiastical rights and privileges were to be abolished in return for impossibly high compensation. This is one of the myths of the French Revolution. The effective abolition of privileges was passed by Robespierre in 1793 . . . without compensation. Le député s’inquiète de voir les chefs d’entreprises transformés en boucs émissaires dans une ambiance de nuit du 4 Aôut. © Marianne no. 624. The financial crisis led to more criticism of company bosses and bankers and what are qualified as indecent privileges such as golden hellos, golden handshakes and stock options etc.

Olympe de Gouges      

**

Marie Gouze, known as Olympe de Gouges, was born in 1748 and was guillotined on 3 November 1793 in Paris. A woman of letters and a politician, she is seen as one of the pioneers of French feminism. Elles ont fait honneur aux pionnières qui les ont précédées, d’Olympe de Gouges à Simone Veil. © Paris Match no. 3686. These were the words of Isabelle Adjani referring to the work of feminists over the past 10 years. See above ‘Charlotte Corday’.

ordonnance de Villers-​C otterêts 1539 nf.       ** See below ‘Villers-​Cotterêts (l’ordonnance de)’.

oubliettes nfpl.      

**

Oubliettes is a generic term designating the underground prison cells to be found in certain châteaux and fortresses. Access to such cells was generally

plan Marshall nm.  301

via a ladder or rope, thus making any attempt at escape impossible. Research tends to suggest that they were intially used as storehouses. Prisoners sent to the oubliettes were soon forgotten, hence the name. Parfois la notion d’avant-​ garde n’éclot qu’après coup, lorsque le caractère d’un parcours est reconnu novateur par les historiens de l’art. Et puis il y a ceux dont les tableaux ont été relégués aux oubliettes. © Challenge no. 625.

panache blanc. Le      

***

See Chapter 2 ‘Ralliez-​vous à mon panache blanc . . .’.

‘Paris vaut bien une messe’      

***

See Chapter 2 ‘Paris vaut bien une messe’.

Patrie en danger. La      

**

This was the revolutionary rallying cry launched on 11 July 1792 as the prospect of the invasion of revolutionary France by the coalition forces loomed large. Les féroces soldats du Stade de France ont rugi. Contre nous la tyrannie maghrébine, l’étendard tunisien était levé . . . La patrie, en gros, était en danger. © Le Point no. 1884. This text (echoing ‘La Marseillaise’) refers to whistling by Tunisian football fans while the ‘Marseillaise’ was being played at a friendly football match between the two nations at the Stade de France in Paris. It is to be noticed that whistling at public events in France is not supportive but critical. Notice that ‘patrie’ is an anagram of ‘parité’, a very topical pun.

père Joseph      

*

See above ‘éminence grise’.

Petit-​C lamart. Le      

**

See Chapter 12 ‘Petit-​Clamart. Le’.

plan Marshall nm.      

**

The Marshall Plan (General Marshall was one of President Truman’s advisors) became officially known as the European Recovery Program (Programme de rétablissement européen). It was a programme of financial loans granted to various States of Europe to help them rebuild towns and installations destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. C’est pour cela que je

302 Poitiers (arrêter à)     

propose un plan Marshall pour l’Afrique et un commissaire européen chargé de l’Afrique. © Le Point no. 2436. A promise made by Manfred Weber, a candidate for the succession to Jean-​Claude Juncker at the European Commission

Poitiers (arrêter à)      

**

Tradition has it that it was on 25 October 732 that Charles Martel defeated the Muslim forces between Tours and Poitiers and thus put an end to the Arab invasion of the land of the Franks. He was the de facto King of the Franks until the end of his life. Elle venait de Poitiers, et c’était à Poitiers que les Français avaient repoussé les Arabes qui remontaient depuis la Castille . . . On imaginait Mme Moreau . . . décapitant les Maures à cheval. © L’Obs no. 2843, 2–​8 May 2019. This is a description of the character of Madame Moreau in a novel by the Swedish novelist Lina Wolff. See above ‘Charles Martel’.

pont d’Arcole. Le      

***

Le pont d’Arcole was the name of the battle fought between 15 and 17 November 1796 by the French against the Austrian forces in Italy. It was one of the most brilliant of Napoleon’s victories. He led a heroic charge at the head of his grenadiers and defeated the Austrian forces. Nous, Français, nous avons la culture de l’assaut à la hussarde, la fascination pour le pont d’Arcole. © Le Nouvel Observateur no. 2358.2010. This is a reference to the French way of doing things. The French way favours extravagance and panache.

Port-​R oyal      

*

An abbey located in the Vallée de Chevreuse in the département of the Yvelines (78) run by nuns, and the heart of the Jansenist movement in France in the seventeenth century. Pascal, le solitaire de Port-​Royal, exprimait sa distance à l’égard des débauches de la cour de son époque. © Marianne no. 576. Pascal was nicknamed ‘le solitaire de Port-​Royal’, who had decided to retreat from the corruption of the court. NB it is also the name of a famous Paris hospital particularly associated with maternity. See Chapter 10 ‘Port Royal’.

porteurs de valises nmpl.      

*

This was the name given to French activists who transported money and false identity papers for the Algerian resistance operating in metropolitan France during the Algerian war of independence. Guerre d’Algérie, le temps des ‘porteurs de valises’ © Valeurs actuelles no. 4326.

Retz (le cardinal de)  303

poujadisme nm.      

**

From the name of Pierre Poujade and the political movement that made its appearance in 1953. The movement (ironic in the light of subsequent developments and the desertification of provincial towns) defended artisans against the setting up of vast supermarkets and shopping malls, and also called into question the efficiency of parliamentary democracy. It has become a pejorative term implying corporatism, conservatism, anti-​parliamentarianism and petty-​bourgeois values. La critique poujadiste des experts est dangereuse. © Les Echos no. 23105. The words of Bernard Attali on the proposed abolition of l’ÉNA.

pucelle d’Orléans. La      

***

Joan of Arc was known as the ‘maid’ (virgin) of Orleans. Aujourd’hui, la gauche a abandonné Vercingétorix. Et l’actuel président de la République semble éprouver plus de tendresse pour la pucelle d’Orléans que pour le roi des Arvernes. © Marianne no. 1165. PF. The Arvernes, were one of the main peoples of Gaul, their King being Vercingétorix. See above ‘Jeanne d’Arc’.

Ravaillac      

**

François Ravaillac was a French regicide born in 1577 in Angoulème. He was executed on 27 May 1610 on the place de Grève* in Paris for the assassination of Henri IV, King of France, on 14 May 1610. Les disputes furieuses sur le trafic à Paris sont au moins aussi anciennes que l’assassinat d’Henri IV, trucidé par Ravaillac à la faveur d’un encombrement près des Halles ou que la fameuse satire de Boileau sur ‘Les embarras de Paris’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5150. Nicolas Boileau was a French man of letters of the Grand Siècle (1636–​1711). See Chapter 10 ‘Garnier. L’Opéra’. *The first meaning of ‘grève’ is the ‘strand’ or the shore of a river. It takes its modern meaning of ‘strike’ or ‘industrial action’ from the fact that the ‘strand’ was the place where unemployed workers would congregate in the hope of being taken on by an employer who would go there to find hands. It was a primitive form of labour exchange. Consequently, when the men stopped work at their place of labour, they would go to the ‘grève’.

Retz (le cardinal de)      

**

Paul de Gondi, better known as ‘le cardinal de Retz’ (1613–​79) was a French politician, man of the Church and writer. He was Archbishop of Paris from

304 révolution de 1848     

1654 to 1662. He was imprisoned for having taken part in the ‘Fronde’ but was later pardoned by Louis XIV. He retired to the Abbey of Saint-​Denis, where he devoted his retirement to writing about his political experiences. His most famous work is Les Mémoires. Dans le livre en question, Morand revisite la Fronde mais en compagnie, bien sûr, du cardinal de Retz. © Marianne no. 601. Paul Morand (1888–​1976) was a French writer, diplomat and member of the Académie française.

révolution de 1848      

**

The Revolution of 1848 in France was part of a general European trend that affected Germany, Italy, Hungary and Great Britain. In France, it brought to an end the constitutional monarchy of Louis Philippe and the advent of the Second Republic, headed up by Louis Napoleon, who was later to stage a coup d’État, becoming the Emperor Napoleon III in 1852. Elles se sentent d’ailleurs trahies par la révolution de 1848 qui voit le suffrage universel masculin restauré. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4307. J-​MA. Since the Revolution of 1789, politicians and doctors were in agreement that because of a woman’s physical fragility she was unable to exercise the right to vote. The vote was given to men in 1848, to women in 1945.

Robespierre/​robespierresque      

**

Robespierre (1758–​94) was a lawyer and politician whose name is associated with the Terror and the Thermidorian Reaction, which took him to the guillotine in July 1794. Pourquoi avez-​vous mangé de la viande avec du vin rouge? C’est robespierresque. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5142. The complaint of Ingeborg Grässle, President of the European commission on budget control, who wishes to restrict the verifications of expense accounts for members of the European Parliament.

Roi Soleil nm.      

***

Louis XIV was known as the Sun King because of the pomp and splendour of the court at Versailles. He was a great patron of the arts. He was also called Louis le Grand. It shouldn’t be forgotten that he left France totally ruined. Chaque époque a sa part d’ombre. Celle du Roi Soleil est marquée par l’affaire des poisons. © Le Point no. 1951. This affair concerned a series of poisonings that took place between 1672 and 1682 during the reign of Louis XIV. See Chapter 11 ‘poisons. L’Affaire des’.

Saint-Barthélemy 305

Rois fainéants nmpl.      

***

They were the Frankish Kings of the later Merovingian dynasty who ruled over Gaul from 673 to 751. The dynasty was founded by Mérovée, the grandfather of Clovis I. They include Thierry III (673–​91), Clovis III, Childebert III, Dagobert II, Chilpéric II, Thierry IV and Childeric III (743–​51). The reason for their nickname is unclear but their reigns were periods of political instability and loss of territory and influence. The last of the Carolingians, Louis V, was also known as the ‘idle’ or ‘lazy’ King. Le retour des rois fainéants © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5147. This heading relates to an accusation by President Macron that the socialists did not do much when they were in power . . . the same socialist government of which he was the minister of economy and industry.

Rois maudits nmpl.      

*

Les Rois maudits is a series of historical novels and a television serial, written by Maurice Druon and others between 1955 and 1977. It is based on the legend of the chronicler Paolo Emilio (1455–​1529), according to which the last grand master of the Templars, Jacques de Molay, while he was burning at the stake, is said to have cursed the King of France, Philippe IV ‘le Bel’; the Pope, Clément V; Guillaume de Nogaret; and all of their descendants for thirteen generations. ‘Députés, qui êtes restés aveugles, sourds et muets, la postérité vous maudira.’ C’est dommage de jouer une scène des ‘Rois maudits’ sans téléspectateurs. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5138. This text refers to the final speech of Jean-​Marie Le Pen to the European Parliament. The chamber before which he spoke was empty.

Route de la soie      

***

The silk route was an old network of trade routes linking Asia to Europe, taking its name from the precious merchandise  –​i.e. silk  –​that transited via this route. The period of greatest activity was between 200 b c and a d 200. The fall of Constantinople and the improved techniques of maritime navigation led to the decline in the importance of the silk route. Le numéro 1 chinois. . . .démarre sa tournée en Italie, dont le gouvernement populiste décide de signer un accord cadre pour s’associer aux routes de la soie. © L’Obs no. 2837, 21–​7 March 2019.

Saint-​B arthélemy      

**

The Massacre of Saint-​Barthélemy was the killing of Protestants triggered by the Catholics in Paris on 24 August 1572, the day of Saint-​Barthélemy. Les

306 Saint-Just     

armées protestantes . . . répondirent à la Saint-​Barthélemy par des massacres vengeurs © Marianne no. 1179. GK.

Saint-​Just      

**

Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-​Just (1767–​94) was a pre-​eminent politician of the Revolution. He was a staunch ally of Robespierre and his name is associated with severe morality. When Robespierre fell, Saint-​Just fell with him and was guillotined during Thermidor. Like Robespierre, he defended the poor and passed a law giving the confiscated property of the enemies of the Republic to the needy. He was instrumental in the drawing up of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen in 1793. Johnson sera le Saint-​Just de la révolution du Brexit mais il sait que les révolutions dévorent toujours leurs enfants. Il n’est pas impensable que le jacobin du Brexit se métamorphose en Talleyrand de la Restauration. © L’Obs no. 2847, 30 May–​5 June 2019. DM. See Chapter 2 ‘J’ai survécu’, ‘Merde’ and ‘trahison est souvent question de dates. La’. Talleyrand was known for having ‘swing wing’ opinions.

Saint-​L ouis      

**

Otherwise known as Louis IX, he was born in Poissy in 1214 and died in Carthage during the Eighth Crusade in 1270. He was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1297. He was a great reformer. He was the King who imposed the ‘presumption of innocence’, he forbade the ordalie and he imposed a single currency. He laid the foundations for the future parlement, supported the foundation of the Sorbonne and had the Sainte-​Chapelle built to house the holy relics brought back from the crusades. He voted laws to punish blasphemy, prostitution and money-​lending at interest. He was also the King who imposed the wearing of the rouelle by the Jews, the ancestor of the yellow star of David. Tradition has it that Saint-​Louis administered justice under an oak tree in the woods of Vincennes. In the Middle Ages, the Kings of France and England are supposed to have had the power to cure scrofula by simple touch. Il ne guérit pas les écrouelles comme Saint-​Louis, il fait mieux: samedi dernier . . . le Président a distribué ses grâces. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5146. FP. A member of the Toulouse rugby team, a South African citizen, asked the French President if he could have French nationality. The President answered ‘Banco! On lance la procédure.’

Sainte-​A lliance. La      

*

On 26 September 1815, the Tsar of Russia, Alexandre I; the Emperor of Austria, François I; and the King of Prussia, Frédéric-​Guillaume III signed the

Sedan 307

pact of the Holy Alliance in Paris. The three absolute monarchs represented three different religious groups:  orthodox, Catholic and Protestant. They were committed to fighting any revolutionary tendencies and vaguely promised peace, justice and charity. Régulièrement, le chef de l’État et son Premier ministre ironisent sur la sainte alliance qui de l’ex-​sarkoziste Gilles Carrez à l’insoumis Jean-​Luc Mélenchon en passant par les derniers élus du PS est parvenue à faire franchir au Parlement la première marche de la procédure référendaire. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5147. The accent here is put on the rather heteroclite nature of the group of individuals who have acted in concert.

sans-​c ulottes nmpl.      

**

The ‘sans-​culottes’ were the emblematic elements of the revolutionary crowd, generally drawn from the lower classes and lacking the more genteel hose of the nobility, hence their name. The term ‘sans-​culottes’ was also synonymous with ‘rabble’ and ‘uncultured’. The idea here is that the socialists have little to offer in the way of ideas, beyond the rather populist slogans of the past. L’affiliation platonique à la gauche survit souvent comme un cache-​misère, une manière de dissimuler qu’on ne croit à rien. En même temps, raidissement tactique jusqu’à une dérive sans-​culottiste © Marianne no. 618.

Savonarole      

***

Jérôme Savonarole was born in Ferrare in 1452 and died in Florence in 1498. He was a Dominican friar, preacher and reformer. He set up and led the theocratic dictatorship in Florence from 1494 to 1498. His name is associated with bigotry and cruelty but it should be remembered that he is considered by some as the first ‘Protestant’, a precursor of the Reformation. He was declared a schismatic, hanged and his body burned. Aux yeux des Savonarole du septième art, l’acteur fétiche de Luchino Visconti et Jean-​Pierre Melville et de quelques autres devrait être rayé de l’histoire du cinéma, biffé des écrans et renvoyer dans les poubelles de la culture. © Marianne no. 115, 17–​23 May 2019. The text refers to the Palme d’Honneur awarded to Alain Delon at the Cannes film festival for his life’s work. Feminists in the United States criticized the award because Delon, in the past, made some comments about homosexuals that are not 100 per cent politically correct by today’s standards.

Sedan      

**

The Battle of Sedan took place during the Franco-​Prussian War and was fought between 1 and 2 September 1870. Napoleon III was captured during the battle, which effectively brought the Second Empire to an end. The defeat

308 Stakhanoviste     

provoked an outburst of patriotic fury that led to the Commune de Paris. Renan s’exprimait ainsi le 11 mars 1882, douze ans après le désastre de Sedan mais aussi dix-​neuf ans après Camerone, dans cette malheureuse expédition mexicaine. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4302. The article raises the question of sacrifice among the military, and the need for memorial services. Ernest Renan spoke about the cult of ancestors as being legitimate because they contributed to making us what we are today. Unlike Waterloo, Trafalgar and Berezina, the Battle of Sedan is not used figuratively.

Stakhanoviste      

***

Stakhanov was a Soviet coal miner whose name became associated with official propaganda in the 1930s concerning the model miner. On the night of 30–​1 August 1935, Stakhanov is said to have produced over 100 tons of coal in six hours. This was more than a dozen times as much as was asked of the average miner. The figures were pure fantasy. It was an attempt by the Soviets to improve the reputation of industrial production. Stakhanovistes, nous parcourons des centaines de kilomètres sur des routes en mauvais béton coulé en 1978. © L’Obs no. 2848, 6-​12 June 2019. The texts refers to the punishing journey of some journalists in north Korea.

Terreur nf.      

**

There are two periods referred to in this way: the summer of 1792 (with the threat of invasion and ‘la patrie en danger’), and the Great Terror lasting from June 1793 to July 1794 and the fall of Robespierre. It was a period of exceptional laws, based on repression and violence, with people being sentenced to death not by proof of guilt but by an ‘intime conviction’ (a gut feeling) of the jurors. Over 17,000 people are recorded as having been executed, but many were assassinated without trial. The figure could be as high as 40,000. C’est la Terreur. Les têtes vont tomber. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4634. This is a reference to the ‘paper tiger’ threats of the government to take action against café owners who did not pass on the reduction of VAT to the end customer. See Chapter 14 ‘TVA’.

Thermidor      

**

‘Thermidor’ was the ‘hot-​ weather’ month in the French revolutionary calendar; it covered the period between 19 July and 17 August. It was on 9 Thermidor (27 July) 1794 that the Convention obtained the proscription of Robespierre and his followers, thereby ending the period of the Terror and

Travail, famille, patrie  309

Jacobin dictatorship. Une recette de homard, élaborée près de cent ans après la chute de l’Incorruptible, célébrait thermidor. © Marianne no. 1166.GK:19–​25/​ 07/​19. This was taken from an article that addresses the question of politics and corruption in the wake of the de Rugy affair. See above ‘Fouquier-​ Tinville, Antoine Quentin’. NB ‘Homard Thermidor’ is a grilled lobster with a béchamel dressing, grated cheese and mustard.

‘tirez les premiers! Messieurs les Anglais,’       ** See Chapter 2 ‘tirez les premiers! Messieurs les Anglais,’.

Torquemada      

***

Although this is not related to French history, it is frequently quoted in the French press. Tomás de Torquemada was the grand inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition from 1483 until his death in 1498. Jésus Christ est-​il responsable de Torquemada, l’inquisiteur espagnol qui fit périr nombre de juifs accusé de continuer à pratiquer leur religion après avoir dû, par force, se convertir au catholicisme? © Marianne no. 1158, 24–​30 May 2019.

Trafalgar (un coup de)      

***

Trafalgar was one of the greatest naval battles, in which Nelson defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets on 21 October 1805. Nelson was killed during this battle. Today, ‘un coup de Trafalgar’ refers to a disastrous, knock-​ out defeat. Deux commissions d’enquête sont en cours, à la demande du ministre, afin d’établir, si possible, les responsables de ce Trafalgar. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4616. This text refers to the technical problems that dogged the nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which, from the time of its launch, had spent more time in dry dock for repairs than it had in carrying out its naval role.

Travail, famille, patrie      

**

The law of 10 July 1940 gave Maréchal Pétain full powers. ‘Work, Family and Homeland’ was to become the official motto of the Vichy regime, and the minted money bore this motto. La francisque ressuscitait les Francs, et Travail, Famille, Patrie, devaient effacer la trinité maudite Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4591. The ‘francisque’ was both the symbol of the Vichy regime and the personal symbol of Maréchal Pétain, but it was also the name of an award. François Mitterrand was decorated by Pétain and was thus a member of the Order of the Francisque.

310 Trente Glorieuses (Les)     

Trente Glorieuses (Les)      

***

This chrononym refers to the years of strong and uninterrupted economic growth that France enjoyed between 1945 and 1975. On ne peut comprendre la période faste des Trente Glorieuses sans prendre en compte la dynamique enfantée par ces réformes nées d’un système de mixité économique et sociale, certes daté mais original. Marianne no. 1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019.

Union sacrée      

*

With the outbreak of war in 1914, Poincaré, the President of the Republic, in his address to Parliament, made reference to ‘l’union sacré’ –​i.e. the necessary union of all political parties in the face of the common enemy, Germany. This was to suspend the politics of parliamentary groups until 1917. Sur les lieux, en Meurthe-​et-​Moselle, les élus ont même déclaré l’union sacrée autour notamment du sénateur Les Républicains . . . et du député socialiste. La nationalisation est un acte défensif. Marianne no. 1154, 26 April–​2 May 2019. Nationalization has come back into the limelight under the assaults of the State against its own economic interests, e.g the selling off of the French motorway system to private investors and the proposed privatization of the Aéroports de Paris.

Valmy (la bataille de)      

*

On 20 September 1792, the French Army under Kellermann and Dumouriez defeated the Prussians under the Duke of Brunswick and thus stopped the invasion of revolutionary France. This was the first military victory of the Republic. De la bataille de Valmy à la collaboration, l’égérie au bonnet phrygien a donc reflété tous les clivages idéologiques. © Marianne no. 593. Marianne is always depicted as wearing the Phrygian cap. From revolutionary France up to the collaboration, the bust of Marianne, wearing the cap, has always been a symbol showing an ideological divide. The Phrygian cap was worn by freed slaves in the Roman Empire. It was adopted by the French revolutionaries as a symbol of liberty and civic spirit.

Varennes (la fuite à)      

***

It was to Varennes, in the Meuse, that Louis XVI fled in June 1791 while attempting to join the loyalist army in Metz. In spite of being disguised, he was recognized and arrested. The Legislative Assembly suspended his powers and he was thus discredited in the eyes of the people. He was executed in

Versailles, la marche sur  311

1793. Madame de Genlis empêcha le duc d’Orléans, futur Philippe Égalité, de prendre la régence après la fuite avortée de Louis XVI à Varennes. © Le Point no. 2447. FGL. Louis-​Philippe d’Orléans, duc de Chartres, et d’Orléans, called Philippe Égalité after 1792, was born in Saint-​Cloud in 1747 and died on the guillotine on 6 November 1793. See above ‘Charlotte Corday’.

Vél’ d’Hiv’      

**

See Chapter 11 Skeletons.

Vercingétorix      

**

Vercingétorix was a Gallic chief (c. 72–​46 b c ). After having defeated Caesar in 52 b c , he became the recognized chief of the Gauls. He was, however, forced to retreat to Alésia, where he was besieged for two months by the Romans. He capitulated before Caesar and was strangled in a Roman prison in 46 b c . Jacques Chirac fut le dernier président gaulois. Un avatar de Vercingétorix © Le Point no. 2458. FOG. See above ‘pucelle d’Orléans. La’.

Verdun      

**

Symbol of heroism and of senseless butchery, the Battle of Verdun was fought between 21 February and 19 December 1916. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War in which 163,000 French soldiers and 143,000 German soldiers lost their lives for absolutely no gain. Let it be said in passing that when the French speak of heroism, the spirit of Verdun is evoked just as the British evoke the spirit of Dunkirk or the Texans the spirit of the Alamo. Selon lui, il existe un électorat populaire, français, composé de petits fonctionnaires, de professeurs, tous les jours au contact de l’immigration de masse. ‘Ces gens là sont en première ligne, ils sont à Verdun.’ © Valeurs actuelles no. 4322. The words of Eric Zemmour, a polemist who is anti-​immigration.

Versailles, la marche sur      

***

The summer of 1789 was marked by the storming of the Bastille, an emblematic blow against royal authority. On 5 and 6 October there was a march by the women of the faubourgs on Versailles, intended to bring the King and his family back to Paris. The women chanted nous ramenons le boulanger, la boulangère et le petit mitron. This was the first time in French history that women had played a major role in the political process. It was this event that forced the King to give his assent to the Déclaration des droits de l’homme et

312 Vidocq     

du citoyen, and also put the royal family under the surveillance of the Parisian people. Ce sont ces femmes qui marchèrent sur Versailles le 5 octobre 1789 pour ramener à Paris le roi. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. This was a comment on the book entitled Les Femmes et la Révolution 1770–​1830 by Christine Le Bozec. See above ‘boulanger, boulangère, petit mitron’.

Vidocq      

**

François Eugène Vidocq (1775–​1857) was sentenced to eight years’ hard labour in a prison in Brest for forgery. On his release, he was recruited as a police informer and then put in charge of a brigade de sûreté made up of newly released prisoners. They were used to infiltrate the underworld and to ‘grass’ on former acquaintances. Vidocq was the head of this brigade from 1809 to 1827. He thus served under the First Empire and the Restoration. He is said to have inspired Balzac for the character ‘Vautrin’ in the novel Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes. Oubliez le bagne de Toulon et vos souvenirs de Jean Valjean ou de Vidoq. © Le Point no. 1954. This text refers to the opening of a model prison in Toulon that, while not a four-​star hotel, is a far cry from most other prisons in France. Jean Valjean is one of the main characters in the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Valjean spends 19 years in a penal colony for having stolen a loaf of bread.

Villers-​C otterêts (l’ordonnance de)      

**

Villers-​Cotterêts is a small town 80 km north-​east of Paris, located in the département of the Aisne (02) in the region of Hauts-​de-​France (Picardy). Sometimes misnamed the ‘édit’, the ‘ordonnance’ of Villers-​Cotterêts issued by François Ier in 1539 effectively made French the official language of law and administration, as opposed to Latin and the regional languages that had been used hitherto. La défense de la langue française . . . constitue une urgence civique et politique comme l’a voulu l’ordonnance de Villers-​Cotterêts. © Marianne no. 646.

‘Vol noir’      

**

Ami, entends-​tu le vol noir des corbeaux sur nos plaines? This reference comes from ‘Le Chant des partisans’, also known as ‘Le Chant de la libération’. It was the hymn of the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation of France in the Second World War. Vincent Lambert et le vol noir des certitudes © Marianne no. 1158, 24–​30 May 2019. The context of the quote is the case of Vincent Lambert, a tetraplegic who had been in a coma for ten years, and the

Yalta 313

decision as to whether or not he should be disconnected from his life-​support system. In this text, Natacha Polony quotes Friedrich Nietzsche, who wrote Ce n’est pas la doute, c’est la certitude qui rend fou (‘It’s not doubt but certainty that drives one mad’). Vincent has since died, the decision having been made to disconnect him from the systems feeding and hydrating him. See above ‘Chant des partisans’.

Voltaire      

***

François-​Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire (1694–​1798), was the influential French writer who was prominent among the figures of the movement of the French Enlightenment, and was particularly famous for his philosophical tales. Alliant la plume de Voltaire et la répartie du cardinal de Retz en une quintessence cinglante de l’esprit français © Valeurs actuelles no. 4306. The pen in question is that of Jacques Laurent (1919–​2000), journalist, novelist and member of the Académie française. He won the Prix Goncourt in 1971 for Les Bêtises. See above ‘Retz (le cardinal de)’.

Waterloo      

***

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, was the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, inflicted by the British under Wellington and the Prussians under Blücher. It is used today to refer to a crushing, terminal defeat. Que les parlementaires puissent assimiler l’un à l’autre est un Waterloo de la pensée. © Marianne no. 1181, 1–​7 November 2019. This is a reference to the resolution of the European Parliament putting Nazism and communism on the same footing.

Yalta      

**

The Yalta Conference was a meeting of the main leaders of the allied forces, Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union), Winston Churchill (United Kingdom) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States). The meeting was held from 4 to 11 February 1945 in the Livadia Palace on the outskirts of the seaside resort of Yalta. It was a meeting to plan the final stages of the war but has come to mean the carving up of Europe among the three victorious nations. Cologny, c’est le Yalta de la littérature gothique: au cours de l’été 1816, certains des plus grands écrivains européens, dont Lord Byron, Mary Shelley et son mari, Percy, se retrouvent villa Diodati, sur les bords du lac Léman, pour jeter les bases d’une nouvelle littérature fantastique. © L’Obs no. 2844, 9-​15 May 2019.

314 Yalta     

Several references found in the initial research over a two-​year period (2007–​9) were not found in the supplementary research reading between March 2019 and March 2020. They are nevertheless important. They are listed below, without development, and the reader who so wishes may do some follow-​up reading. Ateliers nationaux; années de plomb; Austerlitz; Azincourt; Bataille d’Angleterre; Benjamin Constant; Bande à Bonnot; Bonapartistes Orléanistes; Boulangisme; Brumaire; Camelots du roi; Camerone; Cathares; Chant du départ; chêne de Vincennes; chouannerie; Entente cordiale; Épinay; Fouché; Louis XI; Louise Michel; malgré-​nous; Mazarin; Mendès-​France; Mérovingien Phalange; Reichshoffen, Battle of; Reims, sacre de; Saint-​Denis; Ségur (comtesse de); Surcouf; Trianon; Veuve Scarron.

Chapter 7

Mythological and classical references

Heureux qui, comme Ulysse a fait un beau voyage. (Joachim du Bellay (1522–​60))

One could be forgiven for supposing that a chapter on mythological and classical references is redundant given that such a subject is the common heritage of both the Anglo-​Americans and the French. There are, however, valid reasons for including this chapter. First, several French terms coming from the Classics do not exist as such in English translation, and there is a big difference between passive recognition of a word and active knowledge of its use. With the decline in the teaching of the Classics, this chapter should prove to be at least a useful refresher. Hands up those who can remember the names of the various parts of the underworld! Given that part of the potential readership of this dictionary may well not be English or American, I have been careful, throughout the book, not to make too many ethnocentric assumptions about the knowledge of my readers.

Achille (le talon d’)      

***

The Achilles heel. Thetis, Achilles’ mother, immersed her infant son in the water of the Styx, the river encircling Hades. The water had the power to make any person who was immersed in it invulnerable. But the heel, by which Thetis held the child, was not touched by the water, and hence here Achilles was vulnerable. He was killed, shot in the heel, by an arrow fired by Paris, the son of Priam. Consequently, one’s Achilles heel is one’s weak spot. C’est son plus gros écueil pour 2022, il sent que c’est sur ces sujets de terrorisme, de sécurité publique que ça va se passer, c’est son talon d’Achille. © L’Obs no. 2867 17–​23 October 2019. MT et ALD. This is a reference to the vulnerability of Emmanuel Macron.

316 agora nf.     

agora nf.      

**

The agora for the Greeks was equivalent to the forum of the Romans, i.e. a large public place where people could meet and discuss. In modern urban environments, it implies a pedestrian precinct. Une agora, c’est respectable. Vous apprendrez que c’est le lieu de naissance de la démocratie. © Marianne no.  1158, 24–​30 May 2019. During the trial of Jean-​Luc Mélenchon, the counsel for the prosecution, faced with Mélenchon’s histrionics, reminded him that he was in a court of law and not on the agora. The above quote is M. Mélenchon’s reply.

Alcibiade      

**

Alcibiades was a Greek statesman (450–​404 b c ). He was a very attractive and vain person. He was a student of Socrates. . . .Socrate . . . croyait au dialogue serré comme moyen de décrasser gratuitement les méninges de ses amis athéniens afin qu’ils contemplassent le ciel étoilé plutôt que les belles fesses d’Alcibiade. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5146.

Alexandrie      

**

The Great Library of Alexandria was founded in Egypt in 288 b c and destroyed at some time between 48 b c and a d 642. It was the most famous library in Antiquity, boasting the most important works of the time. Alexandria came to be seen as the capital of knowledge and learning, in part because of the Great Library. Many important and influential scholars worked at the library during the third and second centuries b c . Historians are unsure about who was responsible for burning down the library. The first person blamed for its destruction was Julius Caesar, and the second suspected culprit was the Caliph Omar in a d 641 during the Arab invasion. Le même respect, peut-​ être, qu’inspira jadis à d’autres anonymes le bûcher des livres à Alexandrie © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. The silent respect shown by the tourists in Paris while witnessing the fire at Notre-​Dame suggested to the journalist the parallel with the fire of the Great Library of Alexandria.

Amazones nfpl.      

**

In Greek mythology, the Amazons were a nation of female warriors living in what is now Turkey. Popular etymology claims that their name ‘Amazone’ comes from the privative prefix ‘a-​’, and the Greek word ‘mazos’, meaning breast, from the fact that they cut off their right breast to facilitate the

Apollon 317

use of bows in combat. Men were either killed or blinded and reduced to sexual slavery, given that the Queen was said to have an insatiable sexual appetite. Any males born were killed. C’est dire si la revendication en 1793 de ‘légion féminine’ et de ‘compagnies d’amazones’ fit frémir les députés de la Convention toutes tendances confondues. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. This comes from a review of the book by Christine Le Bozec Les femmes et la Révolution, which describes the capital contribution of women to the French Revolution.

Antigone      

***

Antigone is a tragedy by Sophocles that has been adapted by many dramatists, including Jean Anouilh. The two brothers Polynices and Eteocles drive their father Œdipus from Thebes and take over the kingdom. Eteocles goes back on his promise to share power with Polynices. The latter is driven from Thebes but later launches an attack against the city. During the attack, both brothers die. Creon, now King of Thebes, who had supported Eteocles and considered Polynices a traitor, gives the former a hero’s burial but refuses to allow Polynices to be buried. Polynices’ sister, Antigone, in defiance of Creon’s order, creeps out of the city under cover of darkness and buries her brother. She is caught by Creon’s soldiers and imprisoned. She hangs herself. She epitomizes the choice of one’s moral conscience in defiance of human law. On n’a noté aucun soutien à cette Antigone de la part des organisations propalestiniennes en France, aucune condamnation du Hamas de la part des politiciens prompts à instrumentaliser une cause qu’ils savent populaire dans leurs circonscriptions. © Marianne no. 1167, 26 July–​01 August 2019. JL. The ‘Antigone’ in question is a courageous journalist, Hajar Harb, who has dared denounce the extravagant privileges enjoyed by senior members of Hamas.

Aphrodite      

*

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love (Venus in Roman mythology). Aphrodite sulfureuse sous l’objectif d’Annie Leibovitz. Après ‘Maléfique: Le pouvoir du mal’, Angelina Jolie jouera une super-​héroïne Marvel dans ‘Les Éternels’. © Paris Match no. 3676. This is a reference to Angelina Jolie’s up-​coming role in 2021.

Apollon      

**

Apollo was a Greek and Roman god of exceptional beauty, the god of music, youth and knowledge. À défaut d’être un Apollon, il serait un Dionysos de

318 apothéose nf.     

boutique et de marché. © Le Point no. 2435. An opinion, not a very flattering one, expressed about the late actor Jean-​Pierre Marielle. This actor had some professional failures that resulted in the considerable time he spent in the desert. See below ‘Dionysos (Bacchus)’.

apothéose nf.      

***

‘Apotheosis’ comes from Latin and means ‘deification’. In Greek mythology it refers to a hero’s admission to Olympia. Today, apotheosis is the admission of a person to the highest degree of celebrity. Bardella prend son envol . . . “Que Grivaux cherche ses mots sur les plateaux télé pour minimiser la raclée” assène-​t-​il dans une apothéose tonitruante avant de laisser la parole à Marine Le Pen. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. This is a quote from the speech given by Jordan Bardella, who was the head of the Rassemblement National list for the European elections in 2019.

Arcadie nf.      

**

Arcadia is a region of Greece that is represented in mythology as a country of happiness, populated by shepherds living in harmony with nature. It represents a golden age of the past. Ce voyage dans l’Arcadie mal-​pensante commence logiquement par une empoignade sur les enjeux mémoriels. © Marianne no. 656. This text refers to the political incorrectness (and historical inaccuracy) of certain statements, such as ‘France has never been attracted to totalitarianism. Critics have pointed out that some people seem to have forgotten Napoleon and Pétain’.

Ariane      

**

Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. She fell in love with Theseus (who had come to kill the Minotaur in the labyrinth) and gave him a spool of thread that enabled him to find his way out of the labyrinth, which had only one exit. Her name is often associated with a storm at sea, such as that which made Theseus forget to change the colour of the black sails of his ship to white. Aegeus, his father, was waiting for his return, but when he saw the sails were black (thus indicating the failure of Theseus’ mission to defeat the Minotaur), he killed himself by throwing himself into the sea which bears his name; this was the punishment for Theseus’ betrayal of Ariadne, whom he had promised to love but had abandoned. Il est surtout question du ‘USS Macon’ dans ce documentaire, dont le fil d’Ariane est la quête sous-​ marine de l’épave du dernier des aérostats de la Navy. © Le Nouvel Observateur no. 2324.2010. This text refers to the search for the wreck of the US airship

augures nmpl.  319

that was lost off the coast of California in 1935. Ariane is also the name of the European space launch vehicle.

Atrides nmpl.      

**

In Greek mythology, the Atreidae is the name given to the two sons of Atreus, King of Mycenae: Agamemnon and Menelaus. Their story is one of bloodshed, vengeance, parricide, matricide and incest. They are the damned family. Une révolte des dauphins, digne des Atrides, qui aura pour consequence la dilution de l’électorat de Collomb © Valeurs actuelles no.  4342. SBC. This text refers to the municipal elections in Lyon in March 2020, where the former mayor will stand against his own former deputy for the ‘métropole’.

Augias (les écuries d’) nfpl.      

***

The Augean stables, the fifth of the ‘Twelve Labours of Hercules’. The stables of the biggest cattle owner in Greece had not been cleaned for many years. Hercules’ task was to clean the stables within a day. He succeeded in cleaning them out by diverting the Rivers Alpheus and Peneus. Today, it implies cleaning up a corrupt situation. Tel le demi-​dieu romain avec ses écuries d’Augias, l’État actionnaire d’EDF à 83,7% va nettoyer le groupe en confinant ses dettes au sein d’une structure de ‘défaisance’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5159. This text refers to the project ‘Hercule’, which will split the activities of Électricité de France (EDF) into two parts, one commercial, the other technical.

augurer vt.      

**

La dérobade de Nicolas Dupont-​ Aignan n’augure rien de bon. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4300. This refers to Dupont-​Aignan, often known as ‘NDA’, pulling out of the alliance with the other patriotic, conservative parties before the 2019 European elections. See below ‘augures’.

augures nmpl.      

***

The augurs were the Roman soothsayers. Over time, the word came to mean the omen itself. Their predictions would always be sought before any important decision was taken. They would take the auspices –​i.e. observe the flight of the birds. The Latin term auspicium refers to divination by looking at the flight of birds. In the sky, an imaginary rectangle was traced. If the birds entered the rectangle from the right-​hand side (dextra) this was a good sign or omen; if the flight entered from the left-​hand side (sinistra) this was a bad omen. One may say ‘de bon ou de mauvais augures/​présages’. Depuis le temps

320 auspices nmpl.     

que les augures annoncent la chute de notre pays, il devrait être au fond du trou. © Le Point no. 2431. This sentence refers to the ‘catastrophism’ that seems to be gaining ground in France. See below ‘auspices’.

auspices nmpl.      

***

Mais ce regret-​là traverse quelquefois les habitants d’une union européenne née sous les auspices du charbon et de l’acier. © Marianne no. 1157, 17–​23 May 2019. La Communauté européenne du charbon et de l’acier (CECA) was an organization set up under the Treaty of Paris in 1951 and is seen as the foundation stone of the European Union. The regret in question was voiced by the founder Jean Monnet, who said, concerning the European Union, Si c’était à refaire, je commencerai par la culture. See above ‘augures’.

Aventin. L’      

***

The Aventine Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. It is associated with secession, and withdrawal from others. The proverbial expression ‘se retirer sur l’Aventin’ is a reference to the revolt of the plebeians against the patriciate in 494 b c and their withdrawal to the Aventine. Gilets jaunes: les ronds-​points, cet ‘Aventin’ moderne. Il est fréquent que le peuple fasse sécession:  ‘secessio plebis’ d’antique mémoire, au cours de laquelle les plébéiens se ‘retiraient sur l’Aventin’. De nos jours, plus prosaïquement, ils occupent les ronds-​points de la France périphérique. © Le Point en ligne, 18 January 2019. This is a reference to the gilets jaunes demonstrations where the demonstrators organized sit-​ins on the main roundabouts throughout France.

bacchanales nfpl.      

***

The bacchanales were religious feasts celebrated in Antiquity. They took place in honour of Bacchus the Roman god (corresponding to the Greek god Dionysos) of wine, vineyards, debauchery and licence. Such feasts were characterized by excesses in all fields: drink, food and sex. Avant, c’étaient des bacchanales sur la plage, un lupanar à ciel ouvert sur le pont des yachts. © L’Obs no. 2844, 9–​15 May 2019. This was taken from an article commenting on the remarks of several celebrities concerning the fact that the Festival de Cannes is not what it used to be.

Bacchus      

***

This is the Latinized version of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstatic delirium. Plusieurs études ont montré que la consommation régulière, en petites

calendes grecques nfpl.  321

quantités, de vin rouge serait associée à une diminution de la mortalité cardio-​ vasculaire . . . Sans pour autant faire de la boisson de Bacchus un élixir de jouvence. © Le Point no.  1950, 4 February 2010. Regular consumption of moderate quantities of red wine is said to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. See above ‘bacchanales’.

Brutus      

***

In spite of having been taken under Caesar’s wing, Brutus took part in the coup d’État and assassination of Caesar on 15 March 44 b c . The soothsayer’s warning to Caesar had been ‘Beware the Ides of March’. As Caesar died, he is supposed to have said: ‘You too my son’. Brutus fled to Athens together with the other conspirators, with Mark Antony close on his heels. Brutus took his own life on 23 October 42 b c . En voyage à Rome, en Janvier 1969, Georges Pompidou dégaine le poignard de Brutus et affiche sa vocation à devenir, un jour ou l’autre, président de la République. © Marianne no.  1153, 19–​25 April 2019. GK. Pompidou is seen as having stabbed de Gaulle in the back.

byzantinisme nm.      

***

This term originates from the Byzantine theologians who were debating about the sex of angels while their city, Constantinople, was being attacked by the Turks in 1451. It implies a taste for hairsplitting and over-​nice interpretation. Sous les controverses byzantines monte une évidence incontournable: la maladie avérée de notre système d’enseignement, grand corps malade. © Le Point no.  1914. This text refers to the pitiful state of the French education system in spite of the fact that education has one of the biggest slices of the national budget.

calendes grecques nfpl.      

***

The word ‘calends’ corresponded to the first day of each month in the Roman calendar. ‘Calendar’ is derived from the Latin word calendarium, which designated a book of accounts. Accounts were traditionally settled on the first of the month. The Greeks did not have calendes, and consequently ‘renvoyer aux calendes grecques’ means to put off indefinitely. La réduction du nombre de parlementaires, et l’introduction d’une dose de proportionnelle aux législatives? Ce projet de réforme des institutions a été reporté aux calendes grecques faute d’entente avec le Sénat. © Marianne no. 1167, 26 July–​10 August 2019. NP, LH et SQ.

322 Caligula     

Caligula      

**

Gaius Caesar Germanicus (12–​41 a d ) was one of the most unstable of the Roman Emperors. He spent his childhood in a military camp in Germania, where his wearing of tiny military boots gave him his nickname ‘Caligula’, meaning ‘little boot’. His mental state deteriorated after he came to power and he was notorious for his megalomania, debauchery and bloodthirstiness. He loved to humiliate his consuls and threatened to make his favourite horse, Incitatus, a consul. It is to him that we erroneously attribute the phrase Qu’ils me haïssent pourvu qu’ils me craignent. Restera-​t-​il le roi scélérat, gardien d’un harem de femmes disgraciées, Caligula bouddhiste aux caprices lunatiques © L’Obs no. 2842, 25 April–​1 May 2019. The King in question is the playboy King of Thailand, whose poodle is Marshal of the Royal Airforce.

callipyge adj.      

**

‘Callipygian’ (beautifully bottomed). From the Greek kallipugos. An epithet associated with Aphrodite or Venus (‘Aphrodite Kallipugos’, or more commonly known in France as ‘Vénus Callipyge’), from kallos meaning beauty and pugê meaning ‘buttocks’ or ‘backside’. It usually refers to a woman who has an exaggeratedly curvaceous bottom. Devant cette apparition callipyge, la presse à popotins se pâme et mesure nos Cul-​I respectifs. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4619. (Notice the play on words:  potin is ‘gossip’, whereas popotin is ‘bottom’ or ‘backside’. Note, too, the pun on the French acronym QI (quotient intellectuel). This has the same pronunciation as cul i . . . cul, meaning ‘arse’.) The context here is a state visit during which the photographers were concentrated on the curves of the respective backsides of the two First Ladies.

Cassandre (jouer les)      

***

Cassandra was the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. Apollo fell in love with her and promised to give her the powers of prophecy if she would consent to be his. Once she had received the powers of prophecy she did not keep her part of the bargain. Apollo was angry and withdrew from her the art of persuasion. He decreed that whatever she said, no one was to believe her. She warned against allowing the Greek horse to enter Troy. Her warnings were disregarded and Troy was destroyed. Today, jouer les Cassandre means to be a bird of ill omen, to prophesy misfortune while one’s warnings go unheeded. ‘La génération perdue’ diront les Cassandre. Ces jeunes qui auront 18 ans en

Charybde en Scylla (tomber de)  323

2022 seront les premiers à intégrer totalement le système universel par points de retraites. © Marianne no. 1188, 13 January 2020. FD, LH et SQ.

Caudines (passer sous les fourches) nfpl.       *** The Battle of the Caudine Forks (Furcae Caudinae) opposed the Romans and the Samnites in 321 b c . The Romans were lured into a very narrow passage between two mountains in Italy and were captured by the enemy near Caudium. They were subsequently obliged, unarmed and with their hands tied behind their backs, to pass under an ever-​narrowing yoke formed by the Samnite soldiers’ spears. In modern French, this expression usually means to be the subject of careful scrutiny. . . . tout projet d’aménagement . . . doit obtenir l’aval du ministère de l’Environnement, et passer sous les fourches Caudines des inspecteurs des sites classées. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5141. This text refers to the difficulties of obtaining building permits in certain sensitive regions of France.

Cerbère nm.      

***

In classical mythology, Cerberus was the name of the three-​headed dog, chained outside the gates of Hades, to prevent anyone leaving or entering. Its tail was a serpent. The name is now given to any aggressive door keeper or secretary. Entre Maastricht et mère nature, entre les critères et la Terre, les cerbères budgétaires de la Commission vont peut-​être finir par faire le bon choix. © Marianne no.  1161, 14–​20 June 2019. NP. This text suggests that in order to introduce ecology into the European Community certain golden calves must be sacrificed.

Charybde en Scylla (tomber de)      

**

In the Odyssée, Charybdis is a sea monster who lives on a rock near Messina, the straits separating Italy from Sicily. Three times a day she ingurgitates enormous amounts of water and, in the current thus created, swallows up all of the ships in the vicinity. On the other side of the straits there lives another monster called Scylla. She is represented as a woman whose body is made up of ferocious dogs that devour anyone within their reach. Six of the companions of Ulysses (Odysseus in Greek mythology) are killed by Scylla. The expression is rendered in English as ‘to fall out of the frying pan into the fire’. . . .au milieu, le couloir homéromanie, qui est à Homère ce que l’érotomanie est à l’amour: une passion pas triste. On opte pour ce chemin de Charybde en Scylla. © Le Point

324 cheval de Troie nm.     

no.  2436. This is a comment on the Homer exhibition at the Louvre-​Lens museum. See Chapter 5 ‘passions tristes’.

cheval de Troie nm.      

***

The Trojan Horse. This was an immense, hollow, wooden structure filled with Greek soldiers that was left at the gates of Troy. In spite of Cassandra’s warnings, it was taken into the city by the Trojans. At nightfall, the Greek soldiers left their hiding places and opened the gates of Troy, which was subsequently attacked and destroyed. Hence the words spoken by Laocoon in Virgil’s Aeneid: ‘Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes’ (Je crains les Danaens même quand ils offrent des cadeaux). In modern usage, as in English, it can refer to a computer program that breaches the security of the IT system by apparently functioning as a legitimate part of a program. . . . féminisme islamique . . . pour moi, est un oxymore et un cheval de Troie des islamistes. The words of the journalist Zineb El Rhazoui in © Le Point no. 2431.

chimère nf.      

***

An illusion, a chimera. From the Latin term chimaera and the Greek word khimaira. In Greek mythology this is a monster, one-​part lion, one-​part goat and one-​part snake. It spat fire and devoured human beings. It was killed by Bellerophon, riding Pegasus. ‘Le pays des chimères’ is ‘the land of fancy’; ‘courir après des chimères’ is ‘to chase moonbeams. La chimère du come-​back Hollande–​Sarkozy © L’Obs no. 2876/​7, 22 December 2019. SC et SR. This text refers to the unrealistic dreams of Sarkozy and Hollande of returning to the political stage.

ciguë nf.      

***

Socrates was sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens. He was forced to take his own life by drinking a cup of hemlock. N’en jetez plus, la coupe de ciguë est pleine. © Marianne no. 630. The context of this quote is the politico-​financial scandals in Greece. The expression ‘la coupe est pleine’ means ‘I’ve had enough’, or ‘that’s the limit’. See below ‘Socrate’.

Cincinnatus      

***

The story concerns a person who was called Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (520–​430 b c ). He was a poor farmer who, after having exercised supreme power in Rome (he was dictator in 458 and again in 439), is said to have returned to

cuisse de Jupiter (sorti de la)  325

his fields and his plough. En France, les héros qui s’attardent finissent toujours par être pris pour des usurpateurs. Nous aimons les Cincinnatus qui retournent à leur charrue. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. This text refers to the downfall of Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of the Renault–​Nissan group who was arrested in Japan on various charges of malversation. NB Cincinnatus means ‘curly-​haired’.

cohorte nf.      

**

A cohorte was an ancient Roman military unit made up of 300–​600 men and forming about a tenth of a legion. Une étude menée . . . sur une cohorte de 96,000 adultes suggère que la consommation de viande rouge, même en faible quantité, est associée à un risque accru de mortalité. © Le Point no. 2431. Even eaten in small quantities, red meat is said to be bad for you.

colossal adj./​c olosse nm.      

***

These derive from the Colossus, a gigantic statue of Apollo erected at the entrance to the harbour of Rhodes in c. 280 b c and included among the Seven Wonders of the World. Toyota a . . . une excellente recherche-​dévelopement et des moyens colossaux. © Challenges no. 625. This remark was made by one of Toyota’s European rivals.

Crésus      

***

Croesus was the name of the King of Lydia, who possessed great wealth. The source of this wealth was the River Pactolus. Si la téléréalité l’a enrichi [Stéphane Courbit] . . . les jeux en ligne pourraient faire de lui un Crésus. © Le Point no. 1914. Courbit has made millions from trash TV and could become far richer with his profits from his financial interests in companies working in the field of online betting. See below ‘pactole’.

cuisse de Jupiter (sorti de la)      

***

In Greek mythology, Semele fell in love with Zeus (Jupiter in Roman mythology), and while contemplating him in all his glory she began to burn because of the lightning surrounding him. She was pregnant, and Zeus took the child from her womb just before she was consumed by the flames and put the child inside his own thigh so that it could finish its gestation. Three months later, Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine and revelry, was born. To think that one was born out of the thigh of Jupiter is to believe that one is God’s gift to

326 Cupidon     

mankind. Un homme du sérail et non un parachuté politique sorti de la cuisse de Jupiter. © Le Point no. 1884. This text refers to the qualities of the ideal candidate for the presidency of the broadcasting watchdog CSA, certainly not a candidate parachuted by the President.

Cupidon      

***

Cupid, the god of love, son of Venus, corresponding to the Greek god Eros. Qu’est-​ce qui peut sauver l’amour? Au XXI siècle, Cupidon est en panne. S’éprendre est réellement utopique . . . Comme si s’éprendre au XXI siècle était devenu un Graal. © Marianne no. 1150, 29 March–​4 April 2019. This text refers to the increasingly difficult task nowadays of finding a partner and falling in love. It seems to be an impossible quest.

Cythère nf.      

**

Cythera, the southernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece, which, in literature and art, represents an idyllic country of love and pleasure. Pourquoi la Première Guerre mondiale . . . a-​t-​elle éloigné Keynes de sa Cythère londonienne? © Marianne no. 644. The question is asked as to why Keynes (who frequented London and the intellectual Bloomsbury Group) left London during the First World War. It is suggested that it was for sentimental reasons. His lover, Duncan Grant, had left him for another man. L’Embarquement pour Cythère is one of the most famous paintings by Jean-​Antoine Watteau (1684–​1720). It is also known as Voyage to Cythera and Pilgrimage to the Isle of Cythera.

Damoclès (l’épée de) nf.      

***

Damocles was a courtier of the tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius. He flattered the latter, outrageously congratulating him on being so fortunate. In fact, Dionysius lived in constant fear of assassination and was annoyed by Damocles’ fawning. He proposed to change places with him for one day. A feast was then given. During the feast Damocles was treated like a king, drank good wine and ate fine food. But suddenly, he looked up and saw a sword hanging just above his head, a sword that was dangling by a single horsehair. This was to illustrate the fragility of happiness and the precarity of existence. The story belongs to Greek legend rather than to Greek mythology. Bercy, bien évidemment, s’agace d’une épée de Damoclès qui pèserait sur un éventuel acheteur. © Marianne no. 1152, 12–​18 April 2019. The proposed privatization of the Aéroports de Paris has led to a cross-​party revolt that is seeking a referendum on the subject.

descente aux enfers nf.  327

Danaïdes (le tonneau des)      

***

The Danaïdes were the 50 daughters of Danaos. On their father’s advice, they each killed their husband on their wedding night, except one. They were punished in Hades and were forced to pour water into a bottomless barrel. In the uselessness of the repetitive task it resembles the myth of Sisyphus but is frequently used with the connotation of a financial abyss, a bottomless pit. Dans la mythologie, les Danaïdes furent condamnées à remplir en vain un récipient percé: le fameux ‘tonneau des Danaïdes’, image d’une tâche impossible. La morale de cette triste histoire. © Le Point no. 2431. This was a comment on the fact that Aeschylus’ play The Suppliants was banned at the Sorbonne after protests by an anti-​racist group claiming that it was colonial propaganda, the Danaïdes having black, painted faces.

dédales nmpl.      

***

These were the confusing and complicated galleries in the ‘Labyrinthe’, the name of the mythical maze designed by Daedalus, an Athenian architect who built the maze at the request of the King of Crete, Minos. It was a structure in which the Minotaur was to be kept. In modern French, ‘les dédales’ refer to a complicated itinerary or the intricate subtleties of a given question. Plus tranquille, le dédale des rues à arcades de la vieille ville est le théâtre d’épiques chasses au trésor. © Challenges no. 625. This is a reference to the old part of the city of La Rochelle.

démiurge nm.      

**

The demiurge, or creator, is the god responsible for the creation of the physical universe. Il repousse du pied l’échelle sur laquelle il est monté. Il tend à récuser ce qui l’a produit . . . C’est un démiurge. Macron veut ne pas avoir fait l’ÉNA. © Le Point no.  2438. These words of Anicet Le Pors, former communist minister under François Mitterrand, refer to the plan of Emmanuel Macron (an énarque) to abolish l’ÉNA.

descente aux enfers nf.      

***

The descent into hell is the last of the Twelve Labours of Hercules. The expression often implies the gradual destruction of a person because of a growing addiction to drugs or alcohol etc. Le reste, c’est la descente aux enfers et une résurrection racontées sans rien cacher des ravages physiques et psychologiques de ce que Virginie Hamonnais appellee ‘la maladie alcoolique’.

328 Diogène     

© l’Obs no. 2867, 17–​23 October 2019. This text refers to a book Voyage au bout de l’alcool, which describes its destructive force.

Diogène      

**

Diogenes (412 b c ?–​327 b c ?) was a Greek philosopher known for his asceticism and cynicism. He is said to have wandered in the city at noon with a lantern, and when asked what he was doing he replied ‘I am looking for a human.’ He did not believe in the ideal man. In a diatribe against Louis Napoleon, Victor Hugo wrote Il lui [Napoléon III] faut ce qu’il appelle lui-​même ‘des hommes’. L’heure a passé d’une lecture surnaturelle des creux et des pans d’ombre de l’histoire des hommes; on a perdu l’habitude d’éclairer l’actualité avec la lanterne d’un Diogène de l’absolu. © Le Point no. 2442. SL. This was a reflection on the spiritual impact of the fire at Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris.

Dionysos (Bacchus)      

**

Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and revelry. The adjective Dionysian connotes orgiastic and frenzied pleasure. En fait, il y a deux directions opposées:  une musique chaotique, individuelle, personnelle, qui n’entre pas dans des catégories et qui appartient à Dionysos; et puis une autre, religieuse, organisée, qui est du côté de l’Institution, d’Apollon. © Le Nouvel Observateur no. 2327.2010. This is a reference to the work of Krzysztof Warlikowski who is part of the new wave in Polish theatre. See above ‘Apollon’, ‘bacchanales’ and ‘Bacchus’.

écuries      

***

See above ‘Augias (les écuries d’)’.

édile      

***

In ancient Rome, this was the name given to the magistrates (two plebians and two patricians) who had the responsibility for the police, inspection of buildings, games and supplies for the town. Quelques mois après son election, l’édile, pas le moindre du monde gêné, avait fait référence à Jean Moulin, natif de Béziers. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 154. The ‘édile’ in question is the mayor of Béziers, whose election campaign has started with a meeting that cost €25,000 paid for by a company that happens to be the number one property developer of the town. See Chapter 6 ‘Jean Moulin’.

éolien nf. adj.  329

égérie nf.      

***

Egeria was the Roman nymph of springs, said to have been the advisor of the devout and legendary King of Rome Numa Pompilius. He was inspired by her and she dictated his religious policy. She was either his friend or lover, and on his death she died of sadness and was transformed into a spring. Today, an Egeria inspires or counsels an artiste. She is considered to be a muse or an icon. Marie Laforêt, égérie de Dior en 1974 © Télérama no. 3649. LLS. This is the caption of the photograph at the head of an article entitled ‘Ode à Marie’. She died in November 2019.

égide de (sous l’) nf.      

***

‘Under the aegis of’. The ‘aegis’ was the name of the miraculous goatskin shield used by Zeus and his daughter Athena. This expression now means ‘under the protection of’, or ‘with the sponsorship of’. Rédigée sous l’égide de France Stratégie, le think tank d’évaluation et de prospective . . . arguant de données encore insuffisantes, se gardait de conclure sur l’efficacité . . ) des réformes qui ont valu au chef de l’État l’étiquette de ‘president des riches’. © Le Monde no. 23249.

Élysées (les champs) nmpl.      

**

‘The Elysian Fields’. In Greek mythology, the word signified ‘the place struck by lightning’ and was a part of the underworld that was the final resting place of the heroic and the virtuous. Over time, it has become a synonym for paradise. Chacun broute son pré carré et rumine la doxa de l’adaptation forcée au marché libéral . . . sous les ricanements des dieux élyséens. © Marianne no. 586. This is a reference to the Socialist Party’s acceptance of the principle of a free-​ market economy accompanied by the ‘Gods of the Élysée’. In this context the Élysée can refer to the presidential seat of power.

éolien nf. adj.      

***

From the Latin ‘Aeolus’ and the Greek ‘Aiolus’, who in Greek mythology was the god of the winds and son of Poseidon (Neptune in Roman mythology). This is not to be confused with ‘Zephyr’, who is specifically the god of the west wind. A group of ‘éoliennes’ constitutes a wind farm. L’énergie de l’avenir, c’est l’éolien. © Marianne no. 578.

330 éphèbe nm.     

éphèbe nm.      

*

Generally speaking, ‘un éphèbe’ is a beautiful young man. More exactly, in Athens, the ‘éphèbes’ were young men, aged between 18 and 20, no longer under a woman’s authority and conscripted to serve for two years in the army. This institution was known as the ‘éphébie’. . . .ce film [‘Hard Paint’ NDLR] prend pour héros un éphèbe au visage d’ange. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5141.

épigones nmpl.      

***

From the Greek word epigonos, meaning ‘afterborn’, i.e. a descendant. In Greek mythology, it was the name given to the sons of the heroes who fell in the first war against Thebes. The sons stormed and took Thebes, thus avenging their fathers, who had fallen during the first siege. The word is now used to refer to a ‘descendant less gifted than his ancestors, or any inferior follower or imitator’ (Webster). Madame Loiseau et ses épigones de La République en Marche seraient bien inspirés de lire de toute urgence le livre lumineux de la lumineuse Fatiha Agag-​ Boudjahlat ‘Combattre le voilement’. © Le Point no. 2431. Nathalie Loiseau was the LREM candidate in the European elections of 2019. The wearing of the veil is a controversial question in France today.

Éros      

**

Eros, the Greek god of love. In Roman mythology he was named Cupid. Thanatos is the Greek term for death but in Freudian psychology it refers to a death wish. In the Freudian context, Thanatos is used as the opposite of Eros, the latter referring to the impulses and drives of life. Une des constantes des histoires de vampire est celle d’une sexualité morbide, où se joue indéfiniment le vieux duel entre Éros et Thanatos. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4300. This was a comment on the unfailing success of vampire stories, either in book form or as films.

Europe. L’      

***

Europa was a Phoenician princess who inspired the love of Zeus. He approached her in the form of a white bull and carried her off, across the sea, to Crete. Mais je reste attaché à toi, princesse grecque aimée de Zeus. © L’Obs no. 2842, 25 April–​1 May 2019. JC. The words of the historian Johann Chapoutot. See below ‘Zeus’.

gardiens du temple, les  331

feu sacré nm.      

**

Prometheus was the name of the Titan ‘who stole the sacred fire from the gods for the benefit of mankind: in punishment Zeus chained him to a rock where a vulture came each day to eat his liver, which Zeus renewed each night’ (Webster). Il croyait dépasser les limites humaines, voler le feu sacré comme d’autres figures mythologiques avant lui. © Marianne no.  600. This refers to Emil Zátopek, the fastest long-​distance runner in the world in 1952 at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. He won four Olympic medals and 18 world records for the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. As a Czech, he spoke out against the Russian invasion of his country in 1968. He fell from grace and suffered from Soviet repression; he was reduced to working as a dustman in Prague and later in a uranium mine. He died in 2000. See below ‘prométhéen’.

Gaïa      

***

In Greek mythology, Gaïa was the goddess of the earth. On constate en effet l’apparition d’une sorte de nouvelle spiritualité diffuse qui agrège des éléments new age et même néochamaniques:  la référence à la Terre-​Mère (Gaïa), les ventes faramineuses de ‘La Vie secrète des arbres’. © L’Obs no. 2867, 17–​23 October 2019. CB, ALD, RN et MT. This is a remark about the trend ‘back to nature’.

garde prétorienne nf.      

***

‘Praetorian guard’: a special force assembled as the personal bodyguard of the Roman Emperors. The name derives from the word designating the tent of the commanding general in the field, the praetorium, which was guarded by a special squad of men. Des faux documents circulent dans les rédactions ainsi que des photos qui remonteront jusqu’à la garde prétorienne de Mitterrand. © Marianne no.  1172, 30 August–​5 September 2019. This text refers to the accusations of paedophilia that were levelled at several intellectuals and politicians under the presidency of François Mitterrand.

gardiens du temple, les      

***

This expression goes back to Antiquity. The priests and priestesses of the temple made a vow to defend it whatever the cost. Even when all was lost they defended the temple, even if it meant losing their lives in the process. In English the term is ‘the keeper of the flame’. . . . Brice Hortefeux gardien du temple en ruines © Le Point no. 2440. Today, this expression tends to imply

332  gémonies (vouer qqn aux) nfpl.     

someone who faithfully defends a position even though the position is a lost cause. ‘Les Republicains’ are without a clearly charismatic leader.

gémonies (vouer qqn aux) nfpl.      

***

The gémonies, in classical Rome, was the place where bodies of strangled criminals were exposed before being thrown into the Tiber. More precisely, it was the name of the degrees on the monumental staircase linking the Capitol and the Forum, called scalae gemoniae (the staircase of moaning). It was a place of horror and death. Today, it means that the person is held up to public shame and humiliation. Le sentiment qu’il est de plus en plus difficile d’exprimer un désaccord sans être voué aux gémonies alimente une frustration politique indéniable. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4301. Mathieu Bock Côté, a Canadian author, has just published a book on political correctness and freedom of expression.

gladiateur nm.      

**

In ancient Rome, gladiators were men who fought either other men or animals, with a sword, triton or other weapon, in an arena, for the entertainment of spectators. They were slaves, captives or paid performers. Today it refers to any person involved in a public controversy. Je compare les entrepreneurs chinois à des gladiateurs qui se battent dans l’arène jusqu’à ce qu’il n’en reste plus qu’un. © Le Point no. 2452. This is the analysis of Kai-​Fu Lee in his book about artificial intelligence.

gordien (couper le nœud)      

***

‘To cut the Gordian knot’. The intricate knot tied by Gordius, King of Gordium, was cut through by Alexander the Great in response to the prophecy that only the future ruler of Asia could undo it. The expression means to solve a problem by force or by evading the conditions imposed. Le candidat au ‘number 10’ est prêt enfin à trancher le noeud gordien du Brexit. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. AC. This text refers to Boris Johnson.

Gorgone      

*

The Gorgons were three monsters in Greek mythology, Euryale, Stheno, and Medusa, who had snakes for hair and were so hideous that whoever looked at them turned to stone. Une sursexualisation qu’elle retrouve aujourd’hui dans l’avalanche de messages abjects qu’elle reçoit en permanence via les réseaux

Hercule/herculéenne 333

sociaux sur son décolleté, son vernis à ongle, sa crinière de gorgone. © L’Obs no. 2865, 3–​9 October 2019. The ‘Gorgone’ in question is Marlène Schiappa, former junior minister for gender equality and the fight against discrimination.

Graal (le saint)     

***

Since the Middle Ages, the ‘grail’ has been the symbol of the search for the impossible. It was also the name given to the cup from which Jesus is said to have drunk during the Last Supper. Prix Nobel. L’économiste, spécialiste de la lutte contre la pauvreté, a décroché le Graal de sa discipline. © Paris Match no. 3676. ASL. The winner of the Nobel Prize is Esther Duflo, an economist.

harpies nfpl.      

**

Harpyia in Latin, and in the Greek plural Harpyiai, is the collective name for the three spirits of devastation and revenge. Their name comes from the Greek meaning ‘snatchers’. They were rapacious winged monsters in Greek mythology, with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail, legs and talons of a bird. They were supposed to be snatchers of children and of souls. Their names were Aello (‘sudden storm’), Podarge (‘fleet of foot’) and Ocypete (‘swift wing’). The term has come to mean any spiteful or bitter woman. Ce profond désaccord avec les harpies du Mouvement de libération des femmes (MLF) . . . consomme la rupture avec Évelyne Sullerot, alors accusée de trahison. © Marianne no.  633. Evelyne Sullerot has called Simone de Beauvoir’s references to motherhood ‘absurd’ and has also defended the rights of divorced fathers who have been deprived of their children. In France, custody of the children of divorced parents is rarely granted to the father. She has thus incurred the ire of feminist hardliners.

hécatombe nf.     

***

In ancient Greece, this referred to the religious sacrifice of 100 oxen. Today, it is synonymous with slaughter, carnage or disaster. L’hécatombe sociale se poursuit dans le secteur bancaire européen. © Les Echos no. 23049. This was written against the backdrop of announcements forecasting staff reductions of 50,000 in the banking sector in Europe.

Hercule/​h erculéenne      

**

Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology) was the son of Zeus and Alcmene and was famous for having accomplished the Twelve Labours. Le manque de

334 Hermès     

moyens et les frictions entre États rendent sa tâche herculéenne. © Le Point no.  2432. This text concerns the difficulties encountered by the European agency Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in fulfilling its role.

Hermès      

**

In Greek mythology, Hermes is the god of commerce and the messenger of the gods. He corresponds to Mercury in Roman mythology. Plus conteur que théoricien, plus Hermès que Jupiter, plus proche d’un Montaigne ou d’un La Fontaine que d’un Hegel ou d’un Marx © L’Obs no. 2848, 6–​12 June 2019. PR. This article was written in the wake of the death of Michel Serres, the philosopher. He was accused of being naïve and of having a ‘pensée bisounours’. See Chapter 1 ‘Bisounours’. See Chapter 6 ‘Pangloss’. See Chapter 5 Annex 1.

Hippocrate      

**

Hippocrates was born on the island of Cos around 460 b c and died in 377 b c . He was a Greek doctor of the century of Pericles and is considered the father of medicine. Doctors take the oath that bears his name. Faire mourir Vincent Lambert, c’est enterrer Hippocrate. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4303. Vincent Lambert was a tetraplegic who, for over ten years, had been in a coma. The debate was whether to disconnect him from the feeding and hydrating systems that were keeping him alive. He was disconnected in 2019 and died a few days later.

homérique (lutte, rire, colère) adj.      

***

Homeric (struggle, laugh, anger). Homeric laughter is unrestrained, while a Homeric struggle is a struggle on a grand scale. Homer is the most famous of the ancient Greek poets, to whom authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey is ascribed. . . . sa fille, qui a pourtant repris le trône municipal en 2004 au prix d’une brouille familiale homérique © Challenges no.  625. This text refers to the family feud between Charles Ceccaldi, former mayor of Puteaux, and his daughter, who succeeded him after a bitter struggle.

hydre (de Lerne) nf.      

***

The Lernaean Hydra was a multi-​headed serpent whose breath was mortal. Each time one if its heads was severed, others grew in its place. To kill the Hydra was one of the ‘Twelve Labours of Hercules’. En appellant, mardi 8 octobre, ‘la nation tout entière’ à ‘se mobiliser’ face à ‘l’hydre islamiste’ . . .

Janus 335

Emmanuel Macron a tenté de se départir de l’accusation d’angélisme que la droite et l’extrême droite lui collent. © Le Monde no. 23249. President Macron has taken a harder line towards radical Islam since the mortal attack at the Paris Préfecture de Police on 3 October 2019, in which a terrorist killed four of his police colleagues.

Icare      

**

Icarus was the son of Daedalus. He and his father were imprisoned in the labyrinth designed and built by Daedalus himself. ‘Daedalus’ literally means ‘artful craftsman’. They both escaped from the labyrinth thanks to the wings that Daedalus had made. They were attached to the body with wax. Before their escape, Daedalus gave some advice to his son:  he advised him to fly neither too low nor too high. Icarus was a proud and over-​daring young man. He didn’t heed his father’s words and flew too high and too close to the sun. The wax attaching his wings to his body melted, and he fell to his death in the sea that bears his name, the Icarian Sea (La Mer Icarienne). The adjective today refers to anyone who is foolhardy or rash. Un Icare, sinon rien © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5153. The pun caption of a cartoon related to the crossing of the Channel by Franky Zapata on his flyboard. See Chapter  1 ‘sinon’.

Iliade      

**

The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter* commonly attributed to Homer. The action takes place during the Trojan War and relates the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles. Son acte de naissance, selon la philosophe Simone Weil, se trouve dans l’Iliade. Elle se livre à cette lecture dans les années trente en pleine montée du nazisme, alors que le poème d’Homère évoque un monde supposé archaïque de guerres et de carnages. Or, dans l’Iliade, Achille finit par accepter de remettre au roi Priam la dépouille de son fils Hector. Ce qui survient là, c’est l’impératif de la piété. © Marianne no. 1157, 17–​23 May 2019. The ancient tales, even if they evoke war, give us some reason to hope. *In prosody ‘dactyl’ is a trisyllabic foot with the stress on the first syllable. e.g. ‘take her up tenderly’. The length of a hexameter is six metrical feet.

Janus      

***

This word literally means an arched passageway. In Roman mythology, Janus was the guardian of the portals and the patron of beginnings and endings. He

336 Jupiter     

is portrayed as having two faces, one in front and one behind. Today, the word often refers to someone who is two-​faced and deceitful. Il est terrible et ambigu comme il se doit pour une divinité. Un Janus liquide. © Le Point no. 2432. This is Janus Kamel Daoud speaking about the dry and barren ‘oued’ suddenly coming to life in a flash flood with dramatic consequences. ‘Oued’ is an Arabic term meaning a valley or river bed.

Jupiter      

***

Alcmene was the wife of Amphitryon. She was virtuous and faithful but was seduced by Zeus/​Jupiter, who had taken on the appearance of her husband. The child born of this union was Hercules. Si vous ne faites pas ce qu’il veut, la foudre de Jupiter s’occupe de tout. © L’Obs no. 2847, 30 May–​5 June 2019. These are the words of a member of the government. Macron is the self-​styled Jupiter.

jupitérienne (une colère)      

**

Zeus was the god of lightning and thunderbolts but it is the Roman equivalent Jupiter which gives the French language the expression ‘foudres’ and ‘colère jupitérienne(s)’. Such divine wrath is terrifying. Le Président jupitérien serait-​il contraint d’entendre la revendication portée par de nombreux Français de rétablir l’ISF? © Le Point no. 2429. One of President Macron’s most controversial measures was the abolition of the tax on high wealth. See above ‘Jupiter’.

labyrinthe nm.      

***

This was the structure built by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete to house the Minotaur. It refers to any maze, or confusing path, route or journey. Posant enfin sa candidature en 1961, il passa quatorze ans dans le labyrinthe des négociations. © Marianne no. 1152, 12–​18 April 2019. The long story of Great Britain’s attempts to join the EU. See above ‘dédales’, and ‘Icare’.

Laïus      

**

He was as a Greek king, father of Oedipus. The expression comes from the subject of a composition in the competitive entrance examination at Polytechnique in 1804 that was entitled Le Discours de Laïus. The subject was ‘Imagine the reply of Laïus to Oedipus.’ The students were so inspired that they wrote pages and pages. The term has come to mean a rather vague

mécène nm.  337

and emphatic manner of writing. Dans son laïus, Éric Zemmour a repris des thèmes qui reviennent régulièrement dans ses écrits à savoir que ‘tous les problèmes aggravés par l’immigration sont aggravés par l’islam’. © Le Point no. 2459. FOG.

mânes nmpl.      

**

The ‘mânes’ were the souls of the dead in the Roman religion. Les mânes de Montherlant ont encore frappé. Mais c’est ainsi que Malaurie est grand. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4301. Montherlant had great admiration for the virtues of Antiquity and the courage of man in adversity. Jean Malaurie was an explorer who went on expeditions to Greenland, where he lived with the polar Inuits. He had as his motto a quotation of Montherlant: Je n’ai que l’idée que je me fais de moi-​même pour me soutenir sur les mers du néant.

Marathon      

***

A 26-​mile race, taking its name from the legend of the Greek runner who ran from Marathon to Athens to tell of the victory of the Greeks over the Persians. The battle took place near this ancient, Greek village. The Athenians under Miltiades defeated the Persians under Darius I in 490 b c . Emmanuel Macron s’est pris samedi 16 mars, un sérieux retour de bâton. Il croyait avoir bouclé la séquence des ‘gilets jaunes’ et repris la main à coups de réunions marathon. © Marianne no. 1149. NP, SQ et LH. During the various meetings of the Grand Débat, President Macron spoke for about 100 hours in various towns throughout France.

Mars      

**

In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, second in importance only to Jupiter. He corresponds to the Greek god Ares. Dans sa série magistrale, ‘Réflexions sur la tyrannie’, Delaperche use de sa plume pour figer sous les traits d’un Mars ravageur, les exactions de ‘l’ogre corse’ qui lui a ôté deux de ses fils. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4342. LF. The ‘ogre’ in question is Bonaparte. Jean-​ Marie Delaperche (1771–​1843) was an artist born in Orléans who was the subject of an exhibition at the Musée des Beaux-​Arts of Orléans in 2020.

mécène nm.      

***

Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (c. 69 b c –​8 b c ) was a wealthy Roman citizen who treated the city to theatrical representations. Horace and Virgil both

338 Méduse nf.     

enjoyed his patronage, hence the term for a rich patron of the arts. Mais les mécènes ont tendance, c’est bien normal, à se réserver le plat de choix: les restaurations médiatiquement visibles. © Le Point no. 2434. This text refers to the contributions made to the fund for the restoration of Notre-​Dame: a gift with high visibility. Paying to have the electrical wiring redone in a small, provincial church is not sufficiently sexy . . . or visible.

Méduse nf.      

***

In Greek mythology, Medusa was one of the three Gorgons. She turned anyone who looked at her to stone. Sur les quais de la Seine, la foule silencieuse a assisté, médusée, au désastre tard dans la nuit. © Marianne no.  1153, 19–​25 April 2019. Following the fire at Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris, there were many incredulous onlookers on the embankment of the Seine. See above ‘Gorgone’.

Midas      

**

Midas was the legendary Greek King of Phrygia who was granted the power of turning everything that he touched into gold. Not being able to drink or eat, he asked for his wish to be cancelled. He was told to wash his hands in the River Pactolus, thus turning its sands into gold. On n’échappe pas aux séquelles de la guerre, mais, comme Midas, on peut rêver de transformer la boue en or. © Le Point no. 2436. These are the words of the Lebanese designer Aline Asmar d’Amman, who redesigned the interior of the luxury hotel Crillon.

mithridatisation nf.      

*

Mithridates the Great (132 b c –​63 b c ) was King of Pontus in Asia Minor. He was afraid of being poisoned, and so immunized himself by taking doses of poison, over time, in progressively larger quantities. J’ai déjà été suffisamment insulté, maltraité, moqué, injurié, et sali par eux, ils m’ont mithridatisé. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4337. The words of Michel Onfray, a French intellectual, directed towards the elite and the journalists of the establishment.

Morphée (dans les bras de)      

**

To be ‘in the arms of Morpheus’ means to be asleep. Morpheus was the god of dreams. Morphée n’a qu’à bien se tenir. © Le Point no. 2432. From an article on new medical treatments for narcolepsy, the uncontrollable desire to sleep. See Chapter 12 Le général Morphée.

Narcisse 339

Muses nfpl.     

***

The Muses were the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and they presided over the arts: Calliope (eloquence and epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (erotic, lyric poetry), Euterpe (the flute and lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (sacred poetry and pantomime), Terpsichore (dancing), Thalia (comedy and pastoral poetry) and Urania (astronomy). Eh oui, les femmes ne sont pas que des muses ou des groupies. © Marianne no. 1151, 5–​11 April 2019. This text refers to the rock journalist Sophie Rosemont. See below ‘sirènes’.

myriade      

***

A myriad, from the Greek myrias, myriados, was originally the figure of 10,000 and later came to mean countless, innumerable. Besoin de tester un prototype? Une myriade d’ingénieurs est disponible jour et nuit. Le fameux Shenzhen Speed fait des miracles. ‘On passe du concept à la réalité en quinze jours.’ © Le Point no. 2440. SF. This is a comment on the speed at which an idea can be developed in the Chinese equivalent of ‘San Francisco’.

naïades      

**

In Greek mythology, the Naiads were the aquatic nymphs who lived in fresh water, particularly in rivers, springs and fountains. Il tombe immédiatement amoureux d’une naïade qui le drague par défi et le délaisse aussi vite pour retourner à sa bande d’apollons étrangers. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 152. The text refers to the many films in France that have been based on the holiday theme from Les Vacances de M. Hulot by Jacques Tati (1953) and Les Bronzés (1978, 1979, 2006), as well as the Camping series (2006, 2010, 2016). See above ‘Apollon’.

Narcisse      

***

Narcissus. There are several versions of the story of Narcissus, the self-​ admirer. For Ovid, Narcissus was a very handsome man who spurned all of those who fell in love with him. He was punished by the gods for his cruelty. One day, he went to the river to drink and saw his own reflection, with which he fell deeply in love. He died of thirst and self-​love. A narcissus flower grew at the spot where he died. Martin Hirsch, narcisse des pauvres, semble contempler son image dans le reflet de la soupe populaire. © Marianne no. 1149, 22–​8 March 2019. Hirsch is at the head of AP–​HP and is sometimes accused of being a photo-​opportunity figure. See Chapter 14 ‘AP–​HP’.

340 nectar nm.     

nectar nm.      

**

Nectar. This was the mythological drink that was supposed to confer immortality. It was the drink of the gods. Une appellation réservée aux meilleurs nectars, pressés à froid dans les règles de l’art © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 151. The subject of the article was organic olive oil, the acme being called ‘vierge extra’.

Némésis      

**

In Greek mythology, Nemesis was the goddess of anger and heavenly chastisement. Her anger was particularly directed towards humans guilty of hubris –​i.e. arrogance or excessive pride. N’y avait-​il pas de pire pour les grecs que l’hubris, cette démesure punie par Némésis? © Marianne no. 1191. YB. This was a comment in an article about Albert Camus and his belief that man must recognize his own limits.

Neptune      

**

He was the Roman god of the sea corresponding to the Greek god Poseidon. Histoire qui se terminera tel un conte de fée à Ouessant, au milieu des moutons et des harpons de Neptune © L’Obs no. 2837, 21–​7 March 2019. This was part of a review of the book Les Impatients by Maria Pourchet.

Odyssée nf.      

***

The Odyssey. An ancient and epic poem attributed to Homer, relating the wanderings and adventures of Odysseus/​Ulysses during the ten years following the fall of Troy. It now refers to any long and eventful journey. Il y raconte la pitoyable et authentique odysée d’un pauvre bougre –​Joseph Merrick (1862–​1890) –​qu’une maladie a monstrueusement déformé depuis l’enfance. © Télérama no. 3640.

Œdipe      

***

Œdipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta, the King and Queen of Thebes. Œdipus killed his father (without knowing that he was his father) and married the King’s widow (Jocasta) not realizing that she was his own mother. ‘Alain Delon, cet inconnu’. Insolent oedipe en quête de père. © Télérama no.  3618. A TV documentary about the giant of French cinema, whose childhood and adolescence was marked by an absence of parental care.

ostracisme nm.  341

oiseau de mauvais augure nm.      

***

Le chef de l’État n’en peut plus de ces oiseaux de mauvais augure qui lui prédisent, y compris dans son propre camp, un hiver apocalyptique. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5165. See above ‘augures’. See Chapter 8 ‘Apocalypse’.

Olympe. L’      

***

Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is traditionally known as the home of the gods. Emmanuel Macron:  Fini l’Olympe, place au terrain. La colère des gilets jaunes l’avait contraint à y [sic] descendre. © Paris Match no. 3651. The gilets jaunes demonstrations have brought Emmanuel Macron back to earth.

oracle nm.      

***

Oracle comes from the Latin word oraculum, meaning ‘word’ or ‘reply of a god’. Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, it was either the sacred place where the gods were consulted, or the person through whom a god replied. Today, it is used to refer to anyone who speaks with great authority and who enjoys great standing. Comment devient-​on l’oracle de l’intelligence artificielle? © Le Point no. 2431. This question was asked of Kai-​Fu Lee, President of an investment fund called Sinovation Ventures, who has predicted where artificial intelligence is going.

Orphée      

**

Orpheus is a mythological Greek hero, son of King Œagrus of Thrace and the Muse Calliope. He was a fine musician and charmed both man and beast. Mais quand l’homme se sera éteint, la nature n’existera plus non plus, car c’est un concept humain. Plus de nature sans Orphée pour la chanter. © La Point no. 2436. This is a reference to the gradual extinction of many animal species.

ostracisme nm.      

**

Ostracism was a vote by the political assembly in, e.g., Athens by which a banishment was declared. The name of the banished person was written on a ceramic potsherd called an ostrakon, which means ‘an oyster shell’. . . . un système de défense du régime diversitaire qui permet d’ostraciser ses contradicteurs et de les transformer en parias. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4301. The Canadian writer Mathieu Bock-​Côté, who wrote a book on political correctness and freedom

342 pactole nm.     

of expression, refers to the technique of disqualifying any person who disagrees with a given interlocutor.

pactole nm.      

***

Pactolus is the name of the river in ancient Lydia (Asia Minor), the gold-​ bearing sands of which provided Croesus with his immense wealth. The term pactole could be translated as ‘a packet’, ‘a tidy sum’ or ‘a small fortune’. Un investisseur avisé qui a investi 100,000 dollars en actions Netflix à la fin de l’année 2009 a vu son actif bondir de 4.100% et s’est retrouvé avec un pactole de plus de 4 millions de dollars. © Les Echos no. 23106. See above ‘homérique (lutte, rire, colère)’, and ‘Midas’.

pain et des jeux de cirque. Du      

***

‘Bread and circuses’, from the Latin expression of Juvenal, panem et circenses. This was at the heart of the strategy of subjugation of the people used by Roman Emperors that consisted in providing food and entertainment. . . . réduits à l’état de serfs divertis, avides de pain et de jeux avec revenue minimum garanti © Le Point no. 2468. A prediction related to the future of the masses.

Pandore (boîte de) nf.      

***

‘Pandora’s box’. In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first mortal woman. She had been created as the punishment for man. Zeus had given her a jar (not a box) with the order not to open it. However, her curiosity led her to open the famous ‘box’, thus letting out all human ills. Another version suggests that all human blessings escaped on the same occasion and were irretrievably lost. She closed the box before ‘hope’, which was at the bottom of the box, could escape. Only ‘hope’ remained. Today, the expression ‘to open Pandora’s box’ implies starting a process over which one risks losing control and the consequences of which may be very prejudicial. Le Brexit a ouvert la boîte de Pandore de toutes les haines. © Les Dossiers du Canard enchaîné no. 154.

panthéon nm.      

***

From the Greek Pantheion, meaning ‘of all the gods’. The Latinized form of the Pantheon in Rome was thus ‘the temple of all the gods’. Édouard Philippe a cité ses mentors: Pierre Mendes France, Georges Pompidou, Michel Rocard et Alain Juppé. Un panthéon oecuménique. Qu’a-​t-​il fait de Giscard? © Le Canard

Phénix nm.  343

enchaîné no.  5146. Politicians of both political sides are mentioned except Giscard. See Chapter 9 ‘Panthéon. Le’.

pénates (regagner ses) nmpl.      

***

‘To go back home’. In ancient Rome, the Penates (in the narrow sense of the term) were the gods who protected the hearth. By extension, they also protected the welfare of the household. Statuettes representing these gods were often placed in the hearth and consequently they were closely associated with Vesta, the goddess of the flames of the hearth. Soit une baraque en bois et un ferry, à la régularité de coucou suisse que les îliens empruntent pour gagner leurs pénates. © Le Point no. 2430. A description typical of what one may find in Swedish best-​seller detective stories.

Pénélope      

***

Penelope. This was the name of Ulysses’ wife. During the years he was away in the Trojan War, Penelope remained faithful to him, refusing the offers of many suitors. They became impatient with her and moved into Ulysses’ palace. Penelope announced that she would choose one of them once she had finished making a shroud for her father-​in-​law. She spent her day weaving the shroud, but at night she undid what she had done during the day. The work of Penelope is therefore an unending task of patience. Barbara Cassin . . . ne sera pas ‘tremblante et agitée comme une lionne qui, au milieu d’une foule d’hommes, se voit entourée de pièges’, comme la Pénélope de son cher Homère. © Télérama no. 3640. GH. Barbara Cassin is the latest woman to enter the Académie française. Penelope is also the name of the wife of former Prime Minister François Fillon, who has given her name to the scandal of ‘emplois fictifs’, ‘Penelopegate’. The case is on-​going

Phénix nm.      

***

The phoenix was a mythical bird that, at the end of its life, would build a nest of sweet-​smelling twigs (cinnamon) and would then ignite it. The bird and the nest were reduced to ashes from which a new, young phoenix would arise. Une fois que le nid du Phénix était réduit en cendres, un oisillon en renaissait. Sans se prendre pour des oiseaux de feu, Crédit Agricole et BNP Parisbas ont quand même réussi à rebondir suffisamment pour se placer parmi les quatre plus fortes ascensions boursières bancaires de l’année écoulée en Europe. © Les Echos no. 23106.

344 plébien adj.     

plébien adj.      

**

Related to the pleb, a member of the Roman lower class –​the common people as opposed to the patricians. This word came to the fore in 495 b c at the time of the secession, when a part of the population left Rome and went to the Aventine Hill, refusing to comply with the orders of the patricians to return. A war was imminent and the duty of the citizen was to defend the town. There were also economic reasons for this revolt: disappointment with politics, the problem of personal debt, and imprisonment or slavery for debt. The example of democratic Athens was well known, and the people felt disappointed and betrayed by the oligarchy in Rome. Mais basta de ces arguties plébéiennes! Carlos Ghosn aime le patrimoine. Certains ont choisi Notre-​Dame, lui en pince pour le château de Versailles. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5141. This is a reference to the fact that Ghosn had his wedding reception in the Château de Versailles. It is one of the accusations levelled against him by the Japanese authorities:  the event was paid for by the Renault group, Ghosn having claimed that it was part of Renault’s sponsoring activities. Nowhere was the Renault logo to be seen! See above ‘Aventin. L’’.

Pléiades nfpl.      

***

In Greek mythology, this was the name given to the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. The giant Orion fell in love with them and pursued them with his unwelcome advances. Zeus took pity on them and turned them into doves, and thus took them out of harm’s way. When they died, they were placed in heaven in the constellation of the Bull. In literary history, the Pleiades were a group of seven sixteenth-​century poets who were considered to be the pre-​ eminent stars of their time, two of the most famous of them being Ronsard and du Bellay. In the singular, La Pléiade is also the name of the most prestigious collection of literary works published in France by the publisher Gallimard. To be included in this collection is the supreme accolade for a writer. In more common usage, it means an illustrious group of people. Une pléiade de jeunes acteurs y brillent, de Lola Le Lann à Jules Pélissier en passant par Karidja Touré et Matilda Marty © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5140. Taken from the review of the film Versus (2019) by François Valla. See Chapter 5 ‘Pléiade. La’.

pomme de discorde. nf.      

***

‘The bone of contention’, the subject of a dispute. In Greek mythology, Eris, the goddess of discord (Discordia in Roman mythology) was not invited

Pygmalion 345

to the wedding feast of Peleus and Thetis. To take revenge for this affront, she threw a golden apple among the wedding guests; Hera (Juno), Athena (Minverva) and Aphrodite (Venus) fought over the apple. Inscribed on it were the words ‘For the fairest’. Zeus asked Paris to choose the fairest among them. He chose Aphrodite, who promised him the love of Helen of Sparta. He later kidnapped Helen, thus triggering the Trojan War. En Corrèze, ce fruit-​là fut longtemps pomme de discorde. En 2011, l’antenne corrézienne de l’association anti-​pesticides . . . organise un procès retentissant contre trois arboriculteurs accusés d’avoir pulvérisé des pesticides par grand vent sur des pommiers. © Le Point no. 2458. The problem of pesticides is an on-​going one.

Procruste      

**

Procrustes was a giant who captured travellers and tied them to a bedstead, either stretching them or amputating their limbs to make them fit it. The term is now used to describe any action designed to ensure conformity at any cost. Il faut s’efforcer de ne pas les placer [les œuvres anciennes NDLR] sur le lit de Procruste de nos attentes et de nos critères moraux. © Le Point no. 2475. This text refers to problems raised by certain ancient texts that do not conform to today’s concepts of ‘correctness’.

prométhéen adj.      

***

‘Promethean’ refers to somebody’s taste for action and faith in man. The Promethean dream is of man becoming the master of his own destiny. L’IA [intelligence artificielle] nous donnerait la capacité . . . de parcourir beaucoup plus rapidement les chemins du malheur pour choisir le bon chemin beaucoup plus tôt. C’est prométhéen. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 149. This is an optimistic appreciation of the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence. See above ‘feu sacré’.

Pygmalion      

***

Pygmalion was a sculptor about whom Ovid writes in his Metamorphoses. He sculpts the most perfect statue of a woman and then falls in love with his own creation. Aphrodite takes pity on him and brings the statue to life. Her name was Galatea. Seule grande comédienne française (avec Sophie Marceau) à réussir dans le métier sans se frotter aux cours d’art dramatique. Sandrine [Bonnaire] rencontre enfin, en 1983, son Pygmalion. Il s’appelle Maurice [Pialat]. © Le Nouvel Observateur no.  2366.2010. The Pygmalion effect is often observed in schools and corporations, and highlights the fact that high

346  Pyrrhus (une victoire à la)     

expectations on the part of the manager or teacher can influence performance of employees and pupils. It was the fruit of the work of Rosenthal and Jacobson in the area of the self-​fulfilling prophecy.

Pyrrhus (une victoire à la)      

***

‘A Pyrrhic victory’. After his victory over the Romans at Asculum in 279 bc, Pyrrhus (319–​272 bc) said ‘another such victory and we are lost’. Today, it thus refers to a victory that is gained at too high a price. On connaissait la victoire à la Pyrrhus: celle qui est si coûteuse qu’elle laisse le vainqueur exsangue. Désormais, il y aura la défaite à la Macron flatteuse au point d’honorer le vaincu. © Marianne no. 1160, 7–​13 June 2019. The Macronists were shouting ‘victory’ in the 2019 European elections whereas, in fact, they were beaten into second place by the Rassemblement National, the former National Front.

pythie de Delphes nf.     

***

‘The Pythia of Delphi’. In Greek mythology, she was the high priestess of Delphi. Seated on a three-​legged stool over a crevasse from which vapours escaped, she would go into a trance and shout incoherent phrases that were interpreted by the priests as Apollo’s oracle. Because of the enigmatic responses, ‘Delphic’ has come to mean deliberately obscure or predictive. Ces gens se font pythies, annoncent des apocalypses, et multiplient leurs cibles: les femmes, et les homosexuels par exemple, déjà conspués par Drumont et constamment visés chez Zemmour. © L’Obs no. 2864, 26 September–​2 October 2019. Zemmour is a polemist and Islamophobe, whilst Édouard Drumont (1844–​ 1917) was a French journalist, writer, polemist, anti-​ Dreyfusard, nationalist and anti-​Semite. See Chapter 6 ‘Drumont, Édouard’.

roche Tarpéienne nf.      

**

The Tarpeian Rock. This was the name of a mountain ridge located at the extreme south-​west of the Capitol in Rome and was a place of capital punishment. Criminals were thrown to their death from the Tarpeian Rock. It is referred to in the quotation Arx tarpeia Capitoli proxima –​‘the Tarpeian Rock is close to the Capitol’ –​i.e. after great honours one may know ignominious death. On the other hand, it can be used, albeit less frequently, to mean that even after being out of favour, one may still rise to great honours. Une bonne étoile veillait sur la France. Sauf que la roche Tarpéienne est proche du Capitole. Soudain la machine se grippe. L’affaire Benalla prend des proportions inimaginables pendant l’été 2018. © Paris Match no. 3686. This passage refers

sirènes nf.  347

to the sudden change in political temperature in France with the revelations related to the Benalla affair. See Chapter 11 ‘Benalla, Alexandre’.

Rubicon (franchir le) nm.      

***

‘To cross the Rubicon’. The Rubicon is the name of a small river in northern Italy that, from 59 b c onwards, constituted the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and the Roman Republic. When Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 b c in pursuit of Pompey, he knew that he was violating the law of the Roman Senate forbidding a general to lead his army out of his province, and that his action was an act of war against the Senate and Pompey. On crossing the Rubicon, he is said to have pronounced the words alea jacta est (‘the die is cast’). Today, ‘to cross the Rubicon’ means to take some irrevocable action, the consequences of which may be risky. . . . Jean-​Luc Mélenchon a aussi réclamé la tête de Castaner. En revanche, le patron des députés LR, Christian Jacob, lui, n’a pas franchi le Rubicon . . . © Challenges no. 625. The minister of the interior, Castaner, is under pressure to resign not only for the police violence shown during the demonstrations of the gilets jaunes but because of the killings, by a radical Islamist, at the Préfecture de Police in Paris.

satyres nmpl.      

**

Satyrs. These were the deities who attended on Bacchus. They are represented as having pointed ears, short horns and an enormous phallus, with the head and torso of a man and the legs of a goat. They were fond of merriment and lechery. Today, the term is used to refer to a lustful man, particularly an elderly one. Il aura fallu attendre trente ans pour bénéficier, dans une traduction française dirigée par Sandra Boehringer, spécialiste de l’homosexualité féminine, des réflexions iconoclastes de cette dream team internationale sur la vie des satyres, la virginité féminine, les prescriptions morales de l’Athènes du IVe siècle avant J.-​C. © Le Point no. 2443. RB. The ‘dream team’, whose objective was to analyse ancient Greek sexuality as it had never been studied before, comprised Jean-​Pierre Vernant of the École de Paris and the American John Winkler.

sexe des anges nm.      

**

See above ‘byzantinisme’.

sirènes nf.      

***

Sirens, or mermaids. These were mythical sea nymphs or demons who, through their beautiful singing, drew sailors to their death. The sailors, hearing the

348 Sisyphe     

beautiful voices, would approach the coast too closely, be shipwrecked on the rocks and devoured by the sirens. Ulysses gave orders that his men should fill their ears with beeswax and that he himself should be tied to the mast and not be released under any circumstances. He was thus able to resist the call of the sirens. ‘Céder à l’appel des sirènes’ is thus ‘to succumb to the lure of some attraction’ (money, a ministerial post etc.). Assez vite, il [Thomas Fatome] la repère pour sa capacité à appréhender des sujets dont elle n’est pas forcément spécialiste et la fait renoncer aux sirènes du privé. © Le Point no. 2468. JC,MV. The text refers to Marguerite Cazeneuve, a key counsellor at the Élysée, having been talent-​spotted by the private secretary of Édouard Philippe, the Prime Minister.

Sisyphe      

***

There are several versions of the story of Sisyphus, son of Aeolus. For having denounced Zeus to Asopos concerning the kidnapping of Aegina, Sisyphus was condemned to roll a rock up a mountainside. It systematically fell to the bottom and Sisyphus was obliged to start all over again, forever rolling the rock to the top of the mountain. Today, it refers to any hard and fruitless labour. Bref, les médecins et chercheurs qui luttent contre cette redoutable affection neurodégénérative ont tout de Sisyphe des temps modernes. © Le Point no.  2459. This refers to the research work of doctors in the area of Alzheimer’s disease.

Socrate      

**

Socrates saw his role as that of a midwife. As a midwife delivers the child from the mother, so Socrates saw his role as delivering knowledge from the individual that they possess without realizing it. The Socratic method is known as ‘maieutic’ (maieutikos), maia meaning ‘midwife’ in Greek. Depuis 5 ou 6 ans nos professeurs, à l’instar de Socrate, nous font accoucher du kalos kagathos, du beau et du bien cachés en nous. Sister Emmanuelle, quoted in © Le Point no. 1884. Socrate est mort en laissant des dettes. À ses disciples il déclara: ‘Nous devons un coq à Asclépios, payez-​le, ne l’oubliez pas.’ Mystérieuse recommandation, ultimes paroles rapportées par Platon dans ‘le Phédon’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4672. This text discusses the problem of the European debt and evokes the story of the cock that Socrates owed Aesculapius, mentioned in Plato’s Phaedo. NB ‘debt’ in German (Schuld) is the same word as ‘guilt’. Debt is a close cousin of ‘sin’; perhaps Socrates did not want to die in a state of ‘sin’, with his debt outstanding.

Thucydide (le piège de)  349

sphinx nm.     

**

In Greek mythology, the sphinx is a winged monster with a lion’s body and the head and breasts of a woman. She would strangle travellers who passed before her and were unable to find the solution to her riddle: What being, gifted with one voice, is on four feet in the morning, two feet at midday and three feet in the evening? Œdipus found the solution: man. As a child he is on four feet, as a man in his prime he is on two feet, and in old age he is on two feet plus a cane or walking stick. Furious that sb. had found the solution to her riddle, the sphinx committed suicide. ‘Sphinx’ is used today to describe sb. who is an enigma, difficult to understand or know. Delanoë fait le sphinx. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5156. This headline refers to the fact that the former mayor of Paris is avoiding any public contact with the current mayoress (Anne Hidalgo) and does not want to be seen as supporting her in her campaign for re-​election.

Thanatos      

*

See above ‘Éros’.

thébaïde nf.      

**

A solitary retreat. The classical name for the southern part of Upper Egypt. Edgar Morin. À 98 ans, le prophète de la complexité du monde continue d’aller où son cœur le porte et de multiplier chaque jour, depuis sa thébaïde du vieux Montpellier, des tweets ajustés sur nos temps contemporains. © Le Point no. 2452. This text comes from an article on a book by Edgar Morin, Les Souvenirs viennent à ma rencontre, published by Fayard in 2019. See above ‘Antigone’.

Thucydide (le piège de)      

**

The trap of Thucydides is, in international relations, an historical situation where one dominant power goes to war with an emerging power, pushed by the former’s fear of the latter’s rise. Thucydides wrote ‘What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear that this caused in Sparta.’ Faut-​il craindre le piège de Thucydide, cette notion très en vogue selon laquelle Les États-​Unis et la Chine, comme jadis Sparte et Athènes –​une puissance montante et l’autre déclinante  –​seraient voués à s’affronter. © L’Obs no. 2843, 2–​8 May 2019.

350 tirage au sort     

tirage au sort      

***

En fait, elle vient de la Grèce antique. La tradition attribue au législateur Solon (640–​558 avant notre ère) la pratique du tirage au sort (klèros) pour la formation de jurys populaires ou le choix des magistrats. © Le Point no. 2436. ‘Le tirage au sort’, or lottery voting, is one of the demands of the gilets jaunes demonstrators. Its main defender since 2005 in France is Étienne Chouard.

Titan (un travail/​c ombat de), titanesque adj.      

***

‘The Titans’ is the generic name given to the six sons of Uranus and Gaea (Gaia). They were overthrown by the Olympians in a struggle that is known as the ‘Titanomachy’. Today, it refers to anything of imposing size or strength. Confrontée au nCoV, peut-​être aussi mortel que le Sras, la Chine lutte avec des moyens de titan et des mesures draconiennes. © Le Point no. 2475. This article refers to the COVID-​19 pandemic, which began in Wuhan, China.

toison d’or nf.      

***

The Golden Fleece was Jason’s objective in his quest with the Argonauts. En faisant mieux que défendre sa première place sur des terrains lui étant pourtant défavorables, l’un a ravivé le mythe du maillot jaune qui transcende son porteur, comme une toison d’or actualisée. © Marianne no. 1167, 26 July–​10 August 2019. LN. The text is an allusion to the Tour de France cyclist Julian Alaphilippe, who made a great performance in the tour of 2019.

travaux d’Hercule, les douze      

***

The Twelve Labours were imposed on Hercules by Eurystheus. Hercules had killed his own wife and children and accepted the labours as a way of expiating his sins. The labours were as follows: (1) to kill the Nemean lion, (2)  to kill the Lernean hydra, (3)  to capture the Cerneian hind, (4)  to capture the Erymanthian boar, (5)  to clean the Augean stables, (6)  to kill the Stymphalian birds, (7) to capture the Cretan bull, (8) to capture the horses of Diomades (9) to take the girdle of the Amazon Queen, (10) to capture the red kine of Geryon, (11) to obtain the golden apples of the Atlantides, (12) to capture Cerberus, the hound of hell. Christan Jacob, les travaux d’Hercule © Paris Match no. 3676. In 2019 Christian Jacob was elected leader of Les Républicains, a movement in ruins.

Zeus 351

Troie      

**

Les deux (auteurs) proposent un inventaire drôle et surprenant d’une quarantaine de conflits, de l’homérique guerre de Troie dont les historiens continuent de discuter la vraisemblance à celle de la frite qui opposa la Belgique et la Colombie l’année dernière. © L’Obs no. 2848, 6–​12 June 2019. LL. The text refers to a book entitled Les Guerres stupides de l’histoire by Bruno Fuligni and Bruno Léandri. See above ‘Cassandre (jouer les)’.

Ulysse      

**

Odysseus is the Greek name for the Roman Ulysses. He was the legendary Greek King of Ithaca, a small island in the Ionian Sea, and the hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey. He also has a key role in Homer’s Iliad. After fighting the war against the city of Troy with the Greeks, he starts his journey home. His voyage is beset with problems and obstacles because he provoked the ire of the sea god Poseidon. (Neptune). On his travels he comes across the sirens; the cyclops; and Circe, who turns men into animals. Twenty years after first leaving Ithaca, he returns home, disguised as a beggar, to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, where he is first recognized by his old dog, Argos. He then kills the suitors whom Penelope has kept at bay. See above ‘Pénélope’. Ulysse n’a pas perdu confiance malgré tous les obstacles qu’il a rencontrés car il savait quel était son désir. Nous pouvons tous nous inspirer de cette sagesse. © L’Obs no. 2852, 4–​10 July 2019. BK, NT. See also Chapter 5 ‘Heureux qui comme Ulysse’.

Zéphyr      

**

In Greek mythology, Zephyr is the personification of the west and north-​ west wind. Grand bleu, mer d’huile et doux zéphyr? © Marianne no. 1166. VH. A description of the ideal beach.

Zeus      

**

The greatest of all the gods in the Hellenic Pantheon. Son of Kronos and Rhea, he is essentially the god of light, lightning storms and tempests. His Roman equivalent, Jupiter, is frequently associated with divine wrath. C’est contre ce déterminisme effrayant qu’il faut croiser le fer avec la force de Zeus. © Le Point no. 2431. This text refers to the tyranny of identities and the banning of a performance of Aeschylus’ play The Suppliants at the Sorbonne.

352 Zeus     

As with the Chapters 5, 6 and 8, because of space considerations I have been led to delete the low-​to-​medium-​frequency references; but given that they are important I have listed them below without any development so that readers, if they so choose, may do some follow-​up reading. These references were not found in the new research. Adonis; Aède; Asphodèles (champs); Belle Hélène; Cassius; Circé; Curiaces; Déméter; Démosthène; Empyrée; foudre divine; hermaphrodite; Hermione; Hespérides; Iphigénie; Irène; Junon; Lamie; lauriers (tresser les); Lesbos; messager des mauvaises nouvelles; Ode; Osiris/​Isis; Messaline; Midas (le secret de); Néron; Nessus (le tunique de); Panathénées; Périclès; Pan; Pompéi; Protée; Saphique; Saturne; Thermopylae; Vestales; Xénophon.

Chapter 8

Biblical references

Deux poids, deux mesures: le Seigneur en a horreur! (Proverbes 20:10)

In Britain’s and America’s multiethnic society, it can no longer be taken for granted that every reader will possess good biblical knowledge. One must also remember that under the terms of the French Act of 1905 on the separation of Churches and State, religious instruction is forbidden in State schools (with the exception of Alsace and Lorraine). Consequently, many very highly educated French people show surprising ignorance of things biblical, and this chapter should prove useful to many French readers. Translations have been included because many readers will not necessarily have a Bible to hand and this may well be the only contact they will have with the original texts. The translations of the sources have been grouped together at the end of this chapter. NB the capitalization of nouns is not always consistent between the English and French versions of the Bible.

abysse nm., abyssal adj.      

**

In a theological context, the abyss is the primeval void or chaos before the Creation, or a hellish place of punishment. Nos sociétés urbanisées se sont habituées à ne pas voir la disparition des insectes, des amphibiens, ou des oiseaux. Qui remarque l’absence? Le vide, pourtant, est abyssal. © Marianne no. 1156.

Adam      

**

Adam (in Hebrew âdâm means ‘earth’) was the first man in creation. ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.’ Alors Yahvé modela l’homme avec la glaise du sol, il insuffla dans ses narines une haleine de vie. Eve (in Hebrew hawwâh means

354 agapes nfpl.     

‘life’, or possibly ‘the snake’) was the first woman. See Genesis 2:7, 3:20. En somme, le capitalisme est né lorsque’Ève a commencé à marchander la pomme maléfique avec Adam. © Marianne no. 600. See below ‘Eve’.

agapes nfpl.      

***

Banquet, feast, spread etc. From the Greek word signifying ‘love’, it was originally the name of a meal taken by the early Christian communities that was both fraternal and liturgical in character. The practice, however, degenerated into orgies, and it is clearly condemned in Jude 12: ‘These are they who are hidden rocks in your love feasts’ (Ce sont eux les écueils de vos agapes). La soirée du dîner officiel, où à la demande de Ribbentrop, les deux ministres juifs, Mandel et Zay, sont écartés des agapes © L’Obs no. 2837, 21–​7 May 2019. In 1938 Jean Zay was French minister of education, and in June 1944 he was assassinated by the Milice. Georges Mandel was minister of posts, telegraphs and telephones from 1934 to 1936, and minister of the colonies from 1938 to 1940. He was assassinated by the Milice in July 1944.

Aimez-​vous      

**

‘A new commandment I  give unto you, that ye love one another.’ Je vous donne un commandement nouveau:  Aimez-​vous les uns les autres. See John 13:34. Aimez-​vous les uns les autres, ou disparaissez. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  4584. These were the words of Juliette Greco (1927–​2020), the French singer and actress.

Alpha et l’Oméga. L’      

***

The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end’ (Je suis l’Alpha et l’Oméga, le Principe et la Fin). See Revelation 1:8 and 21:6. Le bio est, à ce jour, le label le plus intéressant et le mieux disant, mais il ne constitue pas pour autant l’alpha et l’oméga de l’alimentation durable. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 151.

ange déchu nm.      

**

The fallen angel, under various names  –​the Serpent, Satan, Lucifer  –​is one of the angels who rebelled against God, fell from grace and was driven out of paradise. Dumbo lui-​même finit par apparaître comme une version pachydermique de l’ange déchu, puis renaissant. © Marianne no. 1150. Dumbo is the character of the elephant in Tim Burton’s 2019 film of the same name.

appelés et peu d’élus. Beaucoup d’  355

Ange Gabriel nm.      

**

‘Gabriel’ means ‘the strength of god’ and he is generally referred to as an archangel, although not in the biblical texts. He is the angel (in the Gospel of Luke) who announces to Mary that she will give birth to Jesus. Je suis aujourd’hui députée parce que j’ai répondu à un appel en janvier, pas de l’ange Gabriel mais d’un certain Emmanuel. © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5136. The reasons given by Amélie de Montchalin for her political engagement. She is minister of information and civil service. NB ‘Emmanuel’ is Hebrew for ‘God among us’.

Apocalypse nf.      

***

Apocalypse, from the Greek apokalupsis, which in turn derives from the Hebrew nigla, meaning ‘the lifting of the veil’, or ‘revelation’. It is the last book of the New Testament (the Book of Revelation in English), which deals with the ultimate triumph of good and the destruction of evil. It is generally understood as ‘the end of the world’. Certes, la situation ne semble pas aussi catastrophique qu’aux États Unis, où les sacro-​saints ‘malls’ sont de moins en moins fréquentés et où le phénomène porte même un nom ‘retail apocalypse’. © Paris Match no. 3676. ASL. This text refers to the closures of more and more retail parks and hypermarkets, which are suffering from online commerce. See below ‘voile (écarter/​lever le)’.

apôtre nm.      

**

Apostle. In Greek, apostolos means ‘someone sent out with a message’. In the Christian Church, it refers to the 12 apostles of Christ, who were entrusted with spreading the good news. Dans le magazine ‘Jours de chasse’ que j’ai créé, nous nous faisons l’apôtre d’une chasse qui aide au contrôle de la faune et de la flore. © Challenges no. 625. The words of Olivier Dassault.

appelés et peu d’élus. Beaucoup d’      

**

Multi sunt vocati pauci vero electi. In Matthew 22:14 we can read ‘For many are called but few are chosen’ (Car il y a beaucoup d’appelés, mais peu d’élus). The pun here is on ‘élu’, which can be translated as ‘chosen’ or ‘elected’ in the electoral meaning of the term. C’est beaucoup d’exclus et peu d’élus. © Le Point no. 1882. This is related to the socialist electoral infighting in the département of the Hérault (34). See below ‘grincement de dents’.

356  Arche de Noé. L’     

Arche de Noé. L’      

***

In Genesis 6:1–​22 and 7:1–​24, the Ark is the vessel built by Noah at God’s command, to save his family and a selection of animals from the catastrophic flood. The great flood is not peculiar to the Christian religion. Il veut en finir avec ‘l’arche de Noé des droits’ et prône un ‘gaullisme social et souverainiste’. © Challenges no. 625 LF. The man in question is Christian Jacob, voted leader of Les Républicains in October 2019. See below ‘Déluge’.

Armageddon      

***

Armageddon (sometimes written as ‘Armaguédon’, is the name of a small hill in the Jezreel valley in Israel. It is mentioned in the Book of Revelation and refers to the final battle between Good and Evil when the world comes to an end. Au demeurant, toutes les religions nous annoncent des cataclysmes ultimes: c’est Armageddon, la dernière bataille entre le Bien et le Mal. © Le Point no.  2476. FOG. This text refers to the ambient ‘end-​of-​the-​worldism’ that has seized France over the past few years.

Babel      

**

This is the name of a city in Shinar where Noah’s descendants tried to build a high tower that would reach heaven. Until that time humanity had shared the same language and the same words. God thwarted the project with a confusion of tongues. Today, it is a synonym for noise and confusion. ‘And the whole earth was of one language . . . And they said “Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach into heaven”. And the Lord said “Go to, let us go down and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” ’ (Tout le monde se servait d’une même langue et des mêmes mots . . . Ils dirent “Allons! Bâtissons-​nous une ville et une tour dont le sommet pénètre les cieux” . . . Et Yahvé dit . . . “Allons, Descendons! Et là confondons leur langage pour qu’ils ne s’entendent plus les uns les autres” ’). See Genesis 11:1, 4 and 7. C’est un libéralisme dévoyé qui a transformé l’Union européenne en un no man’s land, une grande salle des pas perdus, une tour de Babel où l’on a admis tout le monde, sans conditions. © Marianne no. 1158.

Babylone      

**

Babylon. This word literally means ‘the gate of God’. Capital of Babylonia, it was a city situated on the lower Euphrates River, notorious for its wealth, luxury and wickedness. In the Book of Revelation, it is compared to a harlot.

bercail. Le retour au  357

‘Babylone . . . the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth’ (Babylone . . . la mère des prostituées et des abominations de la terre). See Revelation 17:5. La Babylone américaine, le ‘Grand Satan’, qui sait se déguiser –​les traîtres ont toujours bonne mine, raison de plus pour ouvrir l’œil. © L’Obs no. 2875, 12–​18 December 2019. FA et OM. Part of the reflections of Régis Debray and Edgar Morin on ‘the religion of humanity’.

Belphégor      

**

Baal-​peor was an ancient divinity worshipped in the Middle East, and in Christian demonology appears in the form of a woman who seduces her victims by stimulating their curiosity about ways of becoming rich. ‘And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, “Slay ye every one of his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-​peor” ’ (Moïse dit aux juges d’Israël: “Que chacun mette à mort ceux de ses hommes qui se sont commis avec le Baal de Peor”). See Numbers 25:5. It is also the title of a fable by La Fontaine. Belphégor de l’islamisme belge © Marianne no. 60. This text refers to Malika el-​Aroud, a Belgian Islamic fundamentalist of Moroccan origin, who, on the internet, praised her kamikaze husband, who killed Commandant Massoud the day before the attacks of 11 September 2001.

Benjamin/​B enjamine nmf      

***

The youngest child of several, or the younger child of two. Originally this was the youngest of the 12 children of Jacob and the second child of Rachel. Rachel died in childbirth and called her son Ben-​oni (Hebrew for ‘son of my suffering’), but Jacob called him Binyâmin (Hebrew for ‘son of my old age’ or ‘on the favoured side’). ‘And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-​oni:  but his father called him Benjamin (Au moment de rendre l’âme, car elle se mourait, elle le nomma Ben-​ Oni, mais son père l’appela Benjamin). See Genesis 35:18. Benjamin is also the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. In the world of sport, it refers to the juniors of 12–​13 years old. Le Benjamin du gouvernement dit n’avoir ‘pas de tabous’ sur ce sujet. © L’Obs no. 2845, 16–​22 May 2019. Gabriel Attal, a junior minister at the time, said that he has an open mind on the subject of legalizing cannabis.

bercail. Le retour au      

**

The return to the fold. De retour au bercail [of a negationist who denies the existence of Nazi gas chambers and who is also a fundamentalist bishop], la

358 boisseau. Mettre sous le     

brebis égarée se révèle aux yeux du monde une brebis galeuse. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4606. This is a reference to the return to grace of the negationist Bishop Richard Williamson. Le Canard suggests that the ‘lost sheep’ is in fact a ‘black sheep’. See below ‘brebis égarée’.

boisseau. Mettre sous le      

**

‘Un boisseau’ is a measure of grain corresponding to the English ‘bushel’. ‘No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light’ (Personne, après avoir allumé une lampe, ne la met en quelque endroit caché ou sous le boisseau, mais bien sur le lampadaire, pour que ceux qui pénètrent voient la clarté). See Luke 11:33. Today, ‘mettre sous le boisseau’ can mean ‘to keep something secret’ or ‘to sweep under the carpet’. Mais leurs échanges ont été mis sous le boisseau, au risque de nourrir rumeurs manipulatrices et fantasme complotiste. © Marianne no.  1160. This refers to the problems within La France Insoumise concerning their position on Europe and the two conflicting positions of ‘fédéralistes’ versus ‘souverainistes’.

bon grain nm.      

**

12 fidèles de l’ayatollah Ali Khamenei chargés de séparer le bon grain chiïte de l’ivraie reformiste © Le Canard enchaîné no.  5180. Anyone wishing to stand for election in Iran must be screened by Le Conseil des Gardiens de la Constitution. Ninety per cent of the candidates have been rejected because their opinions do not conform to the Islamic ideal. See below ‘ivraie’ and ‘zizanie (semer la)’.

Bon Samaritain nm.      

**

This comes from the parable of the Good Samaritan, who, coming across a wounded man, does not (as did the priest and the Levite) pass by on the other side, but stops to help. This parable is told by Jesus in answer to the question ‘Who is my neighbour?’. ‘But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. And came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him’ (Mais un Samaritain qui était en voyage, arriva près de lui, le vit et fut pris de pitié. Il s’approcha, banda ses plaies, y versant de l’huile et du vin, puis le chargea sur sa propre monture, le mena à l’hôtellerie et prit soin de lui). See Luke 10:33–​ 4. Samaritain ou Machiavel? © Marianne no. 1149. The heading of an article

bouchée de pain nf.  359

about the somewhat controversial figure of Martin Hirsch, the Director General of the AP–​HP. See Chapter 7 ‘Narcisse’. See Chapter 14  AP–​HP.

bouc émissaire nm.      

***

Scapegoat (caper emissarius). Every year, on the Day of Atonement (‘Le Jour du Grand Pardon’, i.e. Yom Kippur), the high priest of the ancient Jews performed the same ceremony: ‘And Aron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness’ (Aaron lui posera les deux mains sur la tête et confessera à sa charge toutes les fautes des Israélites, toutes leurs transgressions et tous leurs péchés. Après en avoir ainsi chargé la tête du bouc, il l’enverra au désert sous la conduite d’un homme qui se tiendra prêt, et le bouc emportera sur lui toutes leurs fautes en un lieu aride). See Leviticus 16:21–​2. Today, it refers to any innocent individual who has to take responsibility for the wrongdoings of the group. The theme of the scapegoat is often evoked in French literature, one of the most famous cases being cited by La Fontaine; see Chapter 5 ‘crier haro sur le baudet’. It can also be found in the children’s song ‘Le Petit Navire’, where the scapegoat is the ship’s boy (‘le mousse’). C’est aussi un acte de rébellion sans précédent, la première fois que les députés ciblent Emmanuel Macron et non plus via Édouard Philippe, l’utile bouc émissaire utilisé jusqu’alors. © Les Echos no.  23049, 8 October 2019. CC. France Télévisions issued a warning to the journalist Patrick Montel, who dared to speak about doping in the world of sport.

bouchée de pain nf.      

**

Pro buccella panis. Literally, ‘for a piece of bread’. This expression means ‘for a song, for next to nothing’. In the biblical text, the partiality of judges is being criticized. ‘To have respect of persons is not good: neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread’ (C’est mal de faire acception de personnes, mais pour une bouchée de pain, l’homme commet un forfait). See Proverbs 28:21. Tous achetés à la barre du tribunal de commerce, ou pour une bouchée de pain aux anciens investisseurs. © Le Nouvel Observateur no.  2360.2010. This is related to the buying up by Louis Petiet of a host of small companies that are in difficulty:  DMC, Isotherma, Authentica, Isotec. All of these companies were bought either from former investors or at the Tribunal de Commerce (Commercial Court).

360 brebis égarée nf.     

brebis égarée nf.      

**

The lost sheep. ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?’ (Lequel d’entre vous, s’il a cent brebis et vient à en perdre une, n’abandonne les quatre-​vingt-​dix-​neuf autres dans le désert pour s’en aller après celle qui est perdue jusqu’à ce qu’il l’ait retrouvée?). See Luke 15:4 and Matthew 18:12–​13. Xi Jinping . . . ne cache pas son intention de ramener la brebis égarée au bercail, manu militari si nécessaire. © L’Obs no. 2879, 9–​15 January 2020. UG. This text refers to the determination of the Chinese government to retrieve Taiwan.

brèche (battu en)      

***

Traditionally, the bravest of the brave would fight at the point of greatest danger, i.e. where the wall had been breached. ‘Therefore he [God] would destroy them [the Israelites], had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them’ (Il [Dieu] parlait de les supprimer [les Israélites] si ce n’est que Moïse, son élu, se tint sur la brèche devant lui pour détourner son courroux de détruire]. See Psalm 106:23. A l’heure où le multilatéralisme est battu en brèche, où les nationalismes renaissent, la France et L’Europe doivent porter la voix de la raison, du dialogue et de la coopération. © Paris Match no. 3686. See Chapter 3 ‘battre en brèche’.

buisson ardent nm.      

**

This refers to the burning bush by which Yahweh (Yahvé) indicated his presence to Moses and announced his intention to free the children of Israel from Egyptian oppression. ‘And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed’ (L’Ange de Yahvé lui apparut, dans une flamme de feu, du milieu d’un buisson. Moïse regarda: le buisson était embrasé mais le buisson ne se consumait pas). See Exodus 3:2. Il est frappant d’avoir vu tant de Parisiens et de visiteurs étrangers de la capitale affluer autour du brasier –​nouveau Buisson ardent d’un genre un peu particulier. © Le Point no. 2442. SL. This is yet another text that evokes the profound spiritual effect that the fire at Notre-​Dame had on the general public.

Cain      

**

Cain and Abel were brothers. Cain tilled the soil while Abel tended the flock. One day, each made a sacrifice to God. Abel’s sacrifice found favour in God’s

cénacle nm.  361

eyes. Being jealous, Cain slew his brother in the fields, the first murder in the Bible. This story gives us the famous words of Cain’s reply when God asked him where Abel was: ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ (Suis-​je le gardien de mon frère?). See Genesis 4:1–​9 QW.

calice jusqu’à la lie. Boire le      

**

‘To drain one’s cup to the bitter dregs’ indicates to undergo a painful ordeal right to the end. These are the words pronounced twice by Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (Gethsémani) : ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done’ (Mon Père, dit-​il, si cette coupe ne peut passer sans que je la boive, que ta volonté soit faite). See Matthew 26:39 and 42. Bernard Cazeneuve, futur pape des socialistes? Il attend que les camarades aient bu le calice jusqu’à la lie. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5157. This text evokes the possible successor to François Hollande once the socialists have hit rock bottom.

calvaire nm.      

***

Calvary. The martyrdom of Christ or his suffering on the cross. ‘Calvary’ is a common noun, which is the Latin translation of the Hebrew word Golgotha (from the Aramaic word gulgaltha), a proper noun. Calvaire can also refer to a roadside cross or crucifix, of which there are many in Brittany. It has now come to mean any particularly long and painful ordeal. ‘And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to go with them, that he might bear his [Jesus’] cross’ (En sortant, ils trouvèrent un homme de Cyrène, nommé Simon, et le requirent pour porter sa croix). Fin de calvaire pour Macron et Philippe © Le Point no. 2432. The end of the Great Debate.

cavaliers de l’Apocalypse nmpl.      

**

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride on four horses, each of a different colour and symbolizing, respectively, Pride (the king of vices) on a white horse, War on a red horse, Famine on a black horse and Plague on a green horse. See Revelation 6:2–​8. Prenons le sel, le sucre et les acides gras saturés, pointés du doigt par l’étude du Lancet comme les trois cavaliers de l’apocalypse nutritionnelle: famine, épidémie, guerre. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5136. This text mentions the three main dietary health risks: salt, sugar and saturated fatty acids.

cénacle nm.      

***

The room where Jesus Christ met with his disciples for the Last Supper and later where the Eucharist was established. Today, it refers to a small gathering

362  cendres (se couvrir la tête de) nfpl.     

of men of letters, a literary coterie. It can sometimes be used as a synonym for the inner sanctum of power. The term is intimately associated with the French Romantic movement and includes names such as Hugo, Vigny, Balzac, Mérimée and Sainte-​Beuve. Le pilier de ce parcours initiatique est l’Oxford Union, célèbre société de débats. Dans ce cénacle, les étudiants apprennent l’art de parler en public et de remporter l’argumentation. © Le Point 2447. MR. This article referred to the making of a British Prime Minister, in this case Boris Johnson.

cendres (se couvrir la tête de) nfpl.      

**

There are many examples in the Bible of ‘ash’ being used as a symbol of repentance. It is to be noticed that, in the Bible, ‘ash’ is sometimes translated as ‘dust’. Among many other examples, see Jeremiah 6:26. Mea culpa, remords, regrets, repentirs . . . Ils adorent se couvrir la tête de cendres. Sont-​ils sincères? Sont-​ils habiles? © Le Point no. 2442. This text refers to politicians who confess to having made mistakes; are they sincere or calculating, given that there is a French saying ‘Faute avouée, à moitié pardonnée’? NB ‘ash’ has a strong moral connotation. ‘Cinders’, in the fairy tale Cinderella, loses this connotation in the translation from the original German version, Aschenputtel.

César. Rendre à      

***

‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s’ (Rendez à César ce qui est à César, et à Dieu ce qui est à Dieu). This was Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees, who asked him the trick question, ‘Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not?’ (Est-​il permis de payer le tribut à César?). See Matthew 22:17–​21. Rendons à César © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5145. This is the caption of a cartoon, in which François Fillon says C’est un peu grâce à moi tout ce merdier. Since Fillon was forced to withdraw from the presidential race in 2017 because of his indictment for embezzlement of public funds, the Republican Party is without leadership and many of its troops have defected to the Macron camp. The same can be said of the Socialist Party which has lost many of its leading figures. A large number of so-​called socialists are now in the right-​wing Macron government. e.g. Pénicaud, Parly, Buzyn, Le Drian, Castaner, de Rugy and Wargon.

chemin de croix nm.      

***

‘The Way of the Cross’, including the fourteen stations, refers to a ceremony to commemorate the Passion of Christ. Figuratively speaking, it implies a

colosse aux pieds d’argile nm.  363

hard and uphill struggle. No mention of this as such appears in the New Testament. Depuis cinq ans, la directrice générale vit un chemin de croix. Critiques sur sa gestion . . . et son manque d’implication au niveau opérationnel, boules puantes sur sa vie privée. © Challenges no. 635. NS. This text refers to the difficulties encountered by the CEO of Engie, Isabelle Kocher. Her mandate was not renewed in February 2020. She was the only woman to head a CAC 40 company.

chemin étroit nm.      

**

‘Enter ye by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate and straitened the way that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it’ (Entrez par la porte étroite. Large, en effet, et spacieux est le chemin qui mène à la perdition, et il en est beaucoup qui s’y engagent; mais étroite est la porte et resserré le chemin qui mène à la Vie et il en est peu qui le trouvent). See Matthew 7:13–​14. Les syndicats cherchent le chemin étroit de l’unité. © Les Echos no. 20598. This is a reference to the fact that there is very little room for manoeuvre for the unions. See below ‘voie étroite’.

colombe de la paix nf.      

***

A dove bearing an olive branch is a symbol of peace, the end of God’s wrath against man. It was the sign given to Noah that the waters of the Flood had receded. ‘And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo, in her mouth an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth’ (La colombe revint sur le soir et voici qu’elle avait dans le bec un rameau tout frais d’olivier! Ainsi Noé connut que les eaux avaient diminué à la surface de la terre). See Genesis 8:11. The doves are opposed to the hawks in political terminology. Dernière ‘colombe’ restante, le chef d’état major, John Dunford, mais qui semble chaque jour un peu plus isolé © Valeurs actuelles no. 4310. AC. This text refers to the growing number of ‘hawks’ in the Trump administration who are pushing for an attack on Iran.

colosse aux pieds d’argile nm.      

***

‘The idol (colossus) with feet of clay’. In the Book of Daniel 2:31–​5, Daniel, the Hebrew prophet, interpreted the dreams of the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar (Nabuchodonosor). The King had a dream in which he saw an idol with a golden head, silver torso and arms, bronze back and thighs, and feet made of iron and clay. The interpretation was that the gold represented

364 commandements. Les dix     

the King, whereas the other metals represented various kingdoms to come. The last kingdom, of iron and clay, would be a divided one, both strong and fragile. L’armée germanique [at the time of the Barbarossa invasion of 1941] y avait découvert une Russie arriérée, un colosse aux pieds d’argile. © Le Point no. 2452. FGL.

commandements. Les dix      

**

The Ten Commandments (also known as the Decalogue), are a set of ethical principles that are fundamental to the Abrahamic religions. They can be found in Exodus and Deuteronomy. It is from these commandments that ‘Thou shalt not kill’ comes. Les dix commandements du patrimoine © L’Obs no.  2875, 12–​18 December 2019. YH. This was the heading of an article bearing on advice on how to manage one’s assets, e.g. ‘Devote at least one hour per week to the management of your assets.’

crible. Passer au      

***

‘Un crible’ is a kind of sieve. This verb means to examine very closely. The expression comes from the Last Supper. ‘Simon, Simon, behold Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat’ (Le Seigneur dit: Simon, Simon, Satan vous a réclamé pour vous cribler comme le froment). It evokes the attempts by Satan to put the disciple to the test. See Luke 22:31. Depuis, ‘les documents arrivent plus tard’ aux partenaires sociaux. Comprendre:  Matignon les passe au crible avant qu’ils ne soient distribués. © Le Point no. 2468. JCMV.

crier sur les toits      

***

Praedicate super tecta. This means to proclaim the news, far and wide. It is how Jesus defined the task of the disciples. ‘What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light: and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops’ (Ce que je vous dis dans les ténèbres, dites-​le au grand jour; et ce que vous entendez dans le creux de l’oreille, proclamez-​le sur les toits). See Matthew 10:27. Elle est même parfaitement légale. EDF ne le crie pas sur les toits, mais ses centrales ont le droit de balancer à l’eau diverses substances radioactives, à condition de ne pas dépasser les seuils annuels fixés par l’Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN). © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5150. This text refers to radioactive water from nuclear power stations (contaminated with tritium) that is being fed into water sources with total legality.

David et Goliath  365

crucifier vt.      

**

Crucifixion was an ancient method of execution whereby the victim was attached to a cross or a T-​shaped structure by various methods: nails, ropes, chains etc. The latest research into the question suggests that death was provoked by suffocation with compression of the diaphragm. Depuis le fiasco de la tête de liste LR, aux européennes, son ex-​directeur de campagne a décidé de le crucifier. Et part en croisade contre la garde rapprochée de Bellamy . . . Dans ce cénacle, Didier ne se sentait pas en odeur de sainteté. François Xavier fermait les petits rideaux du bureau et il faisait des réunions avec ses cinq ou six apôtres. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5146. As an example of extended metaphor, this paragraph cannot be beaten. See above ‘apôtre’, ‘cénacle’. See Chapter 6 ‘croisades’, and Chapter 3 ‘odeur de sainteté, ne pas être en’.

Damas (le chemin de)      

***

‘The road to Damascus’. This expression evokes a spiritual journey during which the traveller undergoes a radical change in attitude or belief. It refers to the journey undertaken by Saul, the persecutor of the early Christians. On his way to Damascus, a bright light appeared and Jesus asked Saul why he was persecuting those who believed in him. Saul was blinded (his sight was later restored). After this incident, he changed his Hebrew name, Saul, for a Roman one, Paul. ‘And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: And he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” ’ (Il faisait route et approchait Damas, quand soudain une lumière venue du ciel l’enveloppa de sa clarté. Tombant à terre, il entendit une voix qui lui disait: ‘Saoul, Saoul, pourquoi me persécutes-​ tu?’). See Acts of the Apostles 9:3–​4. Un nouveau miracle s’est produit sur le chemin de Damas. D’infréquentable, Bachar al-​Assad a subitement muté en une sorte de ‘sage’ du Moyen-​Orient. © Marianne no. 591. This is a reference to the fact that until recently, Bachar al-​Assad of Syria (capital Damascus) was considered to be persona non grata in western capitals. Suddenly he has become a kind of ‘wise man’ of the Middle East.

David et Goliath      

***

The story of David and Goliath relates the victory of the small against the strong. Goliath, the Philistine, in spite of his greater physical strength, was overcome by David, the shepherd boy, his sling and his faith in God. ‘And

366 Déluge nm.     

David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth’ (Il mit la main dans son sac, prit une pierre, la lança avec la fronde et atteignit le Philistin au front). See 1 Samuel 17:48–​51. À l’image du combat de David contre Goliath, ce sont les êtres les plus insignifiants a priori qui mènent au triomphe. © Valeurs actuelles no.  4334. LF. This is a reflection on the characters in the work of J. R. R. Tolkien.

Déluge nm.      

***

The myth of the Flood is one of the most widespread of stories and can be found in many cultures. Noah’s Ark is the Judaeo-​Christian version of this story, in which all but eight human beings perish. It rains for 40  days and 40 nights and it is the dove, bringing an olive branch back to the Ark, which indicates that the waters have receded. The Ark comes to rest on Mount Ararat. The Flood is synonymous with the beginning of the new world. ‘Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth’ (Les eaux montèrent quinze coudées plus haut, recouvrant les montagnes. Alors périt toute chair qui se meut sur la terre). See Genesis 7:20–​1. Cette accumulation de nouvelles effroyables soulève une objection; si elle est exacte, pourquoi ne pas se prélasser en attendant le Déluge? © Le Point no.  2430. The words of the intellectual and novelist Pascal Bruckner, when faced with the ambient catastrophism in France. Why not relax and wait for the inevitable to come?

deux poids, deux mesures      

***

‘Double standards’. This is the very symbol of injustice. ‘Diverse weights and diverse measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord’ (Deux sortes de poids, deux sortes d’épha, sont l’un et l’autre en abomination à l’Éternel). See Proverbs 20:10 and Deuteronomy 25:13–​16. Bien que beaucoup d’intellectuels se battent depuis Hannah Arendt, Raymond Aron, François Furet, pour équilibrer les totalitarismes, le deux poids deux mesures se poursuit. © Le Point no. 2436. This text refers to the fact that the communists refuse to admit that the Soviet Union and communist China were as abominable as any fascist regime. This is qualified as leftist negationism.

Dieu y pourvoira      

**

‘God will provide.’ To put Abraham’s faith to the test, God tells him to take his son, Isaac, to the mountain top and slay him as a sacrifice. Abraham climbs

Épiphanie nf.  367

the mountain with his son, who asks, ‘ “Behold the fire and the wood:  but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said “My son, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering” ’ (‘Voici le feu et le bois, mais où est l’agneau pour l’holocauste?’ Abraham répondit: ‘c’est Dieu qui pourvoira à l’agneau pour l’holocauste, mon fils’). See Genesis 22:7–​8. In fact, God stops Abraham, who is about to sacrifice his son. Abraham sees a ram caught by its horns in a bush; this ram is sacrificed in place of Isaac. Ce radicalisme n’est en bref qu’un extrémisme fondé sur une pétition de principe: ‘Dieu y pourvoira.’ © Marianne no. 589. This is a comment on the way radicals evacuate all of the problems that their ideology raises. Faire une pétition de principe is ‘to beg the question’.

disciples nmpl.      

***

From the Latin term dicipulus, meaning pupil: sb. who learns from a master, in this case Jesus, who had 12 disciples. Des disciples peu disciplinés © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5166. The heading of an article about the lack of cohesion within the LREM ranks concerning the proposed law on immigrant quotas.

douze apôtres. Les      

*

See below ‘Judas’.

Ecce homo      

*

See Chapter 13

Éden (le jardin d’)      

**

The Garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve began their lives. It symbolizes paradise before the Fall. ‘And the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it’ (Yahvé Dieu prit l’homme et l’établit dans le jardin d’Éden pour le cultiver et le garder). See Genesis 2:15. L’UE symbolisant le nouvel Éden, nul ne devrait émettre la moindre critique à son endroit. © Marianne no. 1151. When God punished Cain for killing Abel, he sent him to the desolate land of Nod, to the east of Eden. East of Eden is the title of a famous novel by John Steinbeck (1902–​68).

Épiphanie nf.      

***

‘Epiphany’ comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning ‘appearance’, and refers to Christ’s presentation to the Magi on the twelfth day of Christmas.

368 Évangile (parole d’)     

It is celebrated in the Christian calendar on 6 January. ‘And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh’ (Entrant alors dans le logis, ils virent l’enfant avec Marie sa mère, et, se prosternant, ils lui rendirent hommage; puis, ouvrant leurs cassettes, ils lui offrirent en présents de l’or, de l’encens et de la myrrhe). See Matthew 2:11. Une des plus belles épiphanies sensuelles de notre littérature © Valeurs actuelles no. 4332. The text concerns the work of Marcel Proust.

Évangile (parole d’)      

**

The gospel truth. Alan Greenspan, dont chaque mot était attendu comme parole d’Évangile, est désormais accusé d’avoir provoqué l’explosion de la bulle immobilière. © Marianne no. 598. Alan Greenspan was the chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006, and what he said was considered to be the gospel truth. In the wake of the US subprime mortgage disaster, he confessed to having made some fundamentally erroneous assumptions about the economy.

Ève      

**

The first woman in creation, said to have been fashioned from one of Adam’s ribs. ‘Adam connut Ève’. Le verbe hébreu qui désigne ici l’union charnelle est le même que celui qui vise ailleurs l’acte de connaissance. © Marianne no. 1162. The words of the author Lionel Naccache.

Exode nm.      

***

Exodus is the title of the second book of the Old Testament, telling the story of the children of Israel leaving Egypt and wandering in the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Exode de forces vives © Les Echos no. 23105. OT. This was the heading of an article about the problem of Italian emigration. Over the last decade 816,000 Italians have left Italy. In 2019, 117,000 people left, over 50 per cent of whom had university qualifications.

faute originelle. La      

**

See below ‘péché originel’.

fils prodigue. Le      

**

‘The Prodigal Son’ is one of the parables of Jesus and appears in Luke 15:11–​ 32. A father has two sons. The younger son asks his father for his share of

grincements de dents nmpl.  369

the inheritance and then leaves the family farm. However, the younger son squanders his fortune, and finally becomes destitute. He decides to return to his father, who welcomes him with open arms. QW.

Genèse nf.      

**

Genesis is the title of the first book in the Bible, from the Latin term meaning ‘birth’ or ‘generation’. ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’ (Au commencement, Dieu créa le ciel et la terre). See Genesis 1:1. Une saga mythique, ouvrage colossal. Témoignages et archives retracent la genèse de Star Wars. Vertigineux. © Télérama no. 3618. This quote refers to the book Les Archives ‘Star Wars’ 1977–​1983 by Paul Duncan.

Golgotha (la première station de)      

***

‘Golgotha’ is the Greek form of the Aramaic word gulgaltha, signifying ‘skull’, or ‘place of a skull’. It was the name of the hill outside the old city of Jerusalem where the Romans crucified convicts. It is a synonym of ‘Calvary’, from the Latin word (calvaria) for skull. It was here that Jesus is said to have suffered his martyrdom. The way of the cross traditionally includes fourteen stations, the most important moments of Christ’s Passion. The first station is the sentencing of Christ, the fourteenth station is when he was placed in the tomb. See Matthew 27:33. It now refers to any painful ordeal. Aujourd’hui, ses ex-​apôtres sifflent sur le passage de son chemin de croix et certains de ses ex-​courtisans en viennent à rêver de son ascension du Golgotha. © Marianne no. 574. This text refers to Nicolas Sarkozy and the disillusion of many of his former followers. See above ‘calvaire’, and ‘chemin de croix’.

Gomorrhe      

***

In Genesis, Gomorrah was one of the two towns destroyed by God in a rain of fire because of the sinful behaviour of its inhabitants. In Hebrew, the name means ‘submersion’. The second town destroyed by fire was Sodom. Gomorra [sic], à côté, c’est de la rigolade. © Le Point no. 2435. A remark made by an inhabitant of one of the poorest quarters of Marseille to describe life there. See below ‘Sodome et Gomorrhe’.

grincements de dents nmpl.      

***

This gives the image of anger or pain. It is the threat of Jesus referring to the suffering in hell that is spoken about (above all) in Matthew: ‘there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth’ (Il y aura des pleurs et des grincements

370 holocauste nm.     

de dents). See Matthew 8:12, 22:13 and 25:30. De quoi envisager une refonte de l’ensemble sans trop de grincements de dents? © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5134. This text refers to the delicate and painful question of reforming the French pension system. See above ‘appelés’, which follows the biblical text mentioning ‘grincement’.

holocauste nm.      

***

From the Greek holos, meaning ‘totally’, and kaustos, meaning ‘burnt’. It refers to a sacrificial ceremony during which the whole of an animal is consumed by the flames, i.e. ‘a burnt offering’. The procedure is laid down in the book of Leviticus: ‘it is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord’ (Cet holocauste sera un mets consumé en parfum d’apaisement pour Yahvé). See Leviticus 1:1–​17. It has since come to be associated with the massacre of the Jews during the Second World War. Les selfies seront-​ils bientôt interdits au mémorial de l’Holocauste, à Berlin? C’est la question qu’on est en droit de se poser tant de nombreux touristes semblent confondre narcissisme low cost et holocauste, le tout dans l’unique but d’être une star sur Instagram. © Marianne no. 1188.

iota nm.      

***

This is the smallest of the letters (ι) in the Greek alphabet, Greek being the language of the Gospels. Today, ‘ι’ means ‘a jot’. ‘For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished’ (Car je vous le dis, en vérité: avant que ne passent le ciel et la terre, pas un i, pas un point sur l’i, ne passera de la loi que tout ne soit réalisé). See Matthew 5:18. Car pendant que la capitale se débarrasse de ses classes populaires, le 16e n’a, lui, pas bougé d’un iota. © L’Obs no. 2842, 25 April–​1 May 2019. Many poor people have been forced to leave Paris, but the affluent 16e arrondissement has not changed.

ivraie nf.      

***

This comes from the parable of the wheat and the tares. ‘But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away’ (Or pendant que les gens dormaient, son ennemi est venu, il a semé à son tour de l’ivraie, au beau milieu du blé, et il s’en est allé). See Matthew 13:24–​30 and 36–​43. Nous avons fait le pari que le lecteur est un adulte et qu’il saura séparer le bon grain de l’ivraie. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4304. This was the remark made in an article on Pierre Drieu la Rochelle. He was a French writer who, through

Judas 371

his anti-​Semitism, became totally disqualified as a writer in the eyes of many. He was described as being a genius who walked hand in hand with the nauseating. The editorial committeee of Valeurs actuelles had a meeting to come to an agreement as to whether or not they should publish a hitherto unpublished piece of work by La Rochelle. Hence the quotation: they opted to publish the article, banking on the maturity of the reader.

jérémiades nfpl.      

***

‘Moaning’. This is a reference to the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, who was famous for his lamentations and complaints made to God, both in the book sharing his name and in the Book of Lamentation. He was a prophet of doom and destruction. ‘Jérémiades’ has come to mean endless whining that ultimately becomes a nuisance to the listeners. Qu’est-​ce que j’ai fait pour mériter cela? Jérémiade reprise à son compte par le spectateur, qui doit supporter pendant deux heures vingt ce succédané de ‘Smoking/​No Smoking’. © Le Nouvel Observateur 2358.2010. This is part of a vitriolic review of the new film Mr Nobody by Jaco Van Dormael. See below ‘prophète de malheur’.

Job (pauvre comme)      

***

‘As poor as Job.’ Job was once a rich man and very pious. On Satan’s insistence, Yahweh decides to test Job’s piety by taking away his wealth and reducing him to extreme poverty. In spite of this, Job continues to worship his god as he sits among the ashes. ‘And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat among the ashes’ (Job prit un tesson pour se gratter et il s’installa parmi les cendres). See Job 2:8. Le laxisme de la justice n’est pas en cause; plutôt le sous-​effectif chronique d’une jurisdiction pauvre comme Job au sein du département le moins riche de la métropole, la Seine-​Saint-​Denis. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5160. See above ‘cendres (se couvrir la tête de)’.

Judas      

***

Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. He betrayed Jesus, with a kiss, in the Garden of Gethsemane. See Matthew 26:48. His name has since become synonymous with betrayal. ‘C’est saint Paul [qui n’était pas l’un des douze apôtres et n’a jamais rencontré Jésus NDLR] qui a construit l’Église’, ose-​t-​il. Et Judas l’un des ‘historiques’ qui a trahi. À bon entendeur. © L’Obs no.  2842, 25 April–​1 May 2019. These are the words of Gérald Darmanin, minister of action and public accounts, in reply to the remark that he was not

372 Jugement de Salomon     

one of the first supporters of Emmanuel Macron. The role of Judas seems to be given to Gérard Colomb, the former minister of the interior, who resigned, although he was one of Macron’s ‘historic’ supporters.

Jugement de Salomon      

**

See below ‘Salomon (Jugement de)’.

Jugement dernier. Le      

***

The Last Judgement, according to the Abrahamic religions, is the day of retribution, the day upon which God manifests his judgement on us for our acts and thoughts. For the Christian religion, we find the last judgement references in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Pourquoi se préoccuper d’une Terre qui sera réduite en poussière par le Jugement dernier? © Le Point no. 2442. KD. The article discusses the reason why ecology is not yet ‘Arab’.

kairos nm.      

*

Chronos is the continuous time of mankind, whereas kairos is the moment chosen by God to intervene in the affairs of men. It is alluded to frequently in the Bible either to a season or a harvest. It has a second, rather different, meaning that resembles carpe diem, ‘seize the day’. Le kairos –​l’art de saisir l’instant –​est pour eux [les hommes politiques NDLR] une pratique politique courante. © L’Obs no. 2844, 9–​15 May 2019. Macron in France, Trump in the USA and Zelensky in Ukraine all seized their chance.

laver les mains (s’en)      

***

‘To wash one’s hands (of an affair)’. This is a reference to Pontius Pilate who, after having proposed to release Jesus, gave in to the demands of the priests and allowed Jesus to be crucified. ‘So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: see ye to it’ (Voyant alors qu’il n’aboutissait à rien, mais qu’il s’ensuivait plutôt du tumulte, Pilate prit de l’eau et se lava les mains en présence de la foule en disant: “Je ne suis pas responsable de ce sang; à vous de voir!”). See Matthew 27:24. La Syrie. Donald Trump semble désormais s’en laver les mains. © Paris Match no. 3676. OO. This text refers to the decision by Trump to withdraw American troops from Syria, leaving the Kurds to fend for themselves.

Léviathan 373

légion adj      

***

This implies the plurality hidden behind what seems to be singular. When Jesus asked a man possessed by the devil what his name was, the man replied ‘My name is Legion for we are many’ (Légion est mon nom . . . car nous sommes beaucoup). See Mark 5:9. See also Luke 8:30. Et futurs bacheliers qui depuis trois jours polluent de leurs récriminations les micros qu’on veut bien leur tendre, et lancent sur le Net des pétitions immédiatement signées par la foule des imbéciles ‘car leur nom est légion’, comme disait le Christ. ©Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. J-​PB. This text refers to the protests of French students sitting their baccalauréat exam, who found the questions too difficult and who have been protesting ever since.

lentilles (un plat de) nfpl.      

***

‘A mess of pottage.’ Esau (Esaü) was starving, and sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a mess of pottage. ‘And Esau said to Jacob “Feed me, I pray thee with that same red pottage; for I am faint” . . . and Jacob said “Sell me this day thy birthright” . . . and he sware unto him and he sold his birthright unto Jacob’ (Esaü dit à Jacob: “Laisse-​moi avaler ce roux, ce roux là; je suis épuisé” . . . Jacob dit:  “Vends-​moi d’abord ton droit d’aînesse” . . . il prêta serment et vendit son droit d’aînesse à Jacob). See Genesis 25:30–​4. Esaü a vendu son droit d’aînesse pour un plat de lentilles. Nestlé, lui, vend ses lentilles. © Les Echos no. 20586. This is a reference to the buyouts and sell-​offs among the giants of the food industry, including Nestlé. NB ‘roux’ is the translation of ‘mess of pottage’ in the Jerusalem Bible, the lentils being red.

Lève-​t oi et marche      

**

‘Arise and walk.’ The words of Christ to the man suffering from palsy. See Luke 5:23, Mark 2:9 and Matthew 9:5. Lève-​toi et marche. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5137. This was the heading of a short article concerning a bogus paraplegic who had simulated his handicap for over 12  years. He was seen disembarking from a plane in Florence without any apparent difficulty.

Léviathan      

**

This was supposed to be a monstrous sea creature that symbolized the forces of evil, the beast of the Apocalypse. ‘The Lord . . . shall punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent and he shall slay the dragon of the sea’ (Yahvé châtiera . . . Léviathan, le serpent fuyard, Léviathan,

374 limbes (dans les) nmpl.     

le serpent tortueux; il tuera le dragon qui habite la mer). See Isaiah 27:1, Job 3:8 and Psalm 74:14. Oui mais on ne saurait reprocher aux énarques de gérer le Léviathan que la classe politique leur confie. © Le Point no. 2434. This text is a reference to the proposed abolition of the top civil service academy l’ÉNA.

limbes (dans les) nmpl.      

***

‘In limbo’. This is a term that does not appear in the Bible but dates from the thirteenth century. From the Latin term limbus, meaning ‘fringe’, ‘margin’, ‘edge’ or ‘border’, it is a region bordering on hell and is supposed to be the last abode of unbaptized children and of righteous people born before the time of Christ. Figuratively speaking, it refers to an indeterminate state, a midway place between two others, a no man’s land. Grande d’Europe et de sa communauté dans les limbes © Le Point no. 2446. BHL. An appreciation of Angela Merkel’s situation as Chancellor of Germany.

‘Malheur à toi’      

**

‘Woe to thee O land, when thy king is a child’ (Malheur à toi, pays dont le roi est un enfant). See Ecclesiastes 10:16. ‘Notre époque voit arriver au-​devant de la scène des enfants rois’ qui ont ‘du mépris des adultes’. © L’Obs no. 2875, 12–​18 December 2019. This is a reference to children (Greta Thunberg) trying to assume a role in politics. See below ‘Messie, messianique’.

Mammon      

**

‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon’ (Vous ne pouvez pas servir Dieu et l’Argent). See Matthew 6:24. ‘Mammon’ has been variously interpreted as the false god of wealth or excessive materialism, and the demon of avarice. Its etymological origin is not so clear. Ruskin avait baptisé le culte du dieu Mammon ‘une religion civile ratée’. © Marianne no 586.

manne nf.      

***

‘Manna’. From the Hebrew mân hou, meaning literally ‘What is it?’. It was the food miraculously provided by God to the children of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness over 40  years. ‘What is it? for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, “It is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat” ’ (‘Qu’est-​ce cela’, car ils ne savaient pas ce que c’était. Moïse leur dit ‘Cela c’est le pain que Yahvé vous a donné à manger’). See Exodus 16:14–​36 and Psalm 105:40. Today, it refers to any providential windfall. En

mer Rouge. La  375

province, les défenseurs du patrimoine jaloux de la manne déversée sur Notre-​ Dame ont tendu leur sébile. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4300. This is a remark made in the wake of the immense and semi-​miraculous amount of money given to the fund to restore Notre-​Dame Cathedral and the jealousy of provincial defenders of the national heritage who feel that they are being left out. NB ‘sébile’ is a begging bowl.

marchands du temple nmpl.      

***

This is a reference to Christ driving the money-​changers and merchants out of the Temple. ‘And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-​changers, and the seats of them who sold the doves’ (Puis Jésus entra dans le Temple et chassa tous les vendeurs et acheteurs qui s’y retrouvaient: il culbuta les tables des changeurs ainsi que les sièges des marchands de colombes). See Matthew 21:12–​13. Comment se moquer de la religion, de l’aveuglement fanatique des marchands du temple et des intégristes de tout genre? © Marianne no. 1188. ODB. The question is asked as to whether the film La Vie de Brian could be made today. It came out in 1979: no fatwas were issued at the time.

Mathusalem (l’âge de/​v ieux comme)      

**

Methuselah: the oldest patriarch mentioned in the Old Testament. According to the Bible he is said to have lived 969 years. ‘And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died’ (Toute la durée de la vie de Mathusalem fut de neuf cent soixante-​neuf ans, puis il mourut). See Genesis 5:27. Today, it refers to either old age or a point in the very distant past. L’économie de marché date de Mathusalem. © Le Point no. 1884.

mer Rouge. La      

*

The crossing of the Red Sea by Moses is part of the biblical story of the flight of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The sea miraculously parted to enable the Israelites to cross over to the other side, but the sea closed over the pursuing Egyptian army. The story can be found in Exodus 14:21–​31. ‘And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back’ (Moïse étendit la main sur la mer, et Yahvé refoula la mer). Et de nouveaux la mer Rouge s’ouvre devant lui. © L’Obs no. 2841, 18–​24 April 2019. VG. This text refers to the exceptional luck of the businessman Arnaud Lagardère.

376 Messie nm., messianique adj.     

Messie nm., messianique adj.      

***

‘Messiah.’ From the Hebrew term ‘the annointed one’, the promised deliverer of the Jews. For Christians, it is Jesus. It is the concept rather than the word that we find in the Bible. Figuratively speaking, it refers to any saviour or liberator of a people or a country. Il se prend pour le messie, peste un ancien ministre, membre de la direction du parti, qui note que Glucksmann se voit déjà en adversaire de Macron en 2022. © Le Point no. 2436. Raphaël Glucksmann was the Socialist Party candidate for the European elections. His score was disappointing.

Moloch      

***

The Hebrew name for ‘king’ but also the name of a cruel Ammonite god and the name of a ritual sacrifice of children in his name. ‘Then did Solomon build an [sic] high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.’ C’est alors que Solomon construisit un sanctuaire à Kemosh, l’abomination de Moab, sur la montagne à l’orient de Jérusalem et à Molèk, l’abomination des Ammonites). See 1 Kings 11:7. Today, it has come to mean anything that requires a very great sacrifice, or the idol of money. L’homme décentré, hier, par le socialisme au profit de l’État Léviathan est escamoté cette fois par le néolibéralisme au profit de l’argent Moloch. © Le Point no. 1876. This text refers to man having been ‘reduced’ in the Soviet system, and ‘damaged’ in the system of the market economy. See above ‘Léviathan’.

multiplication nf.      

***

See below ‘petits pains. La multiplication des’.

Noé      

**

See above ‘Arche de Noé. L’’.

œil pour œil      

**

See below ‘Talion (la loi du)’.

Ô mort, où est ta victoire?      

**

‘O death, where is thy victory, O death, where is thy sting?’ Ô mort, où est ta victoire, Ô mort, où est ton aiguillon?). See 1 Corinthians 15:55. Oxymore,

paradis 377

où est ta victoire? © Le Canard enchaîné no. 4612. This was the heading of an article about a book entitled La Politique de l’oxymore by the intellectual Bertrand Méheust.

paille et la poutre nf.      

***

This refers to the parable of the mote and the beam. ‘And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (Qu’as-​tu à regarder la paille qui est dans l’œil de ton frère? Et la poutre qui est dans ton œil à toi, tu ne la remarques pas!). See Luke 6:41. Mais peut-​être faudrait-​il d’abord ôter la poutre logée dans les yeux des membres de l’UE. © Marianne no. 1154. This text refers to the double standards of the EU, wanting to avert tax evasion on the one hand while being as attractive for investors as possible.

Pandémonium nm.      

**

Strictly speaking, this is not a biblical reference. It comes from the Greek pan (all) and daimon (demon): the abode of all demons. The word was born of the pen of John Milton (1608–​74) the English poet of Paradise Lost, written in 1663 shortly after the end of the Republic and the Restoration of the monarchy in the person of Charles II. It was the name of the palace of Satan, the capital of hell. La flèche de Viollet-​le-​Duc vient de s’effondrer. Elle a basculé dans le vide avant de se disloquer dans la nef, dans un pandémonium de tiges métalliques toutes proches de la fusion. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4299. A comment on the damage done to the Cathedral of Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris in the wake of the fire that destroyed the spire and roof. Pandemonium is now a synonym for disorder and confusion.

paradis      

**

Park, orchard, garden. Paradise is the final resting place of human beings who have been rewarded for their good behaviour on earth. It is a concept mentioned at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis. . . . les barres d’HLM de la Cité des Bosquets, paradis des dealers, à Montfermeil © Valeurs actuelles no.  4299. This was the environment in which Jordan Bardella grew up. He was the head of the Rassemblement National list for the European elections. Montfermeil is a poor town situated in the notorious département of the Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93) in the region Île-​de-​France. A ‘barre’ in social housing and architectural terms is a multi-​tenancy building that is horizontal with fewer storeys, as opposed to a tower block, which has many and is vertically conceived.

378 pardon nm.     

pardon nm.      

***

La bonne foi sera proportionnelle au montant des capitaux cachés puis rapatriés. Donc, il sera beaucoup pardonné à ceux qui ont beaucoup fraudé. Il y a quelque chose de Jésus-​Christ en Éric Woerth. © Marianne 625. This text is the echo of ‘Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much’ (Ses péchés, ses nombreux péchés, lui sont remis, parce qu’elle a montré beaucoup d’amour). See Luke 7:47. The context is the repatriation of the money placed in tax havens by tax evaders. The former minister of budget said that their ‘good faith’ would be taken into account if they repatriated their money.

pardonne-​l eur      

***

‘Forgive them.’ Si y en a que ça les démange d’augmenter les impôts (the words of Nicolas Sarkozy). Et dire que c’est le même [Sarkozy] qui a osé s’incliner sur le cercueil de ce pauvre Druon Maurice [member of the Académie française], pardonne-​lui, il ne sait plus ce qu’il fait. © Le Nouvel Observateur no.  2321.2010. This is yet another frightful example of Nicolas Sarkozy’s poor level of French. The words of Le Nouvel Observateur are a reference to the words of Christ on the cross: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Père, pardonne-​leur, car ils ne savent pas ce qu’ils font). See Luke 23:34.

péché originel nm.      

***

‘Original sin’. In Christian teaching, this refers to the inherent sin or depravity of man stemming from Adam’s original disobedience to God. It refers to the disobedience of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit on the tree of knowledge, which gave them the awareness of good and evil. See Genesis 2:16–​17. Ce ‘blame-​ game’ consistant à faire porter la responsabilité d’un éventuel échec des negotiations sur l’UE. Si tel est le cas, l’explication se trouve dans le camp britannique car ‘le péché originel’ se trouve sur les îles et non sur le continent. © Le Monde no. 23249. The words of Jean-​Claude Juncker, President of the European Commisssion. See below ‘pomme’.

petits pains. La multiplication des      

***

This is a reference to ‘the Feeding of the Five Thousand’, said to have been performed by Jesus with just five loaves and two fishes. ‘And he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake;

pierre d’achoppement nf.  379

and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did all eat and were filled’ (Prenant alors les cinq pains et les deux poissons, il leva les yeux au ciel, les bénit, les rompit, il les donna à ses disciples pour les servir à la foule. Ils mangèrent et furent tous rassasiés). See Luke 9: 6–​17. See also Matthew 14: 19–​20, Mark 6: 41–​42 and John 6: 11–​12. Et elle entend multiplier les fidèles comme les petits pains. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5155. This text refers to a statue of the Virgin built in the Ardèche region in 1946 that has succeeded in attracting 2,000 pilgrims per year. It is hoped that the numbers will multiply in the next few years.

pharisaïsme, pharisiens      

***

The Pharisees (pharisiens) were a fervent religious and political Jewish group in Palestine from the second century b c . They were more concerned with the letter of the law than its spirit. They were the group who tried to ensnare Jesus by asking him trick theological question, such as whether or not it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. The well-​known reply of Jesus was ‘Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?’ (Pourquoi me tentez-​vous, hypocrites?). After looking at a coin bearing the head of Caesar, Jesus gave his famous response: ‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s’ (Rendez à César ce qui est à César, et à Dieu ce qui est à Dieu). See Matthew 22:17–​21. Hypocrisy and ostentatious devotion are the key meanings of ‘pharisaïsme’. Il faut le pharisaïsme et la mauvaise fois de l’ONU, sous les auspices de Michelle Bachelet, que je croyais plus intelligente, pour oser stigmatiser la France dans ses opérations de maintien de l’ordre. © Marianne no. 1149. This refers to the criticism formulated against France in the policing of the gilets jaunes demonstrations. NB the reader should note that these words take a capital letter in English: usually not in French. See below ‘César. Rendre à’. See Chapter 7 ‘auspices’.

pierre d’achoppement nf.      

***

‘A stumbling block’. It was the stone of the Temple in Jerusalem that the unbeliever tripped over. A ‘stone of stumbling’ is mentioned in Isaiah 8:14–​ 15, and we can find it in ‘Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art a stumbling block unto me’ (Arrière de moi, Satan! tu m’es en scandale). See Matthew 16:23. See also Romans 9:32–​33. . . . la difficile question de l’Irlande qui s’est révélée, avec le fameux backstop, la pierre d’achoppement du Brexit © Le Monde no. 23247. The question of the Irish frontier was seen as the stumbling block to Brexit.

380  pierre angulaire nf. (pierre d’angle)     

pierre angulaire nf. (pierre d’angle)      

***

The cornerstone is the fundamental stone that is the symbolic mark of the beginning of the construction of a building. ‘Behold, I  lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone of sure foundation’ (Voici que je vais poser en Sion une pierre, une pierre de granit, pierre angulaire, précieuse pierre de fondation bien assise. See Isaiah 28:16. Le roi reste donc la pierre angulaire du système politique marocain. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4313. AC.

pierre (jeter la première)      

***

‘To cast the first stone’. This refers to the lesson Christ gave the scribes and the Pharisees, who were about to stone an adulterous woman to death. ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her’ (Que celui d’entre vous qui n’a jamais péché lui jette la première pierre). See John 8:7. Que celui qui n’a jamais affrété un avion rempli de prostituées mineures, me jette la première pierre. © Marianne no. 1166. The sarcastic words of Donald Trump in a cartoon published in the wake of the Epstein scandal.

plaies d’Égypte nfpl.      

***

‘Plagues of Egypt’. The various plagues included invasions of frogs, hailstones and locusts, the tenth plague being the death of the firstborn. See Exodus 9–​11. . . . à entendre certains commentateurs, nos voisins seraient de nouveau menacés des pluies de sauterelles © Marianne no. 1188. NP. All sorts of dire warnings are being voiced as to the consequences of Brexit for the British people.

pomme nf.      

**

In the book of Genesis, in spite of God’s warning not to taste the fruit of the forbidden tree, Eve, tempted by the devil, tastes the fruit and invites Adam to do the same. ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it’ (Tu peux manger de tous les arbres du jardin. Mais de l’arbre de la connaissance du bien et du mal, tu ne mangeras pas). See Genesis 2:16–​17. Ces attaques me choquent. Une fois de plus, c’est la femme qui a mangé la pomme. © Marianne no. 1166. EG et LV. This was a remark made in the wake of the scandal involving François de Rugy and the fastuous dinners he gave to friends and acquaintances at the French taxpayers’ expense when he was President of the Assemblée nationale. He was forced to resign as ecology minister.

prophète de malheur nm.  381

Ponce Pilate      

***

Pontius Pilate. He was the procurator, or governor, of Judea. Jesus was arrested and brought before him. But Pilate could not find any proof of wrongdoing and proposed to free Jesus. The crowd wanted Barabbas to be freed and Jesus to be crucified. To appease the crowd, Pilate sentenced Jesus to crucifixion. See Matthew 27:24. Comme ils règlent des prestations, les exploitants régionaux se comportent en Ponce Pilate, ils se lavent les mains du sort des récoltants. © Marianne no. 1157. This text refers to the exploitation of foreign seasonal workers in France. See above ‘laver les mains (s’en)’.

prêcher dans le désert      

***

Vox clamantis in deserto: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness’ (C’est ici la voix de celui qui crie dans le désert). See Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4 and John 1:23. Ils ont prêché dans le désert pendant des années. Ils dénonçaient le capitalisme dévoyé. Qui les a entendus? © Marianne no. 598. Many specialists had been whistle-​blowing about the imminence of a financial crisis, but their warnings went unheeded. This expression means to speak without being heard. But see also Isaiah 40:3, which gives another complexion to this saying with a small punctuation change. Compare the traditional ‘a voice crying in the wilderness’, with Isaiah’s ‘A voice cries: in the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh [Yahvé].’

prophète dans son pays (nul n’est)      

**

Nemo propheta in patria. When Jesus preached in Nazareth, his home town, he was met by the sarcastic remarks of those who had known him in the past, and he replied:  ‘A prophet is not without honour save in his own country and in his own house’ (Un prophète n’est méprisé que dans sa patrie et dans sa maison). See Matthew 13:57 and Luke 4:24. La route du candidat Valls est toutefois semée d’embûches. ‘Nul n’est prophète en son pays natal.’ © Le Point no. 2432. Manuel Valls, socialist former PM of France, stood for election in the Barcelona municipal elections. He was born in Barcelona. He lost.

prophète de malheur nm.      

***

Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, was constantly predicting doom and destruction and was put to death by his fellow citizens. Devant les ‘évidences’, des franges de plus en plus larges du monde intellectuel, politique et scientifique revêtirent les habits de prophète de malheur. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4309. BR.

382 purgatoire nm.     

This remark was made in the light of the apocalyptic predictions concerning global warming. The article’s author, Benoît Rittaud, writes that it is not politically correct to doubt certain aspects of the problem, and describes the perceived scientific agreement on climate catastrophe as le consensus imaginaire.

purgatoire nm.      

***

‘Purgatory’. A place of purification. This is not mentioned as such in the Bible but can be inferred. It was developed as part of Catholic dogma. L’éternité virtuelle sur les réseaux sociaux n’est effectivement pas une mince affaire, car les humains désormais, continuent d’errer comme des fantômes après leur décès physique. Un purgatoire sans fin. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 149. Even after death, one continues to ‘exist’ on the internet. Le Canard cites the ludicrous case of a dead person’s friend receiving a reminder to send the deceased a birthday card.

rendre à César      

***

See above ‘César. Rendre à’.

résurrection nf.      

**

‘He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee’: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again” ’ (Il n’est pas ici; mais il est ressuscité. Rappelez-​vous comment il vous a parlé, quand il était encore en Galilée. Il faut disait-​il que le Fils de l’homme soit livré aux mains des pécheurs, qu’il soit crucifié, et qu’il ressuscite le troisième jour). See Luke 24:6–​7. In the Christian religion, resurrection refers to the passing from death to life. It refers principally to the resurrection of Christ, but there is also the case of Lazarus. According to the Gospels, Christ was crucified on Good Friday, and rose from the death on the following Sunday. Les cyclistes font régulièrement l’expérience de la résurrection: un jour on croit mourir sur le vélo et, le lendemain, on marche super bien. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5150. This was a remark made by a French priest who is also an amateur cyclist.

Salomon (jugement de) nm.      

**

According to the Bible, Solomon was King of Israel in around 970–​931 b c . His wisdom and sense of justice were proverbial. His judgement was solicited

Sicaires 383

by two prostitutes who, living under the same roof, had both given birth to a son during the night. One of the newborn babies had died of suffocation. The ostensible mother of the dead child accused the other of having substituted her dead son and taken the living one. Solomon asked for a sword to be brought and gave orders that the child should be split into two and one half given to each of the mothers. The actual mother of the child who had died agreed to this proposition, while the mother of the living child preferred to renounce her claim in order to save him. On seeing this, Solomon concluded that she must indeed be the real mother and gave her the child. ‘And all Israel heard of the judgement which the King had judged; and they feared the King: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgement’ (Tout Israël apprit le jugement qu’avait rendu le roi, et ils révérèrent le roi car ils virent qu’il y avait en lui une sagesse divine pour rendre la justice). This story can be found in 1 Kings 3:16–​28. Jugement à la Salomon © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5163. This was a reference to Emmanuel Macron and his handling of the clash between two members of his government over the wearing of the islamic veil.

sème le vent, récolte la tempête (qui)      

**

The words are based on the quotation that comes from the Book of Hosea: ‘For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind’ (Puisqu’ils ont semé du vent, ils moissonneront la tempête). See Hosea 8:7. ‘Puisque vous semez le vent vous récolterez la tempête.’ Issue d’un milieu catholique pratiquant Isabelle Kocher aurait dû méditer davantage les saintes écritures. © Challenges no. 641. NS. Isabelle Kocher, the CEO of Engie and the only woman to head a CAC 40 company, has not had her mandate renewed by the Board of Directors. The question is asked, is she a saint and a martyr?

serpent nm.      

**

In the Garden of Eden, it is the snake who tempts Eve and pushes her to taste the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:1–​5. ‘Vous serez comme des dieux’ . . . c’était la promesse que le serpent biblique faisait à Adam et Ève s’ils cueillaient le fruit de l’arbre de la connaissance. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4322. With artificial intelligence and developments in the field of procreation, man seems to have become omnipotent.

Sicaires      

**

The Sicarii were a dissident faction of an extremist Jewish group who tried to drive out the Romans from Judea in the first century a d . Les sicaires du

384 Sodome et Gomorrhe     

PNF, d’ordinaire si molasses, n’auraient-​ils pas pu attendre un peu, par décence? Au rythme où vont les choses, les auditions auront lieu pendant la campagne des municipales et l’ordonnance de renvoi sera publiée la veille du second tour. Ça s’appelle une ingérence judiciaire. © Le Point no. 2443. FOG. Le Parquet national financier (PNF) has recommended that legal action be taken against Nicolas Sarkozy. Certain journalists consider that this authority is acting ‘with indecent haste’ and indirectly interfering in the political process.

Sodome et Gomorrhe      

***

Sodom, in the Bible, is the name of a city destroyed by fire because of the sinfulness of its inhabitants. The neighbouring city of Gomorrah suffered the same fate. ‘And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace’ (Et il jeta son regard sur Sodome et Gomorrhe et sur toute la Plaine, et voici, qu’il vit la fumée monter du pays comme la fumée d une fournaise). Genesis 19:27. Des experts en climatologie ont beau émettre des doutes, la doxa veut que cette calamité satanique soit sans précédent depuis la chute de Sodome et Gomorrhe. © Valeurs actuelles no. 4310 DT. Anyone in France who expresses doubts about global warming is accused of heresy.

stigmates nmpl.      

***

‘Stigmata’. The traces of the wounds suffered by Christ during his crucifixion. Today, it can mean a scar or mark of shame. La collégiale Notre-​ Dame de Montréal (dans l’Yonne) porte en outre les stigmates de deux catastrophes: l’écroulement de son clocher et le cassage, pour cause de vol, de son plus emblématique trésor, un triptyque en ivoire datant de la Renaissance. © Marianne no. 1153. The fire at Notre-​Dame in Paris has attracted attention to many other churches that are in danger.

Tables de la Loi nfpl.      

**

Lex Duodecim Tabularum (the Law of the Twelve Tables) represent the first body of written Roman law. They are also the tablets upon which were written the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses. ‘And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest’ (Yahvé dit à Moïse, Taille deux tables de pierre semblables aux premières, et j’écrirai sur les tables les paroles qui étaient sur les premières tables que tu as brisées). See Exodus 34:1–​4. Les tables de la loi de la réforme, immuables, c’est que 1 euro

tohu-bohu nm.  385

cotisé génère les mêmes droits pour tous. © Le Point no. 2436. This text refers to the principle underlying the reform of the French pension scheme.

talion (la loi du)      

***

Lex talionis, from the Latin word talis, meaning ‘such’ or ‘the same’. Talion law can be found in the most ancient code of law, i.e. the Hammurabi Code of the Kingdom of Babylon. It is a law that requires punishment in kind for the crime committed. It is thus represented by the expression ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’. ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe’ (Œil pour œil, dent pour dent, pied pour pied, brûlure pour brûlure, meurtrissure pour meurtrissure, plaie pour plaie). See Exodus 21:24–​5. Il faudrait accepter l’idée d’une loi du talion mondialisée (pis même, puisque 50 morts en provoqueraient 350). © Marianne no. 1154. This text refers to the Muslims killed in a mosque in New Zealand and the Christians killed in churches in Sri Lanka in a tit-​for-​ tat killing. NB Hammurabi was King of Babylon from 1793 b c to 1750 b c .

Terre promise nf.      

**

Israel was the Promised Land that God had promised the Israelites when they left Egypt. Before attaining the Promised Land they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. ‘In that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I  given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates’ (Ce jour-​là, Dieu conclut avec Abram une alliance, en disant:  À ta descendance j’ai donné cette terre, depuis le fleuve d’Égypte jusqu’au grand fleuve, le fleuve Euphrate). See Genesis 15:18. Israël, la terre promise des séries © Le Point no. 2475. Within 15 years, Israel has become a master in the area of TV serials. See above ‘Exodus’ and ‘lait et de miel’. NB Abraham is known as ‘Abram’ until Genesis 17:5. He changes his name to ‘Abraham’ to mark the start of his new covenant with God.

tohu-​b ohu nm.      

***

Hubbub or noisy confusion. From the Hebrew term tôhû-​wâbôhû, which describes the original chaos before the creation of the world. ‘And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep’ (Or la terre était vide et vague, les ténèbres couvraient l’abîme). See Genesis 1:2. Le tohu-​ bohu du Brexit montre, une fois de plus dans l’Histoire, que les départs précipités des Britanniques ont toujours des conséquences funestes. © Le Point no. 2459. LdeB. This article draws attention to other such cases in history: the British

386 traversée du désert nf.     

withdrawal from India, which provoked a bloodbath; the withdrawal from Palestine; etc.

traversée du désert nf.      

***

Usually, time spent in the political wilderness. A reference to the wanderings of the children of Israel, led by Moses for over 40 years before they arrived in the Promised Land. This reminds us of the 40 days Christ spent in the wilderness and of the time that Abraham spent there too. ‘They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai’ (Ils partirent d’Elim, et toute la communauté des Israélites arriva au désert de Sîn, situé entre Elim et le Sinaï). See Exodus 16:1–​2. It is a period of hardship and rejection to which a politician is condemned before coming to power. The examples of Churchill and de Gaulle spring to mind. Conscient que les Français aiment les présidents avant d’être élus, dès lors qu’ils ont beaucoup souffert, M. Macron en est à nous raconter, en exhibant ses faux stigmates, une histoire improbable de traversée du désert qui, au pire, ne fut que celle d’un bac à sable. © Le Point no. 2434. See above ‘stigmates’.

Tu ne tueras point      

**

This commandment may be found in Exodus 20:13: ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (Tu ne tuera pas). ‘Oui à la vie’, ‘tu ne tueras point’. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5142. On the gates of the hospital where Vincent Lambert was being treated, these phrases were exposed on placards. He had been in a coma for the past ten years and the decision was taken to cease feeding and hydrating him.

vaches grasses, les années de nfpl.      

**

‘A period of wealth and plenty’. The seven fat kine and the seven lean kine were in Pharaoh’s dream, which was interpreted by Joseph. ‘And behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well favoured and fatfleshed’ (il vit monter du Nil sept vaches de belle apparence et grasses de chair). See Genesis 41:2. Mais en France, vaches maigres ou grasses, ce n’est jamais le bon moment. © Le Point no. 1914. This text refers to the difficulty of introducing reform in France whatever the economic situation may be.

vaches maigres nfpl.      

***

‘Shortage and privation’. The years of lean kine in Pharaoh’s dream were interpreted by Joseph as years of shortage. ‘And behold seven other kine came

veau sacré nm.  387

up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed’ (Mais voici que sept autres vaches montèrent du Nil derrière elles, laides d’apparence et maigres de chair). See Genesis 41:3. Le théâtre, qui catalogue moins, lui permet de jouer Brecht, Camus, Audiberti, Anouilh, qui le traitera de baroque créateur de cirque. Mais au cinéma, ce sont les vaches maigres. © Le Point no. 2435. This quote concerns the late Jean-​Pierre Marielle, whose success in the cinema was late in coming. After the flop of one of his films, he spent ten years in the wilderness.

vade retro Satana(s)      

***

‘Get thee behind me, Satan’ (Passe derrière moi, Satan!). A medieval Catholic formula used in exorcism, having its origin in Mark 8:33. See also Matthew 16:23. . . . les strauss-​khaniens ont dressé les barricades; et tous ont sonné le rassemblement. Vade retro Ségolène. © Marianne no.  604. The socialist old guard is doing everything possible to sabotage Ségolène Royal’s chances of regaining the party leadership.

Veau d’or nm.      

***

‘The Golden Calf’. After leaving Egypt, Moses left the children of Israel and ascended Mount Sinai in order to receive the Tables of the Law. Impatient, the children of Israel pressed Aaron the priest to build a golden calf with the women’s jewellery. It was melted down and a golden calf was built, and the children of Israel fell down in adoration before it. On seeing this on his return, Moses smashed the Tables of the Law. Idols were expressly forbidden by the Third Commandment. ‘And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears and brought them unto Aaron. And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf’ (Tout le peuple ôta les anneaux d’or qui étaient à leurs oreilles, et ils les apportèrent à Aaron. Il reçut l’or de leurs mains, le fit fondre dans un moule et en fit une statue de veau). See Exodus 32:3–​4. Today, it refers to the adoration of money. Dénoncer la logique d’accumulation inhérente au capitalisme, contester la sacralisation du veau d’or via une fiscalité fondamentalement redistributive . . . © Marianne no. 1177. JD.

veau sacré nm.      

**

Nous voudrions tant partager ce combat contre l’avilissement des puissants devant le veau sacré. © Marianne no.  586. Marianne wishes to combat the debasing of the political elite, which seems to believe that ‘dough’ and ‘success’ are synonymous. See above ‘Veau d’or’.

388 Vierge     

Vierge      

**

Souvenez-​vous que le drapeau européen avec ses douze étoiles, inventé vers 1950 par un peintre strasbourgeois très catholique, vient de l’Apocalypse de saint Jean, où la Vierge réapparaît dans le ciel entourée de douze étoiles d’or. © L’Obs no. 2845, 16–​22 May 2019. This text suggests a biblical origin for the European flag.

voie étroite nf.      

***

‘Enter ye by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many be they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate and straitened the way that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it’ (Entrez par la porte étroite. Large, en effet, et spacieux est le chemin qui mène à la perdition, et il en est beaucoup qui s’y engagent; mais étroite est la porte et resserré le chemin qui mène à la Vie et il en est peu qui le trouvent). See Matthew 7:13–​14. Les syndicats cherchent le chemin étroit de l’unité. © Les Echos no. 20598. This is a reference to the conflicting opinions of the French unions concerning the propositions of the government to deal with the major problem posed by retirement and the reform of pension schemes. See above ‘chemin étroit’.

voie royale nf.      

**

‘The King’s highway’. The safest and surest way. In ancient times this was the caravan ‘ring road’, an itinerary bordering the desert beyond the River Jordan and the Dead Sea. It was the route that the Israelites wanted to take to reach the Promised Land by going through the kingdom of Edom. ‘We will go along the King’s highway, we will not turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left until we have passed thy border’ (Nous suivrons la route royale sans nous écarter à droite ou à gauche, jusqu’à ce que nous ayons traversé ton territoire). See Numbers 20:17. One might say that going to l’ÉNA is the ‘voie royale’ for anyone thinking of working in the higher echelons of the French civil service. Écoles post-​prépa: Leur programme grande école constitue la voie royale pour les futurs managers. © Challenges no. 635. LEH. This text discusses the new business schools that do not require potential entrants to do a ‘prépa’. See Chapter 9 ‘Grandes écoles’.

voies du Seigneur nfpl.      

***

‘My kingdom is not of this world’ (Mon royaume n’est pas de ce monde) –​ see John 18:36; and ‘how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past tracing out’ (Que ses jugements sont insondables, et ses voies incompréhensibles) –​ see

zizanie (semer la)  389

Romans 11:33. Tourisme spirituel. Embouteillage sur les voies du Seigneur. Réputées impénétrables, elles attirent beaucoup de monde en vacances. © Les Dossiers du Canard no. 152. NB the pun on ‘voies’: ‘paths’ or ‘ways’ in the biblical context but ‘lanes’ in the context of motorways.

voile (écarter/​l ever le)      

***

‘To lift the veil’ is the equivalent of ‘to reveal’ or ‘to disclose’ and comes from the Greek word apokalupsis. This word gives its name to the last book of the Bible, ‘Apocalypse’  –​i.e. ‘Revelation’. Plusieurs documents auxquels Marianne a eu accès permettent de lever quelque peu le voile sur le fonctionnement de l’association ‘l’Amicale du Trésor’, association de copinage entre hauts fonctionnaires et banquiers les liens incestueux entre Bercy et le monde de la finance. © Marianne no. 1150. This text underlines the ‘incestuous’ relationship of the senior civil service and the banking sector in France. See Chapter 10 ‘Amicale du Trésor’.

vulgate nf.      

***

The Latin version of the Bible by St Jerome in the fourth century, serving as an authorized version for the Roman Catholic Church. In French, the term is used as ‘commonly accepted’ and can mean ‘a doctrine’. Ils n’ont connu que la vulgate néolibérale qui théorisait l’inutilité de réfléchir. © Marianne no. 602. This is a reference to the neo-​liberal economists who were brought up to believe that there was no point in reflecting about market forces because ‘the invisible hand’ of the market would take care of everything. See Chapter 5 ‘main invisible. La’.

zélote      

***

Among the ancient Jews, a zealot was a member of a radical political and religious sect who resisted Roman rule in Palestine. It now means people who will go to excessive lengths to defend their beliefs. ‘Zélote’ derives from the Greek zelos, meaning ardour, emulation and admiration. Autre zélote de l’effondrement, l’ex-​ministre de l’environnement préconise quant à lui, le retour à la traction hippomobile, c’est-​à-​dire aux carrioles à cheval. © Le Point no. 2430. An ironic comment made by the intellectual and novelist Pascal Bruckner in response to the ambient catastrophism in France.

zizanie (semer la)      

***

‘To provoke discord’. ‘Zizanie’ is considered to be the bad grain, in contrast to the good. ‘But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among

390  Annex 1 Biblical references

the wheat’ (Mais pendant que les gens dormaient, son ennemi vint, sema de l’ivraie parmi le blé). See Matthew 13:25. ‘Semer la zizanie’ is to create tension. Une pomme de discorde. Depuis deux ans, un projet de décret sème la zizanie dans le monde des cidriers. © Le Canard enchaîné no. 5134. The artisan producers of cider are up in arms against the proposals to modify the ingredients that can go into the industrially produced ciders. See above ‘ivraie’. See Chapter 7 ‘pomme’.

ANNEXES Annex 1 Biblical references Here is a list of additional biblical references that have enriched the French language and that the reader of the general French press will certainly encounter. Biblical expressions

Sources

‘Aimez-​vous les uns les autres.’ Archange Arche de Noé voir Déluge argent, trente pièces d’ ‘Au commencement était le Verbe.’ Babel Baiser de Judas, le Béhémoth Belzébuth Bête de l’Apocalypse brandons Cain ‘Suis-​je le gardien de mon frère?’ Cana, les noces de Cène, la chameau et le chas d’une aiguille, le ‘Cherchez et vous trouverez.’ Colombe de paix De profundis: ‘Des profondeurs je crie vers toi, Yahvé.’ Déluge, le ‘derniers seront les premiers. Les’ Fiat lux et facta est lux: ‘Que la lumière soit, et la lumière fut.’ fosse aux lions, Daniel dans la fruit défendu, le Géhenne ‘Heureux les’ . . . Béatitudes Judith ‘Laissez les petits enfants . . .’ ‘lait et de miel, une terre qui ruisselle de’ Lazare ‘la lumière fut’ (and see above, Fiat) Mammon marcher sur l’eau

John 13:34 Luke 1:30–​2 Genesis 7:13–​22 Matthew 26:15 John 1:1 Genesis 11:1, 4, 7 Luke 22:47, 48 Job 40:15–​16 Mark 3:22 Revelation 13:18 Judges 15:5 Genesis 4:1–​9 John 2:1–​10 Matthew 26:26–​8 Matthew 19:24 Luke 11:9 Genesis 8:11 Psalms 130:1 Genesis 7:13–​22 Matthew 20:16 Genesis 1:3 Daniel 6:22 Genesis 2:17 Matthew 5:30 Matthew 5:3–​12 Matthew 19:14 Exodus 33:3 John 11:43–​4 Genesis 1:3 Matthew 6:24 Matthew 14:22–​33

Annex 2 Translation traps  391 ‘Ne me touche pas.’ olivier nm. ‘plusieurs demeures dans la maison de mon Père. Il y a’ porter sa croix Rois Mages Salomé ‘temps pour tout. Il y a un’ ‘Tu ne tueras point.’ Vanitas, vanitatum

John 20:17 Genesis 8:8–​12 and Matthew 21:8 John 14:2 Matthew 16:24 Matthew 2:1–​2 Matthew 14:1–​11 Ecclesiastes 3:1 Exodus 20:13 Ecclesiastes 1:1

Annex 2 Translation traps Here are a few translation considerations for non-​English-​speaking readers. The difference between modern French and biblical French is not so marked as the difference between modern English and biblical English. French term

Modern English term

English biblical term

à avancer brisa colère désert descendance fait frappa jeter laissez les petits enfants lança ne viens pas paille plat plat de lentilles près prostituée regardez sauterelle savaient soir tien/​tienne toi ton/​ta tu vaches voyez vous

to to come forward broke anger desert descendants does struck to throw let the little children threw don’t come straw platter dish of lentils near prostitute look grasshopper knew evening yours you yours you cows see you

unto to come forth brake wrath wilderness seed doth smote to cast suffer the little children slang come not mote charger mess of potage nigh harlot lo locust wist eventide thine thee (object case) thy thou (nominative) kine behold ye (nominative plural)

NB ‘thine’ is usually the possessive pronoun but can be the possessive adjective when followed by a word beginning with a vowel. Thus, from the Lord’s Prayer: ‘thy kingdom come’, but from Ode to the West Wind by Shelley we have ‘Thine azur sister of the Spring shall blow.’

392  Annexe 3 Translation of the Old and New Testaments

Annexe 3 Translation of the titles of the books of the Old and New Testaments Books of the Old Testament

Livres de l’Ancien Testament

Amos 1 and 2 Chronicles Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Genesis Habakkuk Haggai Hosea Isaiah Jeremiah Job Joel Jonah Joshua Judges 1 and 2 Kings Lamentations Leviticus Malachi Micah Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Obadiah Proverbs Psalms Ruth 1 and 2 Samuel Song of Songs Zechariah Zephaniah

Amos Les Livres des Chroniques Daniel Le Deutéronome Le Livre de l’Ecclésiaste Esther L’Exode Ézékiel Le Livre d’Esdras La Genèse Habaquq Aggée Osée Isaïe Jérémie Job Joël Jonas Le Livre de Josué Le Livre des Juges Les Livres des Rois Les Lamentations Le Lévitique Malachie Michée Nahum Le Livre de Néhémie Le Livre des Nombres Abdias Les Proverbes Les Psaumes Le Livre de Ruth Les Livres de Samuel Le Cantique des cantiques Zacharie Sophonie

Books of the New Testament

Livres du Nouveau Testament

Acts Colossians 1 and 2 Corinthians Ephesians Galatians Hebrews James

Les Actes des Apôtres. L’Épître aux Colossiens 1re et 2e Épître aux Corinthiens L’Épître aux Éphésiens L’Épître aux Galates L’Épître aux Hébreux L’Épître de saint-​Jacques

Annexe 3 Translation of the Old and New Testaments  393 1, 2, 3 John John Jude Luke Mark Matthew 1 and 2 Peter Philemon Philippians Revelation Romans 1 and 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 Timothy Titus

1re, 2e et 3e Épître de saint-​Jean L’Évangile selon saint-​Jean L’Épître de saint-​Jude L’Évangile selon saint-​Luc L’Évangile selon saint-​Marc L’Évangile selon saint-​Matthieu 1re et 2e Épître de saint-​Pierre L’Épître à Philémon L’Épître aux Philippiens Apocalypse L’Épître aux Romains 1re et 2e Épître aux Thessaloniciens 1re et 2e Épître à Timothée L’Épître à Tite

Chapter 9

Institutional and academic references

Il est sorti dans la botte à l’X.

This is not a tourist’s guide to Paris! It is an analysis of those institutional and academic references that are referred to constantly in the press and for which bilingual dictionary translations are insufficient. The traditional bilingual dictionary is, of necessity, concerned with the translation of words, and not the translation of the cultural significance behind those words. If students look up the French body La caisse des dépôts et consignations in a bilingual dictionary, they will find the following translation: ‘the deposit and consignment office’. This is not a great help in understanding what the CDC really is. It is the aim of this chapter to provide the reader with a more meaningful description of such terms.

Académie. L’      

**

The Académie is an administrative echelon of the ministry of education that enables application of national policy at the local level. It is represented at the level of the département by the Recteur. The Académie liaises with the local authorities for the various levels of education as follows: with the communes for nursery schools, with the départements for secondary schools teaching students up to the age of 14 and with the régions for secondary education from age 14 up to school-​leaving exam level.

Académie des sciences. L’      

**

This is one of the five Académies that are collectively represented under the name L’Institut de France. It was founded in 1666 on the initiative of Jean-​ Baptiste Colbert and was aimed at promoting scientific research. Today, it is made up of French scientists and foreign associates who publish findings, give

Alsacienne. L’École  395

conferences and play the role of guardian of the French language in the scientific sphere. It also has a role in promoting international scientific relations.

Académie française. L’      

**

The Académie française was founded in 1634 by Cardinal Richelieu during the reign of Louis XIII. It is one of the oldest institutions in France. The Académie is made up of 40 members who are elected by their peers. Its original role was to lay down the rules of the French language, to guarantee its purity and eloquence, and to enable it to address the arts and the sciences. Today, it defines correct usage of the French language and produces Le Dictionnaire de l’Académie, the first edition of which appeared in 1694. Via its recommendations, the Académie contributes to various commissions set up to determine specific terminology. The 40 members are known as Les Immortels. This nickname derives from the motto on the seal granted to the Académie by Richelieu –​ À l’immortalité –​which refers to the French language and not to the members of the Académie. For official ceremonies, the Académie sessions take place under the Coupole of the Institut de France. Its members have a green uniform (‘l’habit vert’) and a two-​pointed cocked hat. Members come from the ranks of poets, novelists, statesmen and men of science who have, in some way, contributed to defending the French language. It is located on the quai de Conti in the 6e arrondissement of Paris. See Chapter 12 ‘Coupole. La’.

agrégé(e) nmf.      

**

An agrégé is someone who has passed the highly competitive university examination known as the agrégation. Agrégés are normally recruited as teachers, either in very good secondary schools or in certain faculties. Familiarly known as the agrég, this diploma dates back to Colbert in the seventeenth century. NB la licence and la maîtrise are examens, whereas l’agrégation is a concours.

Alsacienne. L’École      

**

This is a private, non-​denominational school under contract with the State and situated in the rue Notre-​Dame des Champs in the 6e arrondissement in Paris. It was founded in 1874 by people from Alsace, from the Gymnase Jean-​Sturm, founded by the humanist Johannes Sturm, who fled Alsace after the defeat of the French Army at the hands of the Prussians in 1870. It has always been famous for its avant-​garde methods, and teaches children from nursery up to school-​leaving age. Given the selection procedure, it is inevitably

396 arrondissement. L’     

considered to be one of the best, but also one of the most socially selective, schools in Paris.

arrondissement. L’      

**

The arrondissements as we know them today were created in 1800 and are the administrative subdivisions of the départements. There are three types: arrondissements of a big city such as Paris, arrondissements of the départements and the special coastal zones. The arrondissements of the départements are under the authority of the sous-​préfet. There are 325 in France. Arrondissement comes from the verb arrondir. In Paris, the 1er arrondissement is in the very centre of Paris. If one draws a naïve picture of a snail with a helix in the clockwise direction, each circle bigger than the one before, one can visualize the positions of the arrondissements. Numbers 1 to 6 are in the centre, whereas 12 to 20 are on the periphery.

Article 49.3. L’      

**

This is the article of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic that allows the government to push through legislation without a parliamentary vote.

Assemblée nationale. L’      

**

This is the name of the lower house of the French Parliament (the upper house being Le Sénat). The first Assemblée nationale (the Constituent) was proclaimed in Versailles by the Third Estate on 17 June 1789 shortly after the reunion of the Estates General in May. Today’s Assemblée nationale is made up of 577 members called députés, who are elected by direct universal suffrage, in a two-​round election with a simple majority in the second ballot. The building that houses the lower chamber is known as the Palais Bourbon, which is the metonymical name of the Assemblée nationale. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the 7e arrondissement. Parliamentary debates take place in the hémicycle and the sessions are chaired by the President of the Assemblée, who sits at a place called le perchoir.

Balard      

**

The central administration of the ministry of defence has been located here since 2014. Known as the ‘Hexagone’, Balard is located in the 15e arrondissement of Paris. The ministry proper is located at the Hôtel de Brienne. See below ‘Hôtel de Brienne’.

Collège de France. Le  397

Caisse des dépôts et consignations. La      

***

This is a public, financial institution placed under the direct authority of Parliament. It was created in 1816 in an attempt to restore confidence in the public finances in the wake of the Napoleonic wars. The motto of this institution is Foi publique (‘Public faith’). It has a general-​interest role, which it fulfils for the State and local authorities. It manages the savings deposited in the Livret A savings account, as well as funds deposited with the notary public in the course of real-​estate operations. It is also a big institutional investor. It can be seen as the financial arm of the State. It is located in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. See Chapter 12 ‘vieille maison de la rue de Lille. La’.

canton nm.      

*

The départements are divided into arrondissements départementaux, which in turn can be subdivided into cantons, which we can describe as being the lowest unit in the electoral hierarchy. The canton elects the member who will represent it at the level of the Conseil général of the département.

Chambre 17 ème nf.      

***

La 17e chambre is the court specializing in cases involving the press at the county court of Paris. Its frame of reference is the law of 29 July 1881. Its role is to find the golden mean between freedom of expression on the one hand, and respect for persons on the other (libel, personal privacy etc.).

Chambre régionale des comptes. La      

**

With the movement towards decentralization that began in 1982 were created the Chambres régionales des comptes, which can be seen as the regional ramifications of the central Cour des Comptes in Paris. They are responsible for monitoring how public money is being spent in the regions by public authorities, the balance of the budget, the conformity of expenditure with accounting rules, and the truth and fairness of the accounts presented.

Collège de France. Le      

***

It was founded by François Ier  in 1530, was initially called the Collège des Trois Langues (Latin, Greek and Hebrew were taught there) and later became Le Collège des lecteurs royaux. In 1870, it was renamed Collège de France. It is one of the most illustrious institutions of French higher education, which is

398 commune nf.     

dedicated to teaching and research that aim to be universal, hence the motto of the Collège: Docet omnia (‘Teach all things’). Lectures of a very high level are given in a broad spectrum of subjects:  maths, physics, natural science, philosophy, sociology. The courses are non-​diplômants, i.e. they do not lead to any qualifications. They are open to the general public without any prior enrolment. To be appointed to teach at the Collège de France is one of the greatest honours for a teacher. Located in the Latin Quarter, the Collège is not far from the Sorbonne in the 5e arrondissement of Paris.

commune nf.      

***

The commune is the smallest local government entity in the institutional hierarchy. It is governed by the town council headed by the mayor, whose powers are extensive. Communes can differ enormously in geographical coverage, from the smallest village to a great urban area. There are 36,686 communes in France. They were created in 1789, during the Revolution, to replace the former parishes (paroisses). See Chapter 6 ‘Commune’.

Congrès du Parlement. Le      

*

This is the name given to the gathering of the two chambers of the French Parliament (Sénat and Assemblée nationale) in the Palace of Versailles for a vote involving any change to the Constitution.

Conseil constitutionnel. Le      

***

Le Conseil constitutionnel was set up by the Constitution of 1958 and is one of the Fifth Republic’s major institutions. Its main role is to ensure that the laws and processes of the Republic are consistent with the Constitution. It is composed of nine members, three chosen by the President of the Republic, three by the Senate and three by the National Assembly. The period of office is nine years. All former Presidents of the Republic are ex-​officio members. Its members are known as les Sages (the wise elders). It is located in the Palais Royal in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. The metonymical term Palais Royal can refer to this institution.

Conseil de l’Ordre. Le      

***

This is the name of the governing body of a given profession, such as doctor, lawyer, dentist, chartered accountant etc. The Conseils were set up in 1940 by

Conseil régional. Le  399

Maréchal Pétain. They are also the disciplinary bodies to which complaints may be made by the general public, e.g. for breaches of the code of ethics.

Conseil d’État. Le      

***

As its name suggests, one of the two main roles of the Conseil d’État is to advise the government. It is always consulted for its opinion on bills before they are submitted to the Council of Ministers. The second role is judicial. Just as the Cour de cassation is the highest jurisdiction in the land (the supreme court of appeal), so the Conseil d’État is the highest administrative jurisdiction (i.e. for cases involving the government, administration and public authorities). It can act as a court of appeal in disputed elections, and as a court of ‘cassation’ in other ‘administrative’ cases. The origins of the Conseil d’État go back to the thirteenth century. The old names dating from the Ancien Régime, such as Conseiller d’État and Maître des requêtes, are still used. In its present form, the Conseil d’État dates from the Consulat of 1799. There are approximately 350 members of the Conseil d’État, most of whom have been recruited from l’ÉNA. The metonymical name for the Conseil d’État is the Palais Royal, in which it has been headquartered since 1874 in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. Some people become members by way of a discretionary decision called tour extérieur, which is simply the will of the prince often exercised to reward faithful followers. See below l’ÉNA.

Conseil général. Le      

**

We may refer to this as the rough equivalent of a county council, its members having been elected by the population in the cantonal elections. Following the laws on decentralization in 1982 and 1983, the Conseil général has become the executive and decision-​making authority at the level of the département. Its powers of decision are very broad, involving areas such as schooling, roads, transport, employment, the environment, culture etc. After the renewal of the departmental assemblies in 2015, this structure became known as le Conseil départemental.

Conseil régional. Le      

**

The territorial organization of France is based on four levels: l’État, la région, le département and la commune. Le Conseil régional is elected by universal suffrage, and its scope of intervention, following the laws of decentralization mentioned above, is the same as that of the Conseil départemental, but at the

400 Constitution de 1958. La     

regional level –​i.e. questions involving secondary education, transport, economic policy etc.

Constitution de 1958. La      

**

It was against the backdrop of chronic political instability and of the political crisis provoked by the Algerian War and the putsch of the generals that de Gaulle returned to power in June 1958. He immediately organized a referendum on 28 September 1958, setting up a political system of a presidential type, with extended personal powers given to the President. Elections were held, and de Gaulle, via direct universal suffrage, was elected President of the Fifth Republic and took office in January 1959. The architect of the Constitution was Michel Debré.

corps constitués. Les      

***

This is the name given to the various bodies set up under the terms of the Constitution or by the law of the land. At the national level it includes the National Assembly, the Senate, the Constitutional Council etc. At a local level, the name refers to the legal, administrative and municipal authorities.

corpsard nm.      

**

This is the name of a senior civil servant belonging to one of the technical grands corps. In Polytechnique slang, it refers to a graduate engineer who, being dans la botte (See Chapter  10 ‘botte. La’) chooses his or her école d’application among the most prestigious, i.e. Mines or Ponts et Chaussées. An école d’application is a school more specialized in a given field of study.

La Cour de cassation      

***

The Supreme Court of appeal. It is the highest level of jurisdiction in the French legal system. It is not a third-​level court and does not retry a court case. It merely verifies that the law has been abided by in the conduct of the proceedings at the lower levels of jurisdiction. If this has not been the case, the court “casse” –​i.e. annuls –​the decision of the lower appeal court and imposes a retrial of the case at another appeal court known as the Cour d’appel de renvoi. There is only one Cour de cassation in France and it is located within the Palais de Justice, quai de l’Horloge in the 1er arrondissement of Paris.

département nm.  401

Cour des comptes. La      

**

This is the name of the public accounting office, the origins of which can be traced back to the curia regis of the Middle Ages. Today its role is to monitor the receipts and expenditures of government entities and to ensure that these have been carried out in conformity with public accounting rules. The Cour des comptes (CDC) is the entity that supervises the management of public funds; this includes the accounts of the State, the department of social security, publicly owned companies, or even private companies enjoying State support. There are 13 metropolitan regional chambers of the court, which verify the accounts of local authorities. The members of the CDC are magistrates recruited principally from l’ÉNA. The CDC publishes an annual report and can express reservations about the ‘fairness and truth’ of the accounts of the State. The implementation of its recommendations, however, is not mandatory. The metonymical name for the Cour des comptes is rue Cambon, the name of the street in which it is located in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. See Chapter 12 ‘Cambon. Rue’.

Dauphine      

**

Originally known as l’université de Paris-​IX, it was founded in 1971 and specializes in social sciences, management and economics. It is situated near la Porte Dauphine, in the 16e arrondissement of Paris, hence its adopted name. Over 9,000 students are enrolled there, of whom over 600 are doctorants, i.e. Ph.D. students.

département nm.      

***

Under the Ancien Régime, France was divided into regions known as généralités. These were replaced by the départements under a decree issued by the National Constituent Assembly in 1790. The département was supposed to be small enough to allow anyone on the periphery to reach the chef-​lieu (i.e. the most important town, generally located in the geographical centre, and the heart of the local administrative system) within 12 hours, on horseback. They frequently take their name from the names of rivers, e.g. le Cher, l’Essonne, l’Ardèche etc. They were supposed to break down the power blocks of the Ancien Régime and to contribute to a more balanced distribution of power. The government’s representative in the département is the Préfet. Each département has a number, in most cases derived from its position in the alphabetical list of département names. Thus, Ain (01), Finisterre (29), Nord (59). This number corresponds both to the postal code and to a

402 Domaine. Le     

car’s registration plates. The last two digits on a number plate, e.g. 91, indicate that the car was registered in the département of the Essonne. This has changed with the introduction of the new car number plate plan. Sentimental drivers will still be able to put the number of their département on their registration plates, but this is no longer an integral part of the registration number of the car in question; it may or may not be the number of the département in which the vehicle is registered.

Domaine. Le      

*

This is the name given to the government department that manages all the property of the State, including real estate, car fleets etc.

École nationale supérieure des mines. L’       *** During the eighteenth century, with the boom in the mining industry, it was obvious that specialized teaching in this area was needed. It was in 1783, by royal order, that the first École des mines was created. Today, it is one of the most prestigious of France’s technical grandes écoles and is located in the 6e arrondissement of Paris.

École normale supérieure. L’      

***

See below ‘normale supérieure. L’École’.

Élysée. Le Palais de l’      

***

Situated in the rue Faubourg Saint-​Honoré in the 8e arrondissement, this has been the official residence of the President of the Republic since 1873. It was here that Napoleon signed his second abdication after the defeat at Waterloo in 1815. See Chapter 7 ‘Élysées (les champs)’.

ÉNA. L’ (Éna)      

***

The École nationale d’administration is one of the most prestigious of the French grandes écoles (d’application). It was created in 1945 with a view to democratizing access to the higher echelons of the French civil service. Each ‘year’, or promotion, bears a name chosen by the students themselves. Under the Fifth Republic, l’ÉNA has produced two Presidents (Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and Jacques Chirac), several Prime Ministers (Laurent Fabius, Édouard Balladur, Michel Rocard, Alain Juppé, Dominique de Villepin,

grandes écoles. Les  403

Lionel Jospin), and a host of various ministers and company chairmen. It has also produced an alarming number of people who have been sentenced by the courts of the Republic for various forms of corruption, or who have been involved in corporate disasters. See Chapter 11. Originally located in the rue des Saints Pères in Paris, l’ÉNA has relocated to Strasbourg as part of a decentralization programme. The excepionally high achievers (la botte) can choose the most prestigious corps for their career i.e. l’Inspection générale des finances, le Conseil d’État or la Cour des comptes . . . in that order!

Ginette      

*

Ginette is the affectionate nickname for one of the most illustrious of the écoles préparatoires in France, l’École Sainte-​Geneviève. It is situated in Versailles in the département of the Yvelines (78). It is a private lycée that prepares students for the highly competitive entrance examinations to France’s top schools, the grandes écoles, such as Polytechnique, Saint-​Cyr, HEC, Navale, Essec. Ginette was originally managed and staffed by the Jesuits. This is no longer the case.

Gonzague      

*

See below ‘Saint-​Louis-​de-​Gonzague’.

grandes écoles. Les      

***

France has the peculiarity of having universities (which do not have the same prestige as in England, the States or Germany) and the grandes écoles. The most famous grandes écoles are: • • • •

‘‘engineers’’ schools (Polytechnique, Mines, Ponts et Chaussées); business schools (HEC, Essec, Central, ESCP, Insead); schools specialized in the training of university teachers and researchers, e.g. École normale supérieure; schools for training senior civil servants (Sciences Po and l’ÉNA).

After the school-​leaving examination (le bac) students prepare for the highly competitive entrance examinations over two years, either at a special école préparatoire or in the specialized stream within a top-​class lycée. Three to four years are generally spent at the grande école. It is the route followed by the future élite of the country who are destined to hold the reins of power in government and industry. The major refers to the best student leaving the school

404  Grands corps de l’État. Les     

in a given year, or promotion. Out of the 80 French chairmen and CEOs of the CAC 40, 23 are polytechniciens, 16 are énarques, 6 have studied at both schools and 18 are former HEC and ESSEC students. See below ‘Henri IV. Le lycée’.

Grands corps de l’État. Les      

***

These are the most prestigious government and technical corps of the Republic, staffed by the crème de la crème of students from l’ÉNA. The best students traditionally choose the Inspection des finances, le Conseil d’État and finally the Cour des comptes, while for the technical corps, the students choose Les Mines and then Les Ponts et Chaussées. There is no legal definition of the corps but its members are to be found at the very top echelons of the French civil service and private industry.

Haute assemblée. La      

***

The upper house of the French Parliament. The home of the Sénat is the Palais du Luxembourg, located in the 6e arrondissement, which is also the metonymical term used to refer to the upper house. The Senate exercises legislative power along with the National Assembly. Senators are elected for six years through indirect suffrage by the 150,000 grands électeurs, i.e. municipal councillors, regional councillors etc. The Senate represents the overseas départements and territoires. The political colour of the Senate is right wing. It is known to be the most expensive, comfortable and opaque retirement home in France. See below ‘Sénat. Le’. See Chapter 2 ‘anomalie démocratique. Le Sénat est une’.

Henri IV. Le lycée      

*

This is one of the most prestigious secondary schools and écoles préparatoires in France, situated on the Mont Sainte-​Geneviève in the 5e arrondissement of Paris, at the heart of the Latin Quarter.

Hôtel de Brienne      

*

This is an eighteenth-​century mansion situated at 14, rue Saint-​Dominique, in the 7e arrondissement, and housing the offices of the minister of the armed forces. See above ‘Balard’.

Hôtel de Lassay. L’      

**

This is an eighteenth-​century mansion located in the 7e arrondissement of Paris and is the official residence of the President of the National Assembly.

Inspection générale des finances. L’  405

Hôtel de Roquelaure      

*

This is the name of a mansion located in the 7e arrondissement of Paris at 246, boulevard Saint-​Germain. It is the home of the minister for ecological transition.

Hôtel du Petit Luxembourg. L’      

**

This has been the official residence of the President of the Senate since 1825.

hypokhâgne      

**

This name refers to the first year of the two-​year preparatory course for the competitive examination to enter the arts section (lettres) of l’École normale supérieure.

Île-​d e-​France      

***

This may be written with or without a circumflex accent on the ‘i’. It is the name of an old French province that disappeared during the French Revolution. Today it has been assimilated to the Greater Paris region and includes Paris (75) and the surrounding départements: i.e. the Essonne (91), the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92), Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93), Seine-​et-​Marne (77), Val-​de-​ Marne (94), Val d’Oise (95) and the Yvelines (78). Paris is the only city to have the status of a département and a number of its own (75). There are over 11 million inhabitants, and the emblem of the Île-​de-​France is a blazon (shield) with a blue background and golden fleur de lys.

Inspection académique. L’      

**

Just as the Académie is the administrative echelon of the Éducation nationale facilitating implementation of national policy at the regional level, so the Inspection académique is the administrative echelon acting at the level of the département. It is essentially concerned with the organization of primary education and of ordinary and competitive examinations.

Inspection générale des finances. L’      

***

If there is an elite in France, then the Inspecteurs des finances are considered to be the crème de la crème of this élite. Members are recruited essentially from l’ÉNA, and more specifically from those students who were dans la botte (See Chapter 10 ‘botte. La’). The role of the inspecteurs (who are under the

406  Inspection générale des services. L’     

authority of the ministry of finance) is to guarantee good stewardship as far as the use of State funds is concerned. Some inspectors leave their corps to work on secondment in publicly owned companies, or they pantouflent –​ i.e. they leave the public sector to work in private industry. Some of the biggest scandals and corporate failures of the past few years have implicated inspecteurs des finances, e.g. Jean Marie Messier (Vivendi Universal), Jean-​ Yves Haberer and Jean-​Claude Trichet (Crédit Lyonnais).

Inspection générale des services. L’      

***

This is ‘the police of the police’. Known as the IGS, it is a police department concerned with investigating complaints by the public and internal disciplinary procedures. Its members are collectively known as les bœuf-​carottes because they start by ‘grilling’ a suspect (cuisiner) and then let the suspect ‘simmer’ (mijoter) in his or her own juice for some time afterwards. NB bœuf is written in the singular. This service was recently merged with l’Inspection générale de la Police nationale (IGPN). The IGS has authority in those affairs concerning Paris and the Paris region, whereas the IGPN has authority in the rest of France.

Institut catholique. L’      

**

The Catholic ‘university’ of Paris, founded in 1875, consists of several faculties and schools of higher education. It is situated in the heart of Paris in the rue d’Assas in the Latin Quarter, in the 6e arrondissement. It is called institut because université is a term reserved for a State academic body that has the power to award degrees. Affectionately referred to as La Catho.

Institut de France. L’      

**

L’Institut de France is known as the Institute of the five academies. It was created in 1795 and includes the Académie française (1635), the Académie des inscriptions et des Belles-​Lettres (1663), the Académie des sciences (1666), the Académie des beaux-​arts (1816) and the Académie des sciences morales et politiques (1795). Briefly put, it is the Parliament of the learned and is located in the 6e arrondissement. See above Académie française.

Intercommunalité/​M étropole      

**

This is a grouping together of communes or municipalities with a view to cooperating in areas such as waste disposal, water distribution, transport, and infrastructure such as libraries and swimming pools.

Légion d’honneur. La  407

Janson-​d e-​S ailly. Le lycée      

*

One of the most prestigious secondary schools and écoles préparatoires, located in the 16e arrondissement of Paris.

Journal officiel. Le      

**

The JO, as it is known, is the official daily gazette of the French Republic (published by the State since 1868 and as a monopoly since 1870) containing all information related to official texts, laws, decrees, orders, public tenders, the promotion/​appointments of senior civil servants etc. The date of publication is generally taken as the date on which the decrees and laws take legal effect. Until it has been published in the JO, any information of this type is deemed to be unofficial.

juge d’instruction      

***

See www.routledge.com/​9780367376758 ‘juge’.

khâgne      

*

The name of the second year of the two-​year preparatory course for the competitive examination to enter the arts section (lettres) of l’École normale supérieure.

Légion d’honneur. La      

***

This is the highest honorary distinction awarded in France in recognition of eminent military or civil service to the country. It was created on 19 May 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and was inspired by the Legio honoratorum conscripta. Certain people objected that this was a violation of the principle of equality. The French Revolution had abolished hereditary nobility and honorary distinctions (19 June 1790), but in Bonaparte’s opinion, it is with such hochets (‘gongs’) that one leads men. The first Légion d’honneur was awarded on 14 July 1804 at the Invalides. There are five levels of distinction: Chevalier, Officier, Commandeur, Grand Officier and Grand Croix. The motto of the order is Honneur et Patrie, and the decoration is awarded for Conduite civile irréprochable et méritante ou faits de guerre exceptionnels après enquête officielle. An alarming number of its holders have been convicted by the French courts for a variety of offences, including corruption; misuse

408 Loi     

of company funds; electoral fraud; and cases involving conflicts of interest, knowingly presenting accounts that are not true and fair, handling misused company assets etc.

Loi      

***

See www.routledge.com/​9780367376758.

Louis-​l e-​G rand. Le lycée      

*

This is one of the great lycées of Paris, and one of the most prestigious of the écoles préparatoires situated in the 5e arrondissement at the heart of the Latin Quarter. It is housed within the walls of the former Jesuit Collège de Clermont, founded by the Jesuits in the sixteenth century. A high percentage of its students enter the grandes écoles such as Normale supérieure, HEC and Polytechnique. The gentilic of Louis-​le-​Grand is magnoludovicien. ‘Louis le Grand’ was the nickname of Louis XIV.

Marigny. L’Hôtel de      

***

This nineteenth-​century palace situated in the 8e arrondissement has been used since 1972 to lodge visiting heads of State. It is very near the Palais de l’Élysée.

major de sa promotion. Être      

***

See above ‘grandes écoles. Les’.

Matignon. L’Hôtel (de)      

***

This large eighteenth-​century edifice is the official Paris residence of the French Prime Minister. It is located at 57, rue de Varenne in the 7e arrondissement. It is used metonymically to refer to the Prime Minister and his /her staff.

Métropoles      

**

These entities were set up under the laws of 2010 and 2016. They represent 39 per cent of the French population, 43 per cent of the jobs in France, and 51 per cent of GDP. There are 21 métropoles throughout mainland France; they are seen as a factor in rebalancing economic power and contributing to foreign investment etc.

Panthéon. Le  409

normale supérieure. L’École      

***

L’École normale supérieure is one of the great grandes écoles of the Republic, created in 1794 and consistently recognized as the number-​one institution of higher education on the continent. It is one of the three French higher education institutions in the top 100 of the Shanghai academic ranking. It is located in the 5e arrondissement in the rue d’Ulm, hence its metonymical name ‘Ulm’. The students (normaliens) are admitted after one of the most highly selective competitive examinations. Both arts and sciences are studied, and 75 per cent of the students go into higher education as teachers, or into research, while the others join the technical corps such as Mines, Ponts et Chaussées, or the government administrations such as l’Inspection des finances, le Conseil d’État or la Cour des comptes etc.

Palais Bourbon. Le      

***

It was built between 1722–​8 and is located on the left bank of the Seine in the 7e arrondissement of Paris. It is the home of the French lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly, whose metonymical name is le Palais Bourbon.

Palais du Luxembourg. Le      

***

This sixteenth-​century palace is located in the 6e arrondissement of Paris on the north side of the Luxembourg gardens. Today, it is home to the upper house of the French Parliament, the Senate. See below ‘Petit Luxembourg. Le’.

Palmes académiques. L’ordre des      

**

L’ordre des Palmes académiques is a French decoration intended to honour members of the teaching profession.

Panthéon. Le      

***

The Panthéon is situated on the ‘mountain’ of Sainte-​Geneviève at the heart of the Paris Latin Quarter in the 5e arrondissement. Pantheon, in Greek, means ‘all of the divinities’. Today, the building serves to honour the great names of French history. In the crypt are the tombs of 71 famous French men and women:  Voltaire, Rousseau, Marie Curie, Braille, Jean Moulin, Alexandre Dumas. The inscription above the entrance, added in 1837, reads Aux grands hommes, la patrie reconnaissante. See Chapter  2 ‘Aux grands hommes . . .’.

410 Paris IV     

The most recent ‘admission’ was that of Simone Weil, survivor of Auschwitz and former minister of health.

Paris IV      

*

The original university of Paris Sorbonne specialized in the arts and humanities. It is one of the 13 Universities of Paris. It is located at the heart of the Latin Quarter in the 5e arrondissement.

Petit Luxembourg. Le      

***

Le Petit Luxembourg has been the official residence of the President of the French Senate since 1825. It is contiguous with the Palais du Luxembourg and is located in the 6e arrondissement of Paris.

Polytechnique. L’École      

***

This school is one of the most prestigious of the écoles d’ingénieurs in France and has the role of selecting the very best students, who will later occupy the key posts in government and industry. The nickname l’X is supposed to derive from the symbol of the mathematical variable, in view of the fact that mathematics forms a large part of the training of polytechniciens. Founded in 1794, the school was given military status in 1804 by Napoleon, with the motto Pour la patrie, les sciences et la gloire. Originally a Parisian school, it is now located in Palaiseau in the département of the Essonne (91). All students leave the school with the grade of second lieutenant.

ponts et chaussées. L’École des      

***

Ponts et Chaussées (bridges and highways) is one of the most prestigious of the écoles d’application. Although the corps of engineers of Ponts et Chaussées was constituted in 1716, it was only in 1747 that a royal decree set up formal training for engineers. During the Revolution, the idea of grouping students from Mines, Monts and Génie began to take form, and this led to the creation of Polytechnique in 1795. Ponts et Chaussées was kept as an école d’application, i.e. dealing with concrete applications as opposed to pure, theoretical science. It is located in Marne la Vallée in the département of Seine-​et-​Marne (77).

préfectoral. Le corps      

**

This corps includes all of the préfets and sous-​préfets who are in fact senior civil servants reporting to the ministry of the interior. The term préfet refers

région nf  411

to both a function and a grade within the civil service. The énarques dominate this corps.

préfecture nf      

***

The echelon of the préfecture represents the authority of the Republic at the level of the département; there are 96 préfectures. The préfecture and its services are located in the chef lieu of the département. Départements are subdivided into arrondissements, such entities being headed up by the sous-​préfets. The préfet is the only senior civil servant whose role and existence are defined by the Constitution of 1958. The position was originally created by Napoleon in 1800. Being the representative of the State in the département, the préfet is responsible for the security of people and property (contingency plans are triggered by the préfet in the event of emergency); the issuing of documents related to national identity (residence permits and driving licences); social integration and the fight against exclusion and discrimination; economic and urban development (in liaison with the préfet of the Région); and the organization of the various types of election, referendum etc.

Prytanée national militaire de La Flèche nm.      

*

Founded in 1604, this lycée is one of the six military lycées preparing students for the military grandes écoles. The instruction was initially given by the Jesuits and the school was one of the most prestigious in the Europe of the seventeenth century. Descartes attended this school. One of its roles is to provide help to families by funding the secondary education of bright students whose financial situation would normally exclude them from such a school. It is located in the département of the Sarthe (72).

région nf      

***

Metropolitan France is currently divided into 13 régions, including 4 for the overseas territories. The government of the région is entrusted to the Conseil régional. In the wake of a plan of merging and renaming implemented in 2018, the régions are now as follows, the former régions being given in brackets: • • • •

Hauts-​de-​France (Picardie, Nord Pas de Calais); Grand Est (Champagne-​Ardenne, Lorraine, Alsace); Normandie (Haute-​Normandie and Basse-​Normandie); Bourgogne-​Franche-​Comté (Bourgogne and Franche-​Comté were two independent regions);

412 saint-cyrien     

• • • •

Auvergne-​Rhône-​Alpes (Auvergne and Rhône Alpes); Occitanie (Languedoc-​Roussillon, Midi-​Pyrénées); Nouvelle-​Aquitaine (Aquitaine, Limousin, Poitou-​Charentes); Centre-​Val de Loire (Centre).

The names of four régions remain unchanged: Île-​de-​France, Provence-​Alpes-​ Côte d’Azur (PACA), Bretagne and Pays de la Loire.

saint-​c yrien      

*

Either an inhabitant of Saint-​Cyr (in the département of the Yvelines (78)), or a student or former student of the prestigious military academy-​cum-​high school located a few kilometres west of Versailles, some 20 km from the heart of Paris. It used to house the officer training school (1804–​1940) but this was relocated to Coëtquidan in Brittany in 1945.

Saint-​L ouis-​d e-​G onzague (Franklin)      

*

This is a private Catholic (Jesuit) school under contract with the State. It is one of the best écoles (up to 11  years old), collèges (11–​15), lycées (15–​18) and écoles préparatoires (18–​20) in France, and is seen sociologically as the school of the French aristocracy. It was founded in 1894 and is located in the 16e arrondissement in the west of Paris. It is located at 12, rue Franklin, hence its nickname ‘Franklin’. It became a co-​educational school in 1980. A famous old boy was Charles de Gaulle. The school takes its name from a Jesuit, Louis de Gonzague (Luigi Gonzaga (1568–​91). In 1591, plague broke out in Rome. The Jesuits of the Collège romain took care of the plague-​ridden victims. Gonzague died himself of the illness on 21 June 1591 at the age of 23. He was made a saint in 1726.

Sainte-​G eneviève. L’École      

*

See above ‘Ginette’.

Sciences Po      

***

L’Institut des études politiques. This grande école is an institute of higher education and research originally founded in 1872. There are eight other institutes in France located in the main cities and founded after 1945 on the Paris model. It is located in the rue Saint-​Guillaume (hence its metonymical name) in the 7e arrondissement. See Chapter 12 ‘Saint-​Guillaume’.

X. L’  413

Sénat. Le      

***

The Senate is the upper chamber of the French Parliament. The 330-​or-​so senators are elected through indirect suffrage by the 150,000 grands électeurs, e.g. mayors, regional councillors, members of Parliament. This chamber shares legislative power with the lower chamber, l’Assemblée nationale. The President of the Senate is the second most important person in the Fifth Republic, as he is the caretaker President in the event of the resignation, incapacity or death of the serving President. The Senate also represents French citizens who live in the overseas territories. The seat of the Senate is the Palais du Luxembourg, situated in the 6e arrondissement of Paris. See Chapter 12 ‘Luxembourg. Le Palais du’. See above ‘Palais du Luxembourg. Le’. The presidency of the Senate is known as le plateau.

Sorbonne. La      

**

Originally a school founded in 1257 by Robert de Sorbon, a French theologian (1201–​74) and chaplain to the King, Saint-​Louis (Louis IX). It was originally intended to give poor children the possibility of studying. It was later to become one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education and a theological college. It was also an ecclesiastical court whose authority was second only to that of the Pope. It was closed during the French Revolution and was refounded in 1821. The original Sorbonne university is located at the heart of the Latin Quarter in Paris in the 5e arrondissement and has the name Paris IV.

SUPAERO      

*

One of France’s great grandes écoles, l’École nationale supérieure de l’aéronautique et de l’espace, is located in Toulouse.

Trésor public. Le      

***

This word refers to all of the financial resources available to the French State and equally to the government department responsible for administering it. Tax questions are generally within the scope of responsibility of the minister of budget, who is usually (but not always) under the authority of the minister of finance.

X. L’       See above ‘Polytechnique. L’École’.

***

Chapter 10

Pot-​p ourri

Chirac was very ‘fana mili’.

Ambroise-​Paré      

*

A famous hospital located in Boulogne-​Billancourt in the département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92). Ambroise Paré (1509–​90), the court surgeon to Henri II, François II, Charles IX and Henri III, is considered to be the father of modern surgery. He invented ligation of the arteries and published several essays on the treatment of war wounds, notably those provoked by arquebuses.

Amicale du Trésor nf.      

*

L’Amicale du Trésor is an association of cronies including senior civil servants and bankers that highlights the incestuous relationship between the ministry of finance and the world of banking: united in this association are top civil servants and directors of industry: the inspectors and those they are supposed to inspect. The only qualification to be part of this group is to have been a member of the Direction du Trésor, the department at the ministry of finance entrusted with the task of advising ministers on French economic policy. See Chapter 8 ‘voile (écarter/​lever le’.

Association loi 1901. L’      

***

See the online chapter ‘Legal Terminology’ at www.routledge.com/​ 9780367376758.

Balance ton porc      

***

#BalanceTonPorc (#MoiAussi in French-​ speaking Canada) is a hashtag that was widely circulated on the social networks in 2017 to denounce sexual

cadavre exquis  415

aggression and harassment at the workplace. This came to the fore in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, in which the American film producer was accused and finally convicted of abusing several women.

Baumettes. Les      

***

This is the name of the prison in Marseille that is located in the 9e arrondissement.

Beaubourg      

*

The Centre national d’art et de culture is located in the 1er arrondissement of Paris, better known by the name Centre Beaubourg, or Centre Pompidou, after the late president Georges Pompidou (1911–​74).

Bilderberg      

*

The Bilderberg group, created in 1954, has been chaired since 2012 by the President of l’Institut Montaigne, and former Chairman and CEO of the Axa insurance group, Henri de Castries. It is a think tank of the rich and powerful that meets annually. There are around 130 members (essentially Americans and Europeans) comprising diplomats, politicians, businessmen and people from the media. The name comes from the venue of the first meeting that took place in Oosterbeek in the Netherlands at the Hotel Bilderberg. Its initial objective was to encourage US and European cooperation faced with the threat from communist Russia. See below ‘Institut Montaigne’.

botte. La      

***

This is the collective noun that is given to the students who are among the top 15 on leaving Polytechnique or l’ÉNA. The expression is Sortir dans la botte.

cacique nm.      

*

In the school jargon of the École normale supérieure, this term designates the student who was ranked first in the entrance examination to the famous school of the rue d’Ulm.

cadavre exquis      

**

This is either a collective drawing or a writing game invented by the surrealists in the mid-​1920s. Each person contributes to the picture or sentence without knowing what the other participants have either added or will add.

416 cadre nm.     

cadre nm.      

***

This is a difficult word to translate. A  cadre is a ‘manager’, but the term designates much more than a position in the corporate hierarchy. It has a very high social status connotation, and one is a cadre outside normal working hours. A cadre enjoys longer life expectancy, obtains a bank loan more easily, has no problem when taking out health insurance and has a higher pension than that of the average worker.

café de Flore. Le      

***

Le café de Flore is a famous café in the Saint-​Germain-​des-​Prés quarter in the 6e arrondissement of Paris. It takes its name from the sculpture of the ancient goddess of vegetation, situated on the other side of the boulevard. From the outset, the café was associated with intellectuals such as Apollinaire, Desnos, Queneau, Picasso, Camus, Prévert etc. It was seen as the headquarters of Jean-​Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, who marked the café’s golden age.

Casier judiciaire B2      

***

Every elected member of Parliament must present a blank police record B2, but a judge can always decide not to have a criminal conviction recorded in this file depending on the ‘personality’ of the party in question. See Chapter 5 ‘selon que vous serez puissant . . .’, and Chapter 8 ‘deux poids, deux mesures’.

Charlie Hebdo      

***

This is the name of a weekly, satirical newspaper founded in 1970. A large part of it is devoted to cartoons, frequently political caricatures. The newspaper, profoundly 1968 in its spirit, is a firm defender of the freedom of expression. On 7 January 2015, the offices of Charlie Hebdo were attacked by a group of Islamist extremists, following the publication of a cartoon depicting Muhammad. They killed 12 people, including 8 members of the Charlie Hebdo staff. The issue of CH the following week had a print run of 8 million, and its subscriber base went up from 10,000 to 220,000. The financial situation of the newspaper before the attack was fragile; it is now more than solid. On 5 May 2015 the survivors of the attack received the International Pen Club award for courage and freedom of expression.

Comédie Française. La  417

Cinq à sept      

*

This is the euphemistic expression used to describe the time a man spends with his mistress in the late afternoon and early evening. NB in Canadian French, this same expression simply means a drink with one’s work colleagues at the pub on the way home from work.

Closerie des Lilas. La      

***

Bar, brasserie and restaurant, it is located at 171, bld Montparnasse in the 6e arrondissement of Paris. Since 1847 it has been the chic venue for artistes and intellectuals. Among the names associated with this café we can cite Zola, Verlaine, Apollinaire, Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Joyce and Hemingway. Today, it is the meeting place of le tout Paris.

Club de l’Horloge      

**

This is a form of political think tank created in 1974. Its members can be found among senior civil servants, intellectuals, politicians and university professors. It is positioned between the right and extreme right wing: liberal but defending national sovereignty and identity.

Colonnes Morris      

*

These cylindrical advertising supports first appeared in Berlin in the 1850s, and at around the same time a French printer, Gabriel Morris, built similar columns to store maintenance equipment and post the advertising that his company printed for shows, plays, cabarets etc. In 1900, when Paris had some 200 columns spread around several districts, the Morris company became La Société fermière des Colonnes-​Affiches, specializing in promoting cultural activities. Since 1986, the Décaux advertising group has taken over the advertising activities on these columns.

Comédie Française. La      

**

The Comédie Française was founded by Louis XIV in 1680 by a merger of Molière’s former troupe with that of le théâtre du Marais. It was dissolved during the French Revolution and restored in 1804. It was totally reorganized by Napoleon in 1812 during the Russian campaign, under what became known as the Decree of Moscow. The theatre’s name is intimately associated with the work of Molière. It is located in the 1er arrondissement of Paris.

418 Coupole. La     

Coupole. La      

***

This is one of the most famous Parisian brasseries, located in the 14e arrondissement in the quarter of Montparnasse. It was opened in 1927 and its name is associated with writers such as Hemingway, Kessel, de Beauvoir and Sartre. It is also the metonymical name of l’Académie française. See Chapter  12 ‘Coupole. La’.

Croix de Lorraine. La      

***

The cross was the symbol of the Free French forces fighting under de Gaulle. Also known as the Cross of Anjou in the sixteenth century, it is a heraldic two-​barred cross, consisting of a vertical line crossed by two shorter horizontal bars, the upper bar being shorter than the lower one, and is derived from the Patriarchal cross.

Dauphin. Le      

***

The successor. Le Dauphin, in the French monarchy, was equivalent to the Prince of Wales in the British monarchy.

Défense. La      

*

La Défense is the modern business centre of Paris. It is situated on the axis of the Champs Élysées and is astride two communes, Puteaux and Courbevoie, in the département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92).

Deux Magots. Les      

**

The café Les Deux Magots, located in the heart of Saint-​Germain in the 6e arrondissement of Paris, was opened in 1885, and several famous writers became patrons: Verlaine, Rimbaud and Mallarmé. In the Années folles it became the café of the surrealists under the leadership of André Breton. The café reached celebrity status in the 1950s, with patrons such as Elsa Triolet, André Gide, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Léger, Jacques Prévert, Ernest Hemingway, Jean-​Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. NB ‘magot’ is a hoard of money, a ‘pile’.

Droite Trocadero La      

*

Édouard Philippe, the Prime Minister, used this term to describe the hard core of the political right wing, an allusion to the supporters of François Fillon, who demonstrated at the Trocadero as a last stand before he abandoned the

Fleury-Mérogis 419

presidential election campaign in 2017 in the face of mounting criticism and his indictment for embezzlement of public funds.

Enfer. L’      

*

‘Hell’. Organized in 1844, this was the part of the Bibliothèque nationale to which nobody could have access given that it contained all of the books considered to be contraire aux bonnes mœurs (contrary to accepted standards of morality). In 1969, the ban came to an end and such books can now be consulted on request.

fana mili      

**

This is a contraction of ‘fanatique militaire’ and refers either to a person attracted to military life or to soldiers who are deeply invested in their mission.

Fauchon      

**

Located at 24–​6, place de la Madeleine in the 8e arrondissement of Paris, Fauchon is a worldwide brand of catering in the field of luxury gastronomical products. It has 76 outlets throughout the world. It was founded in 1886.

Femina. Le prix      

*

Le prix Femina is a French literary prize created in 1904 by a group of women as a counter to le prix Goncourt, which was judged to be misogynous. In that year, le Goncourt was awarded to Léon Frapié at the expense of the favourite, Myriam Harry.

Fichier S      

***

In France, an S file is the file of sb. whom the police wish to keep under surveillance. It is an intelligence tool given to the police by the judicial authorities enabling them to follow the movements of people suspected of being a risk to public security. The letter ‘S’ is an abbreviation for ‘sûreté de l’État’. These files are mainly issued by the Direction générale de la Sécurité intérieure (DGSI). The S file is subdivided into categories from 1 to 16, these levels corresponding to the degree of the threat posed by such individuals and the actions to be taken by the police to control them.

Fleury-​M érogis      

**

This is the name of a prison in the Paris region that is located in the département of the Essonne (91), 25 km south of Paris.

420 Foire du Trône. La     

Foire du Trône. La      

**

The Foire du Trone has a very long history. In 957, the abbey of Saint-​Antoine obtained the right to sell gingerbread during Holy Week in remembrance of their patron saint near the current place de la Nation, at that time called la place du Trône and along the length of the avenue of the same name. In 1965 the fairground moved to its current site in the 12e arrondissement. It takes place once a year between April and May. It is organized by the fairground owner Marcel Campion under the aegis of the Paris municipal authorities.

Fontaines Wallace      

*

These are water supply points, made of cast iron and providing free drinking water to the public. They were designed by Charles-​Auguste Lebourg and take their name from the British philanthropist Richard Wallace (1818–​90), who financed their installation. Wallace had inherited a vast fortune from his father in 1870. He was present in Paris during the Prussian siege. The damage to the water system was extensive, and drinking water was scarce and becoming expensive; this is what motivated Wallace. It was Eugène Belgrand, engineer-​hydrologist (who worked closely with Haussmann), who was director of Paris’s water and sewage system and was in charge of choosing the sites of installation. The criteria of choice were that they had to be easily accessible to the public and blend in harmoniously with the surroundings; they are frequently located in squares and at the angles of intersecting streets. The first Fontaine Wallace was installed and ‘turned on’ in 1872 on the boulevard de la Villette. France was Wallace’s adopted country. He died in Neuilly and was buried in the cemetery of Père-​Lachaise in Paris. Today, these fountains are frequently the only sources of fresh drinking water available to the homeless. They are as much a symbol of Paris for foreigners as are the Morris Columns. See above ‘Colonnes Morris’.

Fouquet’s      

***

Le Fouquet’s is the name of the famous restaurant-​cum-​bar on the Champs Élysées in the 8e arrondissement of Paris; it belongs to the Barrière Group, the leader in France in the field of casinos. Le Fouquet’s is famous in the world of French cinema; each year there is a lunch for those actors and actresses nominated for a César. The restaurant hit the headlines in 2007 when Nicolas Sarkozy celebrated his presidential election victory there with his friends and supporters. Le Fouquet’s has since become the symbol of bling-​bling. It was gutted by fire on 16 March 2019 during the mass demonstrations in Paris of

Gaveau. La salle  421

the gilets jaunes. The attack was attributed to the infiltrated members of the Black blocs. See Chapter 1 ‘César. Une compression de’.

Fresnes      

*

The name of the prison in the département of the Val-​de-​Marne (94) that is located a few miles south of Paris. It is one of the three large prisons of the Paris region, the other two being La Santé in Paris, and Fleury-​Mérogis. See above ‘Fleury-​Mérogis’.

Garnier. L’Opéra      

***

In 1858, Napoleon III decided to have a new opera house built in Paris. A competition was organized and in 1861 it was won by a young and rather unknown architect, Charles Garnier (1825–​98), who had been the winner of the Prix de Rome in 1848. See below ‘Villa Médicis. La’. The works lasted from 1862 to 1875, the site having been chosen by Haussmann as part of the general renovation of the capital. The effect of the assassination attempt against Napoleon III in 1858 can be seen in the plans of the new opera house. The streets and square in front of the building are broad and open, affording no hidden positions from which an assassin could throw a bomb or fire a gun. This is part of the legacy of the Second Empire. It was always known as the Paris Opera, but since the building of the Opéra Bastille in 1989 the name Garnier has been used to avoid confusion. It is located in the 9e arrondissement.

gauche caviar. La      

*

This is the French equivalent of ‘champagne socialists’.

Gault et Millau      

*

The name of the good-​food guide founded in 1972 by two journalists, Henri Gault and Christian Millau.

Gaveau. La salle      

**

One of the most prestigious concert halls (piano and chamber music recitals) built between 1906 and 1907 and named after Étienne Gaveau (1872–​1943), who had it built. It is located in the 2e arrondissement of Paris and was declared an historic monument in 1992.

422 Goncourt. Le     

Goncourt. Le      

**

The Goncourt is the most prestigious French literary prize awarded by the Académie Goncourt, set up by the will and testament of Edmond de Goncourt (1822–​96). The Académie was officially founded in 1902 and the first prize was awarded in 1903. The prize is awarded in early November by the ten members of the Académie, who meet regularly at the Parisian restaurant Drouant. The prize is given for the best prose work of imagination written in the French language.

Grand commis de l’État      

**

This term generally refers to a senior civil servant working for a public institution and widely recognized as a particularly devoted public servant.

Grand Palais. Le      

**

Located on the avenue Général Eisenhower, situated between the Seine and the Champs Élysées in the 8e arrondissement of Paris, its full name is Le Grand Palais des Beaux Arts. It was built in 1897 for the Universal Exhibition, which was to take place in Paris in 1900. It is now both an exhibition centre and an art gallery. NB on the other side of the avenue Winston Churchill is Le Petit Palais, Le musée des Beaux-​Arts de la Ville de Paris.

Grand Paris      

***

This is the name of the project aimed at turning the greater Paris region into a world-​ranking metropolis. It implies the installation of new rail transport infrastructure in the Paris region, the correction of territorial inequalities, and the creation of a scientific and industrial centre south of Paris, as well as new major economic centres around the capital. The project was launched in 2007.

grande couronne. La      

**

This is a zone made up of the four départements that surround the Île-​de-​ France:  la Seine-​et-​Marne (77), les Yvelines (78), l’Essonne (91) and le Val d’Oise (95). La grande couronne has 5  million inhabitants, about half the population of the region.

Guide Michelin. Le      

*

Le Guide Michelin is a directory of good restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations. First published in 1900 by the Michelin tyre manufacturer, the

Jesuites nmpl.  423

logo is that of Bibendum, a character made up of tyres. ‘Bibendum’ comes from an expression of Horace, Nunc est bibendum (C’est maintenant qu’il faut boire!): ‘Now is the time to drink!’. The advertising slogan became Le pneu Michelin boit l’obstacle (The Michelin tyre drinks up the obstacle’).

Institut Pasteur. L’      

**

Located in the 15e arrondissement of Paris, the Institute is a private, non-​ profit-​making foundation (1887) devoted to research and teaching in the areas of micro-​organisms, infectious diseases and vaccine development. Its founder was Louis Pasteur (1822–​95), who was the first to develop a vaccine against rabies in 1885.

Institut Thomas More. L’      

*

The Institute is an independent think tank based in Brussels. It is market-​ economy-​ oriented and pro-​ European. It produces reports and studies that are then distributed to the political movers and shakers in France with a view to influencing their decisions. It has a network of specialists throughout Europe. Thomas More (1478–​1535) was a philosopher, politician, humanist and philanthropist. He was Chancellor to Henry VIII of England but refused to follow Henry in his divorce proceedings (from Catherine of Aragon) and the subsequent schism with Rome. He was tried for treason and beheaded.

Je sème à tout vent      

*

This is the emblem and motto of the publishing house Larousse. It depicts a young woman blowing at a dandelion and dispersing the seeds (achènes). It appeared for the first time in 1890.

Jesuites nmpl.      

***

The Company of Jesus was founded by Ignace de Loyola after the Battle of Pamplona (1521), during which he was seriously wounded. He experienced a spiritual transformation. His order was recognized in 1540. The Jesuits were considered to be the Catholic panzer division who were to fight against the Reformation. The Jesuits have always been deeply involved in education, and it is hardly surprising that three of the most prestigious écoles préparatoires aux grandes écoles were originally Jesuit institutions:  Saint-​ Louis-​de-​Gonzague, Lycée Louis-​le-​Grand in Paris and Sainte-​Geneviève in Versailles.

424 Jeu de paume (Paris)     

Jeu de paume (Paris)      

*

The building was erected in 1861 during the reign of Napoleon III, to cover the courts of the jeu de paume, the ancestor of tennis. It is situated in the Tuileries gardens in the 8e arrondissement of Paris. It was formerly the home of the French impressionist collection, which crossed the river with the opening of the Orsay Museum. It has become a gallery dedicated to photography and contemporary art. NB this is not to be confused with the Jeu de paume in Versailles and the famous Tennis Court Oath associated with it in 1789.

Lanterne. La      

*

This is the name of a hunting lodge built in Versailles in 1787. Since 1959, it has been reserved as the weekend residence of the French Prime Minister. The former President Sarkozy, having taken a liking to it, made a hostile takeover bid and Prime Ministers since then have had to ‘make do’ with the domaine of Souzy-​la Briche (91) to spend their weekends.

L214 (Éthique et animaux)      

**

The association L214 (after the article of the rural code that stresses that animals are sensient beings entitled to respect) campaigns against the inadmissible conditions in which animals are being reared and slaughtered.

Maison de l’Amérique Latine. La      

***

Located in the heart of Paris, in the 7e arrondissement, it was originally founded by General de Gaulle in 1946 to foster cultural and diplomatic exchanges between France and Latin America. It is in fact a mansion situated in beautiful grounds at 217, boulevard Saint-​Germain, and has a top-​quality restaurant. It is the ideal venue for seminars.

Maison de la Chimie. La      

***

This is the oldest conference centre in France. It is an eighteenth-​century mansion located in the 7e arrondissement of Paris, in the rue Saint-​Dominique, just a stone’s throw from the National Assembly. Today, it is an international congress centre and is a good address for eating well.

major de sa promotion. Être      

**

To be the best student in one’s year on leaving one of the great grandes écoles. The word might be compared to the English ‘valedictorian’, but the latter

Mediapart 425

does not have the career clout that ‘major’ will have for the French student throughout his professional life. For instance, Laurent Wauquiez, a right-​ wing politician, was major de sa promotion on leaving l’ÉNA in 2001. Twenty years later reference is still made to this fact, as if being ‘major’ endowed one with papal infallibility for all time. See the introduction to Chapter 6.

mariage pour tous. Le      

***

With the law of 17 May 2013 concerning le mariage pour tous, France became the 14th European country to allow same-​ sex marriages. In 2014, such marriages represented 4 per cent of the global number.

Manif pour tous. La      

**

This is the name of an association (loi 1901) openly hostile to the law allowing same-​sex marriages. Beyond the opposition to same-​sex marriage, the association is equally against gay parenting, medically assisted procreation and surrogate pregnancies. Broadly speaking, it is a movement that is right-​wing and Catholic.

Maxim’s      

**

The famous restaurant located in the rue Royale in Paris in the 8e arrondissement.

Médaille Fields. La      

*

This prize is considered to be the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in mathematics, this subject not being on the Nobel list. It is awarded every four years to four mathematicians (under the age of 40) who have made a fundamental contribution to this subject. The prize-​winner receives a medal and 15,000 Canadian dollars. It was a prize created by Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields who, on his death, left his fortune to science in order to fund the prize. The first prize was awarded in 1936. Two French politicians are holders of this award: Claude Allègre, and more recently Cédric Villani, an LREM député.

Mediapart      

***

Mediapart is a website devoted to French current affairs. It was created by a group of journalists including Edwy Plenel in 2008. It is a fee-​based, all-​online medium aimed at the general public, and has around 150,000 subscribers. It reached the financial break-​even point in 2010. Its motto is Seuls nos lecteurs

426  Meilleur Ouvrier de France. Le     

peuvent nous acheter. Turnover for 2018 amounted to nearly €14  million. Languages used are French, English and Spanish. Its offices are located in passage Brulon in the 12e arrondissement of Paris. It has been responsible for bringing to light numerous scandals involving French politicians.

Meilleur Ouvrier de France. Le      

*

In the early part of the twentieth century, Lucien Klotz launched the idea of a competition to bring out the best in all of the trades involving apprenticeships. His great idea was Le Meilleur Ouvrier de France. The first event took place in 1924 at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. During this first competition, 149 prize-​winners were named. Today, there are over 9,000 holders of the prize. Although the competition involves all sorts of trades, from hairdressing to stone-​carving, the professional sector most frequently spoken about is the the food and gastronomy sector.

Mont-​Valérien. Le      

*

Le Mont-​Valérien is a hill (altitude 162 m) located in the département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92), 2 km west of Paris. It was a military fort during the nineteenth century but is remembered today for having been the principal place of execution of resistants and hostages by the German Army during the Second World War. Over 1,000 people were shot between 1939 and 1945. On 18 June 1960, General de Gaulle inaugurated the memorial of La France combattante.

Mutualité. Le Palais de la      

***

This is the name of a polyvalent hall in the 5e arrondissement of Paris (rue Saint-​Victor). It is the headquarters of the French mutualist movement and is better known as the venue for shows, conferences, pop concerts and mass meetings of political parties, generally on the left of the political spectrum.

Necker      

**

One of the Paris hospitals, located in the 15e arrondissement. It is particularly associated with the care of sick children and was founded in 1778 by Mme Necker, wife of the French politician and finance minister of Louis XVI, Jacques Necker (1732–​1804).

Observatoire. L’      

**

The Royal Astronomical Observatory, located in the 14e arrondissement of Paris, was built between 1667 and 1671 under Louis XIV, and marks the Paris

Orsay. Le musée d’  427

meridian. It is particularly known as having been the place where a curious attempt on the life of François Mitterrand took place in 1959. See Chapter 11 ‘Observatoire. L’attentat de l’’.

Olympia. L’      

***

Opened in 1893, it is the oldest music hall in Paris, located on the boulevard des Capucines in the 9e/​2e arrondissements of Paris. To top the bill at l’Olympia is the ultimate accolade for an artiste, and most of the great names in French entertainment have performed there. NB frequently, the odd-​numbered side of an avenue can be in one arrondissement, while the even-​numbered side of the same avenue can be in a another.

Opéra Comique. L’      

*

Also known as La Salle Favart, it is the name of the theatre located in the 2e arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1714. Its genre is opéra-​bouffe and pantomime. One of the constraints under the articles of its foundation was that musical scenes and scenes of dialogue alternate. This is the current definition of l’opéra-​comique.

Opéra de Paris. L’      

*

See above ‘Garnier. L’Opéra’.

Orangerie. L’      

*

Built in 1852, the Musée national de l’Orangerie is an art gallery exibiting the paintings of impressionists and post-​impressionists. It is situated at the western end of the Tuileries gardens and looks over the place de la Concorde in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. A  great number of the impressionist paintings crossed the Seine to be housed in the (then) new museum of Orsay. See below ‘Orsay. Le musée d’’.

Orsay      

*

The name of the nuclear research centre located to the south-​west of Paris in the département of the Essonne (91). Part of the University of Paris (Faculty of Science) is also located there and is called Paris XI Orsay.

Orsay. Le musée d’      

*

Le musée d’Orsay is located on the left bank of the Seine in the 7e arrondissement of Paris. The building in which the museum is housed used to be one

428  Palais de la Découverte. Le     

of the great mainline railway stations of the capital. Inaugurated in 1986, the museum possesses the greatest impressionist collection in the world. It is seen as a time-​bridge between the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre.

Palais de la Découverte. Le      

**

Le palais de la Découverte is a museum and scientific cultural centre situated in the west wing of the Grand Palais in the 1er arrondissement of Paris. It has been the Paris science museum since 1937, a role that it shares today with the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, which was inaugurated in 1986 by President François Mitterrand. The latter is located at the porte de la Villette, the site of the former slaughter houses of Paris in the 19e arrondissement.

Palais de la Mutualité. Le      

***

See above ‘Mutualité. Le Palais de’.

Palais de Tokyo. Le      

*

This is the Parisian top spot for contemporary modern art. Its original name was Palais des musées d’Art modern. It is located at 13, avenue du Président-​ Wilson in the 16e arrondissement of Paris.

Palais des Congrès. Le      

**

This is one of the most important venues for party-​ political meetings, conferences and pop concerts. It is located at the Porte Maillot in the 17e arrondissement of Paris.

Palais des Sports. Le      

**

Located in the 15e arrondissement at la Porte de Versailles in Paris, it is one of the most important venues for pop concerts etc. It has a seating capacity of 5,000.

pantoufle nf., pantoufler vi., pantouflard nm., pantouflage nm.      

***

‘Pantouflage’ is a scheme whereby senior civil servants can go into the private sector, at a much higher salary, while retaining the security of their old job position, to which they can return whenever they want. This frequently generates conflicts of interest.

Père Lachaise. Le cimetière du  429

Parc des expositions Porte de Versailles      

**

This is the great exhibition centre in the west of Paris in the 15e arrondissement. Most of the big fairs and shows take place here, e.g. the Ideal Home Exhibition, the agricultural show, the car show etc.

Parc des Princes. Le      

***

The futuristic football stadium in the south-​west of Paris, straddling the périphérique ring road in the 16e arrondissement, was designed by the late architect Roger Tallibert. The stadium has a capacity of 44,000 places, and is one of the finest examples of the use of reinforced concrete structures with the cantilever (‘porte-​à-​faux’) technique. It was completed in 1972 and the current resident football club is Paris Saint-​Germain.

part des anges. La      

*

‘The angels’ share’. This poetic expression refers to the phenomenon of loss due to the evaporation of alcohol during the ageing process of spirits, particularly Cognac and Armagnac, in the barrel.

Pavillon Dauphine. Le      

*

Located in the 16e arrondissement of Paris, Le Pavillon Dauphine is one of the most prestigious addresses for wedding receptions, conferences and business seminars etc. It is situated at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne.

Pavillon Gabrielle. Le      

*

Located in the 8e arrondissement of Paris, this is another chic address for receptions and conferences.

Pays de cocagne      

**

An imaginary country where one may find everything one could possibly desire.

Père Lachaise. Le cimetière du      

*

Perhaps the most famous of the Parisian cemeteries, and certainly the biggest. It takes its name from the confessor of Louis XIV, François d’Aix de La Chaize, known as Père Lachaise (1624–​1709), a French Jesuit priest. He lived

430 Petit Trianon. Le     

in a house on this site in the early eighteenth century. Its construction was decided upon by Napoleon and the architectural design was entrusted to Brongniart. The cemetery was inaugurated in 1804. Located in the 20e arrondissement of Paris, it is also known as le cimetière de l’Est. Many famous people are buried there, including Apollinaire, Balzac, Beaumarchais, Chopin, Molière, Piaf, Proust and, among the non-​French, Oscar Wilde (1854–​1900) and the American writer Richard Wright (1908–​60). The cemetery is visited by over 3 million people per year.

Petit Trianon. Le      

*

At the request of his favourite, Mme de Pompadour, Louis XV (Le Bien-​ Aimé) had this manor built within the grounds of the Palace of Versailles between 1762 and 1768. She never lived there, having died in 1764.

petite couronne. La      

*

This term refers to the zone made up of the three départements on the outskirts of the city of Paris: les Hauts-​de-​Seine (92) la Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93) and le Val-​de-​Marne (94). See above ‘grande couronne. La’.

Pitié Salpêtrière. La      

**

A teaching hospital of Paris, located in the 13e arrondissement. It takes its name from the manufacture of gunpowder and the storage facilities set up there during the reign of Louis XIII (1601–​43). In 1656, Louis XIV entrusted Libéral Bruant with the construction of a hospital on the site of the small arsenal la Salpêtrière, where gunpowder used to be manufactured. One of the most important components of gunpowder is saltpeter (US) or saltpetre (UK).

Pleyel. La salle      

**

La salle Pleyel is a symphony concert hall located in the 8e arrondissement of Paris at 252, rue du Faubourg-​Saint-​Honoré. Inaugurated in 1927, it used to be home to l’Orchestre national de France and l’Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, but they have been in residence at l’Auditorium de la Maison de la Radio à Paris since November 2014. ‘Pleyel’ was a name originally associated with the manufacture of the finest quality pianos.

point zéro nm.      

*

This is kilometre zero for all roads leaving the capital. It is the reference point for calculating the distances between Paris and other towns of France. It is

pupille de la nation nmf.  431

situated on the ground of the square in front of the Cathedral of Notre-​ Dame-​de-​Paris in the 4e arrondissement.

Port Royal      

*

A famous maternity hospital located in the 14e arrondissement of Paris and associated with the hospital Baudeloque. This is not to be confused with Port Royal des Champs in the département of the Yvelines (78), which used to be a Cistercian abbey closely associated with the Counter-​Reformation and the Jansenist movement.

Porte      

***

In the past, one entered Paris by way of the portes: Porte de Clignancourt in the north, Porte d’Orléans in the south, Porte des Lilas in the east and Porte Dauphine in the west, plus any others between these. There was a security aspect to controlling the people entering or leaving the city, but also a commercial function, since taxes were levied on entering the city (l’octroi), the ‘gates’ being in fact customs posts. There was a time, not so long ago, when all of the Paris métro termini bore the name porte. This is no longer the case today because extensions to the network frequently go five or six stations beyond the former portes. Paris, over successive centuries, had varying perimeters, and one finds old portes within the current city limits, e.g. la Porte de Saint-​ Martin. The names of the ‘gates’ indicate the exit slip roads to the Paris ring road. If one imagines Paris to be a clock, there is at least one ‘gate’ for every two minutes on the dial.

Prix de Rome. Le      

***

Le Prix de Rome was a scholarship awarded to students in the arts, selected after a highly competitive examination. It was originally instituted by Louis XIV in 1663. The prize-​winners won a four-​year stay at the Villa Médicis in Rome, at the King’s expense. The competitive examination was scrapped by André Malraux, the minister of culture, in 1968 and replaced by selection based on a student’s file. Scholarships are now awarded for a broader spectrum of subjects than the original three: painting, sculpture and architecture. They now include archeology, literature etc. See below ‘Villa Médicis. La’.

pupille de la nation nmf.      

*

In France, this status is attributed by the State to children whose parents have been killed or wounded in a war or terrorist attack, or in the course

432 Quatrième pouvoir nm.     

of performing their professional duty. It dates from 1917, the First World War having left in its wake many orphans and families without resources. By decision of the court, the children become, in effect, wards of the State. This involves the payment of certain sums of money to defray medical expenses or the expenses related to education, clothing etc.

Quatrième pouvoir nm.      

***

This expression designates the press and, by extension, the media in general. The French term can be found in De la démocratie en Amérique (1833) by Alexis de Tocqueville. The English expression ‘the fourth estate’ (the first being the Crown, the second the House of Lords and the third the House of Commons) was used by Lord Macaulay in 1843 when he said: ‘The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm.’ Alexis de Tocqueville saw the four estates in the USA as follows: central power, local power, lobbies and the press.

Renaudot. Le Prix      

*

Le Prix Théophraste Renaudot, known more usually as le Prix Renaudot, is a literary prize created in 1926 by a group of journalists and literary critics pending the announcement of the deliberations of the jury for le prix Goncourt.

Roland Garros      

**

Pilot, cycling champion, and inventor (1888–​1918) he was the first man to cross the Mediterranean by air, flying from Fréjus Saint-​Raphaël to Bizert in Tunisia in 1913. Today, his name is associated with the French international open tennis championship; the clay-​court tournament has taken place at the Paris stadium that bears his name since 1928. It is near the Porte d’Auteuil in the 16e arrondissement of Paris. He was killed in a dogfight over the Ardennes in 1918.

La Rotonde      

**

A brasserie-​restaurant, one of the top spots in the Montparnasse quarter in the 6e arrondissement. Among the most prestigious clients associated with this café we can name Picasso, Modigliani, Cocteau, Trotski, Gershwin, Fitzgerald . . . and Emmanuel Macron. This is his favourite restaurant, where he celebrated his election victory. It was severely damaged by fire (arson) on

Sainte-Anne 433

18 January 2020 during the gilets jaunes demonstrations. It was forced to close pending repair work.

Rungis      

**

Rungis, a town in the département of the Val-​de-​Marne (94), 7 km south of Paris, is the name of the biggest wholesale market for fresh produce in the world, with over 14,000 wholesalers providing fish, meat, vegetables and dairy produce intended for professionals of fresh-​produce sectors and restaurants in Paris. Opened in 1969, it replaced the former market, which used to be located in Les Halles in Paris.

Saint-​D enis      

*

The basilica of Saint-​Denis is located in the département of the Seine-​Saint-​ Denis (93) and is famous for being a royal necropolis. Most of the Kings of France, from Dagobert Ier (seventh century) to Louis XVIII (nineteenth century) are buried there. The tombs were badly damaged during the years of the French Revolution. The basilica was rehabilitated, and in 1817, at the request of Louis XVIII, the remains of his ancestors were recovered from the two communal graves adjoining the basilica. Because of the use of quicklime, identification of the individual monarchs was impossible. Their bones were gathered together with a marble monument, upon which are written their individual names.

saint-​s ulpicien(ne) adj.      

*

Today, this term is generally reserved to describe the religious art shops and their wares around the Church of Saint-​Sulpice in the 6e arrondissement of Paris. It generally implies objects of bad taste.

Saint-​V incent de Paul      

*

A university hospital located in the 14e arrondissement of Paris, taking its name from the priest Vincent de Paul (1576/​81–​1660). He was beatified in 1729 and canonized in 1737.

Sainte-​A nne      

**

The hospital of Sainte-​Anne, located in the 14e arrondissement of Paris, specializes in the treatment of patients with psychiatric problems. Its name is used as a synonym for ‘loony bin’ or ‘mad house’.

434 Santé. La     

Santé. La      

**

This is the name of the famous intra-​muros prison of Paris; located in the 14e arrondissement, it has the particularity of receiving (among others) VIPs who have been sentenced or who are awaiting trial. Punning possibilities are high.

Tour d’Argent. La      

**

Perhaps the most famous Parisian restaurant, located in the 5e arrondissement and said to be one of the oldest restaurants in Europe. It is claimed to have been founded in 1582 by the chef Rourteau. Apart from the exceptional cuisine, diners have the most spectacular view over Paris, the Seine and Notre-​ Dame Cathedral.

Uberisation      

***

This term comes from the name of the company Uber, which has revolutionized the way service providers and customers can interact via an internet platform. Its name has become a derogatory term that implies the exploitation of the work force involved in service provision.

Val de Grâce. Le      

*

This is the name of a military hospital located in the 5e arrondissement of Paris. During the French Revolution (the first one) it became a military hospital, as it remains to this day. It is, however, open to the rich general public. It has seen many famous patients, and in each department of the hospital there is a VIP room.

Vélodrome nm.      

*

Le Vélodrome is the name of the legendary sports stadium located in the 8e arrondissement of Marseille. It is the second biggest stadium in France in terms of capacity and is home to the team l’Olympique de Marseille. It was inaugurated in 1937 and seats 67,000. This name is as evocative for the Frenchman as White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford are for the British.

Villa Médicis. La      

***

In 1663, during the reign of Louis XIV and on his initiative, a special scholarship was created (Le Prix de Rome) to enable talented architects, sculptors

Zouave de l’Alma. Le  435

and painters to perfect their knowledge through a four-​year stay in Rome at the Palais Mancini, all expenses being paid by the Crown. In 1803, Napoleon created the Académie de France à Rome, which has since been housed in the Villa Médicis. See above ‘Prix de Rome’.

Visiteurs du soir      

**

Although this was initially the title of a film by Marcel Carné, released in 1942 and starring Arletty, it has come to refer to those people who, under the cloak of darkness, with no cameras present, go to the Palace of the Élysée for a fireside chat with the President. It is an expression that was frequently used at the time of the Mitterrand presidency (1981–​95).

Zouave de l’Alma. Le      

**

It was during the Crimean War (1854–​6), at the Battle of the Alma (from which the bridge takes its name) in 1854 that the third regiment of the Zouaves fought with particular distinction. The battle was won by the combined Anglo-​French forces. Le Zouave du Pont de l’Alma is a sculpture (the only one remaining of four original statues) representing a French soldier from that North African regiment. Le Zouave is located at the foot of the bridge on the upstream side. Whenever there is heavy rainfall and a rise in the level of the Seine, reference is systematically made to Le Zouave. When Le Zouave ‘has his feet in the water’, the River Seine is in flood. During the historic flood of 1910, the waters of the Seine reached the Zouave’s shoulders. His feet were again in water in 2010, but normally they are dry. Le Zouave is thus a yardstick used to judge the level of the Seine. The pont de l’Alma is in the 7e arrondissement of Paris.

Chapter 11

The skeletons in Marianne’s cupboard

Do not give power to those who solicit it, you will have the worst. (Plato)

This chapter does not claim to present a comprehensive list of the scandals that have marred the history of France, nor does it claim to give a thorough explanation of each of the scandals mentioned. The commentaries are intended to be a brief introduction to a given scandal that will put the reader in the picture. The scandals listed here are those that frequently come back to hit the headlines in spite of the fact that many of them date from the very distant past. Most of them are so well known that the allusions made to them in the press are frequently not developed and foreign readers may find themselves somewhat in the dark.

amiante nm.      

**

Asbestos. The relationship between exposure to asbestos and lung cancer was established in England in 1900. As early as 1918, US insurance companies were refusing to insure people working in the asbestos industry. In 1960, the correlation between exposure to asbestos and lung cancer was clearly demonstrated and was included in the basic medical studies of student doctors. The powerful French asbestos lobby succeeded in delaying introduction of legislation against asbestos in France until 1997. The potential asbestos-​related death toll is put at 100,000.

Angolagate      

**

This affair involved illegal arms sales to Angola in 1994 during the civil war, and has implicated several well-​known figures, such as the late Charles Pasqua, former minister of the interior, and the son of the late President Mitterrand,

ballets bleus/roses  437

Jean-​Christophe Mitterrand. Huge commissions were paid to many eminent French people and the charges against them include money laundering, misuse of company funds, influence-​peddling and breach of trust. On 27 October 2009, the criminal court sentenced the late Charles Pasqua to a three-​year prison term with two years as a suspended sentence and one year without remission, plus a fine of €100,000 for influence-​peddling. He appealed. Pierre Falcone and Arcadi Gaydamak both received a six-​year prison sentence without remission. Jean-​Christophe Mitterrand was given a two-​year suspended prison sentence and a fine of €370,000. The Public Prosecutor had asked for a one-​year prison term without remission for Jean-​Christophe Mitterrand. The former President’s son decided not to lodge an appeal.

Auriol. Le massacre d’      

**

A police inspector named Jacques Massié, the Marseille area manager of the Service d’action civique (SAC), was assassinated with his wife, son, father-​in-​ law, mother-​in-​law and a friend at his house in Auriol on 19 July 1981. It was after this killing that the SAC was officially disbanded. Massié was thought to be on the point of passing sensitive information about the SAC to the socialists, who had just come to power in May 1981 with the election of the late François Mitterrand. See below ‘SAC’.

avions renifleurs nmpl.      

*

This was the name given to the affair by Le Canard enchaîné in 1983. In the wake of the oil crisis of 1974, two confidence tricksters ‘sold’ the idea to Elf Aquitaine, the French petroleum group, that they had invented a machine that could detect oilfields. Between 1975 and 1979 a billion francs of Elf Aquitaine’s money was spent on ‘research’. The swindle was stopped in 1979. None of the money was ever recovered. Some of France’s most brilliant engineers were hoodwinked by the two swindlers.

ballets bleus/​roses      

***

In France, in 1959, a scandal hit the headlines involving André Le Troquer, former President of the National Assembly, and various notables. They were tried and sentenced for organising erotic parties and engaging in sexual relations with under-​age girls. The term ‘ballet’ was used, since the young girls in question were dressed in ballet skirts. By extension, the term ‘ballets bleus’ was later used to describe the same kind of orgiastic parties involving adults and under-​age boys.

438 Ben Barka     

Ben Barka      

**

El Mehdi Ben Barka (1920–​65) was a Moroccan politician, hostile to the French protectorate of Morocco, and the main opponent of the regime of Hassan II. He was kidnapped on 29 October 1965 in front of the brasserie Lipp, on the bld Saint-​Germain in Paris, by two French police officers. He was taken to Fontenay-​le-​Vicomte in the département of the Essonne (91) and was never seen again.

Benalla. Alexandre      

**

This was the first scandal to mar the presidency of Emmanuel Macron. The affair started with the publication on the internet of a video showing a man attacking two demonstrators in Paris at the place de la Contrescarpe. The man in question was Alexandre Benalla, in charge of the security of President Macron at the Élysée. He had no right to take part in a police operation nor any right to wear a police arm-​band. The affair revealed a series of extravagant privileges enjoyed by Benalla and a significant number of failures in the organization of security at the Élysée. He held several diplomatc passports, which he did not surrender after he had been dismissed. They were used over 20 times after he had lost his job. France Afrique and secret double diplomacy are rearing their ugly head. During a police search of his flat (belonging to the State), it was discovered that his safe had disappeared the day before. Summoned by the Senatorial commission of inquiry, he lied under oath and now faces charges including identity theft, assault, using forged documents and perjury. The case is ongoing in 2020.

Boulin. Robert      

**

Robert Boulin (1920–​79), minister of labour at the time of his death, had a long political career and was a credible contender for the position of Prime Minister in the late 1970s. He was found dead in the lake of Rambouillet in 1979. The initial explanation of suicide was soon rejected by the general public and his own family in the light of many worrying inconsistencies and the ‘disappearance’ of key organic exhibits from the Institut médico-​légal, i.e. the coroner’s office. A post-​mortem carried out at the request of the Boulin family, three years after the death, revealed that Robert Boulin had sustained several fractures to the face, totally inconsistent with the ‘suicide’ theory. All attempts by the family to get the case reopened have so far ended in failure. It is interesting to note that at the time of his death, Robert Boulin was the victim of a smear campaign intended to discredit him politically. In his attempt to

Carrefour du développement. Le  439

fight back, he hinted that he was in possession of some files concerning illegal funding of political parties. He left home on the day of his disappearance with a dossier. The dossier has never been found.

Bousquet. René      

*

René Bousquet (1909–​93) was a senior French civil servant who rose to be secretary general of the police during the Vichy regime. He is notably remembered for having masterminded the rounding up of Parisian Jews in the infamous Vél’ d’Hiv’ raid, which took place on 16/​17 July 1942. After the war he was simply sentenced to five years’ loss of civil rights (dégradation nationale) but had an excellent career afterwards. He was given back his Légion d’honneur decoration in 1957 and pardoned in 1958. He was a close friend of François Mitterrand and contributed to the latter’s presidential campaign fund. As of 1986, accusations were made against him and a judicial inquiry was launched. In 1989, Bousquet was accused of crimes against humanity for his role in the deportation of 194 children from the south-​west of France. He was officially charged in 1991, but just as the judicial inquiry had been completed and Bousquet was on the point of standing trial, he was assassinated by Christian Didier. See below ‘Vél’ d’Hiv’’.

Cahuzac. Jérôme      

**

Jérôme Cahuzac, the socialist minister in charge of the budget (and therefore in charge of clamping down on tax evaders) was forced to resign following the revelations made by Mediapart accusing him of having a hidden account in Switzerland and then in Singapore. After he had sworn before the National Assembly that he didn’t possess such an account, a judicial inquiry was launched. Cahuzac was forced to resign in 2013. He finally acknowledged the facts in April 2013 in front of the juges d’instruction. He was officially charged with money laundering and tax evasion. He appealed against his first sentence, but in 2018 Cahuzac was finally given a suspended two-​year prison sentence, a fine of €300,000 and five years’ ineligibility. In fact, his ‘prison term’ will not be served. He will simply have to wear an electronic tag.

Carrefour du développement. Le      

**

In 1983, the minister of cooperation, the socialist Christian Nucci (a freemason) set up the association Carrefour du développement, the object of which was to fund the then upcoming Franco-​African summit. When the right returned to power in 1986, the new minister of cooperation unveiled a report

440  Charonne. La station du métro     

made by the public accounting office (Cour des comptes) that pinpointed the misappropriation of funds that had taken place under Nucci, and even more so by Yves Chalier, his head of office (also a freemason). The latter fled the country with the help of Charles Pasqua, the minister of the interior. Pasqua had the DST (Direction de la Surveillance du territoire: counter-​espionnage) fabricate an authentic counterfeit passport (vrai-​faux passeport) to enable Chalier to leave the country under the assumed name of Navarro. The basic idea was to create difficulties for the socialists. This must be set in the context of the right–​left tensions during the first ‘cohabitation’, i.e. socialist President and right-​wing Prime Minister. After six months on the run, Chalier returned to France and was given a jail sentence of five years without remission. The socialist minister Nucci was granted a pardon, and Charles Pasqua could not be prosecuted since he was protected by parliamentary immunity. ‘Vrai-​faux’ is now used in a variety of contexts.

Charonne. La station du métro      

*

On 8 February 1962, an anti-​Organisation de l’armée secrète (OAS) demonstration took place in Paris in spite of having been forbidden by the police. The demonstrators were savagely dispersed and nine of them were killed in the resulting panic, near the Charonne métro station in the 11e arrondissement. The préfet de police at the time was Maurice Papon. See Chapter 14 ‘OAS’.

Clearstream      

***

Clearstream is the name of a clearing house located in Luxembourg. The writer of a poison-​pen letter to the financial section of the ministry of justice sent a CD-​ROM with the names and account numbers of clients of the bank to the judge in charge of the Taiwan Frigates affair, Renaud Van Ruymbeke. The names included several politicians, Nicolas Sarkozy among them. The listings were shown to have been tampered with and the names of eminent politicians added. This happened before the presidential election and seems to have been hatched by people who wanted to discredit Nicolas Sarkozy. Several people went on trial, including Dominique de Villepin, the former Prime Minister, for a number of offences, including complicity in defamatory denunciation. Jacques Chirac, who was President at the time, told the judges that he would not reply to any summons to be heard as a witness. There was no legal basis for his refusal. Every citizen has the obligation to contribute to the revelation of the truth in the judicial process. The trial is over. Dominique de Villepin was acquitted. See below ‘Frégates de Taïwan’.

Crédit Lyonnais. Le  441

Collier de la Reine      

*

This scandal blew up in 1785 and succeeded in tarnishing the already damaged image of the French monarchy in general, and that of Marie-​Antoinette in particular. The Cardinal de Rohan, Bishop of Strasbourg, was greedy for recognition at the court of Louis XVI and wanted to gain the favour of Marie-​ Antoinette. The comtesse de la Motte, an obscure bastard of the Valois line, succeeded in convincing Rohan that she was an intimate relation of the Queen and that she could intervene on his behalf. With the use of some forged letters (produced by her own brother) she was able to hoodwink the cardinal into thinking that he was indeed ‘in touch’ with the Queen. The comtesse indicated that the Queen would cover him with favours if he would stand surety for the purchase of a diamond necklace that the Queen had seen. The necklace was bought, but the diamonds were soon shared out among the swindlers. The brother tried to sell the precious stones in France, but their quality was such, and the price he asked for so low, that the jeweller smelled a rat. The brother fled to England, where an English jeweller had the same reaction as his French counterpart and informed Paris. The comtesse was branded and imprisoned for life. In 1785 Cardinal Rohan was arrested and tried for using the name of the Queen to obtain the necklace. The slap in the face for the Queen came when the Cardinal was acquitted, betraying the fact that the court found the Cardinal’s explanations more than plausible, given the notorious frivolity of the Queen.

corvée de bois nf.      

*

A military euphemism that referred to the assassination of Front de libération nationale (FLN) or suspected FLN members arrested by the French Army during the Algerian War of Independence. It consisted of taking prisoners into the woods, killing them and burying them in common graves; this was an alternative to throwing their corpses into the sea from helicopters.

Crédit Lyonnais. Le      

**

In 1988 Jean-​Yves Haberer (major de sa promotion at l’ÉNA), Inspecteur des finances, was appointed President of the Crédit Lyonnais bank, one of the top three banks in France at the time. A hazardous policy of growth at any price ,plus the ‘law of silence’ on the part of the Inspection générale des finances, drove the bank into bankruptcy. On 5 May 1996 a strange fire broke out in the headquarters of the Crédit Lyonnais, on the boulevard des Italiens in Paris. A fortnight later, the banking archives stored in a warehouse in Le

442 de Broglie. Prince Jean     

Havre went up in smoke. The crash of one of the biggest French banks cost the French taxpayer €50 billion in total. Jean-​Yves Haberer was given a two-​ year suspended prison sentence. The Governor of the Bank of France at the time, who had an overseeing role, was Jean-​Claude Trichet (énarque). He was tried for having presented accounts that were not true and fair, and for the dissemination of false financial information. He was acquitted and became Governor of the European Central Bank. The second part of the Crédit Lyonnais scandal is known by the name ‘Executive Life’. See below.

de Broglie. Prince Jean      

*

Prince Jean de Broglie (1921–​76) was an eminent French politician who had consistently been returned to Parliament as MP for the département of the Eure (28). He was assassinated on 24 December 1976. Although three people were convicted as either killer or accessory, no one has ever found the real motive for his assassination. The police were at the scene before the crime took place, and rumours had been circulating for weeks about the assassination. Shortly before his death, de Broglie had announced his intention of leaving the Giscard d’Estaing camp for that of Chirac. In 1995 and 1996 France was severely criticized by the European Court of Human Rights for the handling of this affair. Before the trial, the minister of the interior, in flagrant violation of the presumption of innocence, declared that the case was closed and that the guilty parties had been apprehended.

de Grossouvre. François      

*

François de Grossouvre (1918–​94) had been a resistant during the war and a member of the Service de documentation extérieure et de contre espionnage (SDECE; see Chapter  14 ‘DGSE’). He was the éminence grise of François Mitterrand and was in charge of the presidential hunt. He was the special advisor in parallel diplomacy for Tunisia, the Lebanon, Morocco and Syria. He was also in charge of the security surrounding the secrecy of the existence of Mitterrand’s illegitimate daughter, Mazarine, whose godfather he was. He left Mitterrand’s cabinet in 1985 but still retained the role related to the hunt and to protecting Mazarine. He still had an office in the Élysée. He was disgusted by the drift that presidential power was taking and gave frequent interviews to the press. He was found dead in his office in the Élysée on 7 April 1994. Rumour had it that he was depressed, but in fact there are very serious reasons to believe that he was assassinated: 1 The weapon used was a high-​calibre .357 magnum; it is impossible that nobody heard the shot. Nobody heard the shot.

Dreyfus. Alfred  443

2

3 4 5

His body bore signs of physical aggression, i.e. facial injuries, and during the post-​mortem it was discovered that his shoulder had been dislocated, consistent with the idea that he had been held by force in the position in which he died. He had spoken to his family about his fears of being eliminated. His children, who started their own investigations, received death threats. No serious investigation was ever made into his death.

diamants de Bokassa/​G iscard d’Estaing nmpl.      

*

The affair of the diamonds was revealed by Le Canard enchaîné on 10 October 1979. The diamonds in question were gifts made to VGE by the then head of State of the Central African Republic, Jean-​Bédel Bokassa. At the time the gifts were made, VGE was either minister of finance or President of the Republic. He knew Bokassa well, having spent several seasons hunting big game in the Central African Republic. Although the diamonds were ultimately valued at less than 10 million francs suggested by Le Canard, the value was well over 100,000 francs at the time.

Dreyfus. Alfred      

**

This is a story of the miscarriage of justice that took place against the backdrop of espionage and anti-​Semitism during the Third Republic. In 1894, Captain Alfred Dreyfus (1859–​1935), who worked in the statistics department of the Army, was convicted (on extremely flimsy evidence) of passing information to the German enemy. He was sent to Devil’s Island, a penal colony, for life in 1894. He was a victim of the anti-​Semitism prevalent in France at the time. A new officer, Picquart, was appointed to the statistics office. He not only uncovered some inconsistencies in the affair but he also discovered that staff papers were still going missing and that a certain Esterhazy was probably the guilty party. On making his hunches known, Picquart was immediately transferred to Tunisia. The War Office continued to cover up the affair. It was in defence of Dreyfus that Zola wrote ‘J’accuse . . .!’ in 1898, accusing the French War Office of a judicial crime. Intellectuals began to lobby for a retrial. Esterhazy fled to England, and Colonel Henry, who had lied and covered up for the War Office during the whole affair, took his own life. The affair divided the country into two camps; the Dreyfusards and the anti-​ Dreyfusards, frequently splitting families and associations. A retrial was held at which Dreyfus was cleared of the charge and reinstated in the Army with the grade of Commandant in 1906.

444 Elf     

Elf      

***

This is the former name of the petrol company Total. This was an affair of corruption implicating the top management of the company (le Floch-​ Prigent, Alfred Sirven and André Tallaro); a host of go-​betweens; and several politicians, among them Roland Dumas. The Elf scandal was triggered by a small affair of misuse of company funds by the CEO of Elf, Loïk le Floch-​ Prigent, who had invested 800 million francs of Elf’s money to help bail out a failing company run by one of his close friends, Maurice Bidermann. However, during the investigation of this affair, another huge scandal was uncovered. The then minister of foreign affairs was accused of having accepted expensive presents from a top-​class prostitute employed by Elf to seduce the minister and to persuade him to lift his veto on the sale of six La Fayette-​class frigates to Taiwan. He was later forced to resign from the presidency of the Conseil d’État. ‘Retro commissions’ were paid to eminent French politicians but the case is covered by le secret-​défense. The truth concerning politicians who received kickbacks will thus never be known. Several prison sentences were given to the former chairman, le Floch-​Prigent, and his slush-​fund manager, Alfred Sirven. On appeal, Dumas was found innocent of any wrongdoing, although his behaviour was declared ‘blâmable’. See below ‘Frégates de Taïwan’.

emplois fictifs de l’Hôtel de Ville nmpl.      

**

This scandal concerns the phoney job positions at the Paris Hôtel de Ville  :  people who received salaries, paid with taxpayers’ money, but who were, in fact, working for the political party founded by Jacques Chirac, the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR). The offence of ‘misappropriation of public funds’ took place between 1988 and 1995, the period during which Jacques Chirac was President of the RPR and mayor of Paris. According to a police report, the amount of money involved was 30 million francs. While President of France, Chirac was protected by his presidential immunity. After leaving the Élysée, he was charged with ‘détournement de fonds publics’ and found guilty. He was given a two-​year suspended prison sentence. It was during this affair that Alain Juppé was given a 14-​month suspended prison term and sentenced to one year’s ineligibility as Secretary General of the Paris Hôtel de Ville in charge of finance.

Executive Life      

*

Under US law, a foreign bank is not allowed to buy an American life assurance company. In spite of this legislation, the head of the French bank Crédit

frais de bouche nmpl.  445

Lyonnais, Jean-​Yves Haberer, in flagrant defiance of US legislation, bought the US company Executive Life using another company as a front. The violation was discovered in 1998 and the USA began to negotiate the ‘fines’ for the various protagonists involved. The ultimate cost for the French taxpayer ran into hundreds of millions of euros. His successor, Jean Peyrelevade was fined US$500,000 in this affair and forbidden entry to the USA.

Euralair      

*

During the investigation related to the ‘lycées d’Île-​ de-​ France’, a judge discovered that cash payments had been made to a travel agent in Neuilly-​ sur-​Seine for the purchase of air tickets for Jacques Chirac. The value of the transactions amounted to 2,400,000 francs. Chirac claimed that the money came from secret funds he had kept from the time he was Prime Minister. Bernadette Chirac is said to have been given at least 40,000 francs’ worth of free tickets between 1998 and 1999. The airline company has since gone out of business and its owner accused of fraudulent bankruptcy. It was on 14 July 2001 during a TV interview that Chirac used the term ‘pschitt’ when discussing the affair. See below ‘lycées d’Île-​de-​France’. See Chapter 2 ‘pschitt’.

faux électeurs      

**

The trial (12 years after the event) of Jean Tiberi (former mayor of Paris) and his wife Xavière ended in 2009. They were both accused of electoral fraud (municipal in 1995 and legislative in 1997). Many electors, although they had been removed from the electoral roll, no longer lived in the 5e arrondissement, yet still voted in the 1997 election. They did so in return for favours in the form of a job at the city hall, a place for their child at the municipal nursery or a council flat. In 1998 the Conseil constitutionnel noted ‘serious and repeated irregularities’, but refused to annul the election of 1997 on the grounds that the final result would not have been affected. The maximum sentence had been requested, i.e. five years’ ineligibility, a €10,000 fine and a one-​ year suspended prison sentence. The couple were sentenced in May 2009 to a 10-​month suspended prison term, a €10,000 fine and three years’ ineligibility. The Tiberis’ appeal was rejected and the sentence confirmed by the supreme court of appeal. It is to be noted that Jean Tiberi is a magistrate by training.

frais de bouche nmpl.      

**

Between 1987 and 1995, 14 million francs were spent by the Chiracs on their own food consumption while at the Hôtel de Ville. Although the new mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, lodged a complaint for misuse of public money, the case

446 Fraisse. Rémi     

was dismissed on grounds of ‘lack of evidence’. A large quantity of documentary evidence had been destroyed before the investigation began.

Fraisse. Rémi      

*

He was an ecology activist, 21 years of age, who was killed by an ‘offensive’ grenade fired by a gendarme in 2014 during a demonstration against the construction of the Sivens dam. The case against the gendarme was dismissed.

Frégates de Taïwan nfpl.      

***

This is a sub-​chapter of the Elf scandal. The scandal bears on 3 billion francs of under-​the-​table commissions paid at the time of operation Bravo, i.e. the sale to Taiwan of six La Fayette-​class frigates manufactured by Thomson CSF (see above ‘Elf’). Several people involved in the case have died in curious circumstances. Thierry Imbot, member of the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (DGSE) in Beijing, was on the point of meeting the French press when he fell from his Paris apartment on the fifth floor in the year 2000. He fell ‘accidentally’ while closing the shutters. The body of Yin Ching-​Feng of the Taiwanese Navy was found floating in the bay of Taipei in 1993; he was on the point of revealing the names of Taiwanese naval officers who had been ‘bought’ by Thompson. Jean-​Claude Albessart, delegate of the international branch of Thomson in Taiwan, died from what was called ‘lightning cancer’. Jacques Morisson, former French Navy specialist who had joined Thomson CSF, threw himself out of his apartment window in Neuilly in 2001. Secret-​ défense was the reply of the government to requests to access confidential information that would have revealed the names of those politicians who had received a slice of the cake.

Gautier-​S auvagnac. Denis      

**

Senior civil servant born in Paris in 1943; former student at the Lycée Janson de Sailly, Sciences Po and l’ ÉNA (1970 promotion Marcel Proust). He is an inspecteur des finances. Former head of the metallurgical employer’s federation, he is accused of having withdrawn €15 million in cash from the UIMM bank account between 2000 and 2007. On his own admission, this money was used to ‘fluidify industrial relations’. He has never said to whom this slush money was paid. The court of appeal gave him a two-​year suspended prison sentence and imposed a fine of €100 000. The public prosecutor had asked for a three-​year prison sentence with one year without remission and a fine of

Juppé. Alain  447

€370,000. Gautier-​Sauvagnac holds the Légion d’honneur: in such cases, no prison term is ever served if the sentence is two years or below.

gégène nf.      

*

This term is the diminutive of ‘génératrice d’électricité’. It is military slang for torture by electrical generator, which was practised in Algeria by French troops to obtain information from suspected members of the FLN.

Harkis nmpl.      

*

The harkis were soldiers recruited locally in Algeria to back up the French Army between 1957 and 1962 during the Algerian War of Independence. ‘Harki’ comes from the Arab word harka, meaning ‘movement’. They were in fact mobile territorial units. The name was later used to refer to those Algerian Muslims who supported Algeria’s continued attachment to France, and it was to become a synonym for ‘traitor’. Under the terms of the Évian agreement putting an end to the war, the harkis were disarmed by the French Army and left defenceless. Disciplinary measures were threatened against any French soldier trying to assist the repatriation of any harki. Estimates put the number of those massacred between spring and autumn 1962 at between 60,000 and 90,000. In 1962, thousands of harkis and their families were able to embark on ships bound for France, thanks to those French officers who had disobeyed orders.

HLM de Paris      

**

From 1977 to 1995 there was a scandal of misuse of funds involving the Habitation à loyer modéré (HLM:  the administration responsible for managing council housing) of Paris. Construction tenders were awarded in return for kickbacks to the RPR party of Jacques Chirac. The case came to trial in 2004, and in spite of the posthumous testimony of Jean Claude Méry (who had accused Jacques Chirac of being present when briefcases of money were exchanged), nothing significant emerged regarding Jacques Chirac.

Juppé. Alain      

**

To be ‘droit dans ses bottes’ (standing straight in one’s boots) means to be determined not to give way and to have a clear conscience. These words were used by former Prime Minister Alain Juppé following the scandal of his intervention in the affairs of the social housing department of the Ville

448 Légions d’honneur. L’affaire des     

de Paris to obtain a reduction in the rent paid by his son for a flat in the 6e arrondissement. Juppé also had a flat (theoretically reserved for people with moderate incomes), for which he paid a very low rent. At the time, Juppé was in charge of the assignment of flats and the fixing of the rents at the Paris City Hall. He had authority to sign in the name of Jacques Chirac, then mayor of Paris. In the affair of the emplois fictifs, he went on trial for prise illégale d’intérêt (one of the various forms of corruption) and in 2004 was given an 18-​month suspended prison term, and sentenced to 10 years’ ineligibility. On appeal this was reduced to a 14-​month suspended prison sentence and he was made ineligible for one year. In his summing up of the case, the judge said that Alain Juppé had deceived the French people and had refused to admit what was self-​evident. Alain Juppé is an énarque. Until recently (2019) he was mayor of Bordeaux and recently resigned the post to become a member of the Conseil constitutionnel. NB to apply to join the civil service (even as a postman) one must have a clean police record. See Chapter 9 ‘Conseil constitutionnel. Le’.

Légions d’honneur. L’affaire des      

*

The scandal of the trafficking of Légions d’honneur decorations blew up amid general discontent with the government of President Jules Grévy in 1887. It appeared that the President’s son-​in-​law, Daniel Wilson, was using a presidential office at the Élysée as a sales office for presidential favours. The scandal broke on 7 October 1887 when the press revealed the affair. Grévy was forced out of office amid growing hostility towards the parliamentary regime of the Third Republic. The subsequent inquiry revealed that several thousand decorations had been sold for 25,000 francs apiece (€90,000 in today’s money). Daniel Wilson, as a member of Parliament, was protected by his parliamentary immunity and continued to sit in the National Assembly. He was ultimately sentenced in 1888 for corruption of civil servants but was acquitted on appeal. He was re-​elected in 1893 and 1896.

Luchaire      

*

In spite of the arms embargo against Iran, between 1984 and 1986, Luchaire exported half a million artillery shells to Iran. The Socialist Party is said to have received three million francs in commissions for turning a blind eye to these exports. In spite of months of investigation and the accusations against the then minister of defence, Charles Hernu, nothing came of the affair because le secret défense was invoked by those concerned.

Massacre à Paris 1961  449

lycées d’Île-​d e-​France nmpl.      

**

This was, at the time, the biggest corruption scandal of the Fifth Republic. The RPR (Rassemblement pour la République), the PS (Parti socialiste), the PCF (Parti communiste français), the CDS (Centre des démocrates sociaux) and the PR (Parti Républicain) collectively received 200  million francs in ‘racket’ money. In the 1990s, a vast programme was launched for the extension, renovation and construction of 470 secondary schools in the greater Paris region, involving 24 billion francs of investment. An illicit agreement resulted in 2 per cent of the value of the contracts signed with certain construction companies being paid back to political parties across practically the whole political spectrum. The scandal was denounced by the Green Party, who had turned down the offer of a slice of the cake.

Markovic      

*

This affair must be understood in the context of 1968. Georges Pompidou, the Prime Minister, had announced his intention to run for the presidency as de Gaulle’s successor. Stevan Markovic, Alain Delon’s odd-​job man, was found dead on a Paris rubbish tip on 1 October 1968. It was thought that he had been blackmailing some show-​business friends of Delon using photos taken during sexual orgies. Soon after the death of Markovic, rumours began to evoke the presence of Pompidou’s wife, Claude, at such orgies. A bogus photo showing a woman vaguely resembling Mme Pompidou was in circulation. It is also thought that Markovic was an honorable correspondent of the French secret service (the then SDECE). Finally, Pompidou was elected President and heads began to roll at the SDECE. See Chapter 14 ‘DGSE’.

Massacre à Paris 1961      

**

On 17 October 1961, a demonstration by 30,000 Algerian supporters of Algerian independence marched through Paris. The préfet de police at the time, Maurice Papon, gave orders to disperse the demonstrators. They were savagely attacked by the police, and in the following days, dozens of dead Algerian bodies were pulled out of the Seine. Official figures gave the death toll of the Algerians as ‘two’. Conservative estimates put the death toll at over 200. Many of them had been ‘drowned by bullets’, to quote the expression of the time. The contribution to the French language was the expression ‘noyés par balles’.

450 Médiator     

Médiator      

***

This is the name of the biggest biomedical-​pharmaceutical scandal of the century. It began with the publication of a book entitled Médiator 150 mg: Combien de morts? The book was written by Irène Frachon, a lung specialist working at the Brest teaching hospital. During her research, she discovered an alarming relation between this medicine Mediator and the incidence of heart valve lesions. The medicine was widely prescribed as an appetite suppressant. Not only did Dr Frachon uncover the correlation between the medicine and numerous deaths, she also brought to light the incestuous relations between official health decision-​makers, doctors, professors etc., and the laboratory Servier, which produced the drug. Warning signs were being given as early as 1997, and in 2007 the drug was forbidden in most countries in the world but not in France. It was taken off the market and a law was passed in 2011 to enhance the transparency of relations between medical professionals and pharmaceutical laboratories. In January 2014, among the 15 people indicted to date, 8 are directors or experts working for the government agency on medicines, who were ‘advisors’ to the Servier labs. The various charges, depending on the roles, range from manslaughter to embezzlement, from aggravated deceit to taking an illegal interest and even misuse of company assets. The case is pending. It is thought that 2,000 people have died from this medicine. A separate judicial inquiry was launched in 2014 concerning Philippe Douste-​Blazy, who was twice minister of health and who entertained warm relations with Jacques Servier. M.  Douste-​Blazy was an ‘advisor’ to the Servier labs in 1986, and the football club of the town of which he was mayor received €300,000 from the labs. The former minister of justice Henri Nallet received €2.7 million euros from the Servier labs for his role as ‘advisor’ to the pharmaceutical company. Three years later, the inquiry is advancing at a snail’s pace. The Servier trial opened in September 2019, without Servier, who died in 2014.

MNEF      

**

This scandal was connected to the Mutuelle nationale des étudiants de France and basically involved a number of senior Socialist Party officials who, over the years, were ‘helping themselves’ to the money of the students’ mutual fund. Among those found guilty was Jean-​Christophe Cambadelis, the former first secretary of the Socialist Party.

Nouvelle-​C alédonie. La      

*

In March 1986, the new minister of the French Overseas Territories decided to propose to the Caldoches (white inhabitants) a reform for New Caledonia

Oussekine. Malik  451

that went back on promises made beforehand to give more power to the native Kanaks. Disturbances took place between April and May 1988. The Kanaks attacked a gendarmerie, several gendarmes were killed and a number of hostages were taken. They were taken to a cave near Goossanah on the island of Ouvéa. The cave was located by the special troops of the French Army, who took it by storm. Two soldiers were killed and 16 kidnappers were killed in the battle. However, three Kanak kidnappers died in conditions that could qualify their deaths as crimes. Alphonse Dianou, the leader of the commandos, died under torture, while Wenceslas Levelloi and Waina Amossa, who had already been taken prisoner and represented no threat, were assassinated. In 1989, Parliament voted a pardon for those responsible for the deaths of the three prisoners.

OAS      

***

L’Organisation de l’armée secrète. This was a political and military terrorist organization created in 1961 by Salan and Lagaillarde to fight the FLN and preserve French Algeria. After the failed putsch by the four retired generals Salan, Challe, Zeller and Jouhaud, the opponents of de Gaulle’s policy of withdrawing from Algeria went underground and formed the OAS. It carried out numerous attacks both in Algeria and in mainland France, the most spectacular being the attempt on the life of de Gaulle at Le Petit-​Clamart in 1962. See below ‘SAC’, and Chapter 12 ‘Petit-​Clamart. Le’.

Observatoire. L’attentat de l’      

**

During the height of the Algerian War, François Mitterrand, senator of the Nièvre (58), was driving home on the night of 15/​16 October 1959. He gained the impression that he was being followed by another car. He got out of his car and took cover behind the bushes on the avenue de l’Observatoire in the 14e arrondissement in Paris. Shortly afterwards, his car was machine-​gunned. Such was the version that he gave to the police. A few days later, Robert Pesquet, an extreme right-​wing supporter of Algérie française, confessed to having carried out the ‘assassination attempt’ that he claimed had been planned with . . . François Mitterrand himself, in the hope that this would rekindle favour among the public. Pesquet’s parliamentary immunity was lifted and he was charged with contempt of court. The judicial inquiry was never completed because seven years later he was granted a pardon in the affair.

Oussekine. Malik      

**

On 6 December 1986, a huge student demonstration was organized in Paris and violent clashes took place between the police and students. At midnight,

452  Panama. L’Affaire du canal de     

a 22-​year-​old student, Malik Oussekine, was leaving a jazz club when he was chased by two ‘voltigeurs’ (police on motorbikes). Typically, such units were used to clear the streets of demonstrators after a ‘demo’. The student took refuge in the hallway of an apartment building but the police came after him and, according to an eye witness, beat him with extraordinary violence, hitting him with a truncheon and kicking him in the stomach and back. An ambulance was called but the student died soon after his admission to hospital, from the beating and kidney failure. A plaque now marks the place in Paris where Malik died, ‘beaten to death’. There is no mention of the fact that he died from police brutality.

Panama. L’Affaire du canal de      

*

In 1879, the Panama Canal Company was set up with a view to building a canal across the isthmus of Panama to link the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. A loan was floated but the funds collected were insufficient. Part of the money raised was used by Jacques de Reinach and Cornelius Herz, two financiers, to bribe journalists into ‘selling’ the idea to the public, and to obtain backing from the political establishment. The project fell behind schedule and finally the company went bankrupt in 1889, ruining hundreds of thousands of small shareholders. One billion francs were lost in the biggest financial scandal of the nineteenth century. Reinach was found dead in 1892 but he had given secret documents to the journalist Édouard Drumont. The affair exploded in 1892. In his anti-​Semitic and antiparliamentarian newspaper La Libre Parole, Drumont published the names of over 100 members of Parliament who had taken bribes in order to cover up the real financial situation of the ailing Panama Canal Company. The then minister of the interior, Loubet, was forced to resign, and both de Lesseps and Eiffel were found guilty of bribery but never served a sentence. A parliamentary commission of inquiry was set up. Five senators and five members of Parliament were put on trial on corruption charges. In 1893, the minister of public works served a three-​year prison sentence. This scandal tarnished the image of the political establishment and the parliamentary regime, and also fuelled the already prevalent anti-​Semitism, given the fact that Herz and Reinach were both Jews. This paved the way for the Dreyfus Affair and put an end to Clemenceau’s political career.

Papon. Maurice      

**

Maurice Papon (1910–​2007), secretary general of the Préfecture of the Gironde between 1942 and 1944, was found guilty of involvement in organizing the

poisons. L’Affaire des  453

deportation of dozens of Jewish families to Auschwitz. After the war, he miraculously escaped charges of collaboration and continued to be employed at the very highest echelons of the French government; he was minister of budget between 1978 and 1981. In 1983, he was charged with crimes against humanity. It was only in 1998 that he was given a ten-​year prison sentence and lost his civic rights, and was no longer allowed to wear the Légion d’honneur decoration. He only served three years and was released, apparently for health reasons. He died in 2007. See above ‘Charonne. La station du métro’.

Piat. Yann      

**

She was a French right-​wing politician, born in 1949 in Hanoi. In her early political career she was on the extreme right wing, but turned to the centre later on. She was UDF (Union pour la démocratie française) member of Parliament for the département of the Var (83). She intended to stand for the position of mayor of Hyères in the municipal elections of 1995. Her declared intention was to put an end to the collusion between politicians and the mafia in the Var. She was assassinated by two men on a motorbike in 1994. Those who commissioned the attack have never been found.

poisons. L’Affaire des      

*

This affair refers to a series of poisonings that took place between 1672 and 1682 that shook the court of Louis XIV and triggered a witch-​hunt against a backdrop of infanticides and black masses. The affair began in 1672 with the death of a cavalry officer, Godin de Sainte-​Croix. Among his papers certain documents were found indicating that his mistress, the marquise de Brinvilliers, had poisoned half of her own family so as to receive the inheritance. Louis XIV ordered that a special court of inquiry be set up (known as La Chambre ardente) to look into this affair and try the people involved. In 1677, the inquiry revealed that a certain Marie Bosse had been supplying poison to the wives of members of the Parlement whom they wanted to get rid of. On her arrest, she denounced a woman known as ‘La Voisin’. Various people were arrested, and tortured. Out of these forced confessions came the names of the King’s concubine, Mme de Montespan, the countess of Soissons and the countess of Polignac, among others. Thirty-​six people were ultimately sentenced to death. Those people who had accused Mme de Montespan were imprisoned. ‘La Voisin’ was burned alive at the place du Grève in 1680. La Chambre ardente was dissolved in 1682. Mme de Montespan continued to frequent the King as before and there is no proof that she was ever involved in black mass ceremonies herself.

454 Rainbow Warrior     

Rainbow Warrior      

**

This was the name of the Greenpeace ship that intended to sail to the atoll of Mururoa to protest against nuclear testing by the French government in July 1985. To avoid such a scenario, François Mitterrand asked the DGSE to intervene. In spite of the protests of certain officers of the secret service, who were aware of the dangers of precipitous action, the operation went ahead. Two explosive charges were placed on the hull of the ship by members of the French secret service. The attack took place on 16 August. The first explosion was intended to make the passengers leave the ship, the second was intended to sink it. Unfortunately, a Dutch photographer of Portuguese origin went back on board to retrieve some equipment after the first explosion, and died in the second. The members of the French secret service were arrested after having left a trail of clues behind them. Their amateurism was as much of a scandal as the intervention of the French secret service in New Zealand sovereign territory. The socialist minister of defence, Charles Hernu, resigned. Ségolène Royal’s brother was part of the commando unit.

SAC      

***

The Service d’action civique was the association set up to promote the ideas of General de Gaulle and succeeding Gaullists. Between 1960 and 1981 it was an association under the law of 1901. It was in fact a parallel political police force set up to combat the OAS and to prevent a Bolshevik coup d’État in France. Its recruits came from the regular police force and the general riff-​raff of the underworld. It was responsible for keeping order at political meetings or breaking up meetings of communist sympathizers. Its founding members were Charles Pasqua, Étienne Léandri and Jacques Foccart. It was also responsible for finding financial resources for the Gaullist Party. After the assassination of the family of the local SAC representative of the Marseille region, Jacques Massié, in 1981, the SAC was officially disbanded. See above ‘Auriol. Le massacre d’’.

sang contaminé nm.      

**

The National Blood Transfusion Centre (Centre national de transfusion sanguine; CNTS), issued blood products between 1985 and 1986 knowing full well that the products were contaminated with HIV. Most of the 5,000 people infected were haemophiliacs. Most have since died. Since 1985, the sales of HIV screening tests developed by the American laboratory Abbot had been blocked by the French authorities to give time to the Institut

Stavisky 455

Pasteur to put the finishing touches to its own test. The Prime Minister at the time of the scandal, Laurent Fabius, and two ministers, Georgina Dufoix (social affairs) and Edmond Hervé (health) were tried by the Cour de justice de la République for manslaughter. Fabius and Dufoix were acquitted; Hervé, although found guilty of manslaughter, was not obliged to serve his sentence. The words of Georgina Dufoix remain Je suis responsable mais pas coupable. The French reader is invited to take note of three possible English translations of the single French word ‘responsable’: ‘responsible’, ‘accountable’ and ‘answerable’.

Sétif. Le massacre de      

*

While Europe was celebrating the capitulation of Nazi Germany on 8 May 1945, a massacre took place in Algeria that escaped public attention. A demonstration was organized to demand independence and the release of Messali Hadj, head of the Algerian Popular Party. The demonstration was put down with extreme violence. No reliable statistics are available but several thousand people are thought to have perished.

Stavisky      

*

The Stavisky Affair blew up on Christmas Eve 1933, with the arrest of the director of Le Crédit Municipal bank of Bayonne. He had put bonds into circulation to the value of 235 million francs that were backed by less than 20 million francs, in order to float a loan. It was soon discovered that the director of the bank was merely an accomplice, and that the real brains behind the swindle belonged to a financier called Alexandre Stavisky (1886–​1934). It came to light that Stavisky had already been taken to court for similar offences, but his murky past had been hushed up by ministers and other corrupt politicians. The police began looking for him but he fled. He had had close relations with many politicians, and with members of the press and of the justice department. The police official in charge of investigations concerning Stavisky was found dead on a railway line, tied up and poisoned. Many politicians were afraid that, during his trial, Stavisky would speak. He was found dead in a chalet in Chamonix on 7 January 1934, having taken his own life. He had shot himself at a distance of three metres. This led to a wave of anti-​parliamentary feeling, and riots took place during which over two dozen people were killed. The affair also saw a resurgence of anti-​Semitism and xenophobia (Stavisky was of Russian origin and a Jew) and demonstrations by Action française. The scandal brought down the government of Chautemps and then that of Édouard Daladier.

456 Tapie. Bernard     

Tapie. Bernard      

***

Entrepreneur, turnaround manager, singer, actor, football club manager, socialist minister of La Ville, convict: he holds a record without comparison. He was sentenced in 1996 for having rigged a football match between the Olympique de Marseille and Valenciennes. He was charged with corruption and suborning a witness. He was the only person in the affair to have been given a firm, one-​year, prison sentence. He did not benefit from the slightest reduction of his sentence, although a reduction is usually given to people for their first offence if the sentence is below one year. Even the public prosecutor said: ‘If his name had not been Bernard Tapie, he would not have gone to prison for this affair. The facts did not deserve such a sentence. He paid for other reasons.’ He is yet again in the spotlight in the affair of the Crédit Lyonnais and the fraudulent arbitration he is supposed to have benefited from. The President of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, went against the advice of her own advisors (she was minister of finance at the time) and opted for a solution in favour of M. Tapie. He received €403 million but has since been obliged to pay this back to the State. Tapie was aquitted of the swindling charges against him in this affair. Two of the ‘referees’ in the matter have been accused of conflict of interest. Madame Lagarde was tried by the Cour de justice de la République and found guilty of negligence that allowed a huge misappropriation of public funds. But she will receive no punishment; because of her international reputation she has been dispensée de peine. In 2019, a young, homeless, 18-​year-​old man who entered a house in Figeac (Lot) and stole rice and macaroni ‘by necessity’ was given a firm two-​ month prison sentence, with no remission by the magistrates’ court in Cahors. The radically different treatment given to the two protagonists brings to mind the moral of the fable ‘Les Animaux malades de la peste’ by La Fontaine: Selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable Les jugements de cour vous rendront blanc ou noir. ‘Depending on whether you are powerful or wretched, the judgements of the court will make you black or white.’

Touvier. Paul and the Chevaliers de Notre-​D ame      

*

Paul Touvier was head of the notorious milice of the Lyon region during the Nazi occupation of France. He was sentenced to death in 1946 in absentia and went on the run. He was officially pardoned in 1971 by President Pompidou

Vél’ d’ Hiv’  457

following powerful lobbying by the Catholic Church. But he was accused of crimes against humanity, crimes not covered by the statute of limitation. On the run again, he was helped by a network of Catholic sympathizers. In 1989, an investigation by Le Canard enchaîné made an accusation against the Chevaliers de Notre-​Dame and the autonomous association called la Fraternité Notre-​Dame de la Merci, which brought aid and assistance to prisoners and their families. The President of this association (a former member of the Waffen SS of the Division Charlemagne) helped Paul Touvier and his family financially. It was only in 1994 that Touvier was tried and charged with conspiracy to commit crimes against humanity. He received a life sentence and died two years later in the prison of Fresnes.

Transnonain. Le massacre de la rue      

*

On 13 April 1834, while the canuts were rioting in Lyon, barricades were being set up in Paris and several other French towns. A squad of soldiers marching in the rue Transnonain in Paris were fired upon and an officer was killed. The shot came from house no. 12. The soldiers entered the building and indiscriminately killed everyone they could find, women and children included. This massacre was immortalized in the lithograph by Honoré Daumier (1808–​79).

Urba      

**

This was the name of a pseudo-​consultancy firm set up by the PS in 1971. Its object was to centralize the collection of money received at the moment of the awarding of public tenders to construction companies. Companies wishing to take part in a public tender had to pay from 2 to 4 per cent of the value of the contract to Urba. A system of false invoices was set up. The money thus collected was transferred to the Socialist Party to fund the upcoming election of 1974. A  judicial inquiry was opened for extortion, corruption and the drawing up and use of false documents. Political interference slowed down the inquiry. The stubborn police inspector in charge of the investigation was ‘transferred’, then ‘taken off the case’ and finally ‘dismissed’ from the police force in 1991. Nevertheless, the inquiry proceded. Henri Emmanuelli, the treasurer of the PS, was charged with influence-​peddling and complicity, and was given an 18-​month suspended prison sentence and two years’ civic ineligibility.

Vél’ d’ Hiv’      

**

On 16 and 17 July 1942, under the code name ‘Spring Wind’ (‘Vent printanier’) at least 4,000 French police took part in a raid to round up Parisian Jews.

458 vrai-faux passeport. Le     

Around 13,000 people were arrested, including 4,115 children. The arrest of Jewish children was a purely French decision, as the Germans had not asked for children to be arrested. The Jews were subsequently driven by bus to Drancy or to the Vélodrome d’Hiver located in the 15e arrondissement of Paris. They remained herded in this compound for five days without food. Some were killed trying to escape; over 100 killed themselves. The number of Jews arrested in this raid amounts to more than a quarter of the 42,000 Jews deported from France to Auschwitz.

vrai-​f aux passeport. Le       See above ‘Carrefour du Développement, Le’.

***

Chapter 12

Metonymy and periphrasis

Although this chapter has the umbrella title of ‘Metonymy and periphrasis’ the contents go far beyond the strict limits of these terms. Apart from metonymy proper and periphrasis, it includes a host of rather enigmatic names, expressions, euphemisms and nicknames, as well as many geographical references that are of great significance to the French but are far from being obvious to a non-​native reader. These terms are so well known that they are never developed. Since the first edition appeared in 2011, one or two terms are no longer listed e.g. 36, Quai des Orfèvres, the mythical address of the French equivalent of the British CID, is no more. La Direction régionale de la police judiciaire de la préfecture de police de Paris is now located at 36, rue du Bastion in the 17e arrondissement after its move in 2017. In the wake of their electoral defeats, and consequent loss of funding, the French Socialist Party has been forced to sell off its historic headquarters in rue Solférino. NB normally, the thoroughfare –​rue, avenue, allée, etc. –​is written with a lower-​case letter, but when such addresses are used metonymically they take a capital letter, thus Place Beauveau, Quai d’Orsay. 1 METONYMY Le locataire de l’Élysée

actions de maintien de l’ordre. Les nfpl      

***

The Algerian War of Independence (1954–​62) was never referred to as such by the French government. It was referred to as actions de maintien de l’ordre, or sometimes as les événements. NB this word may also be written ‘évènements’; thus the second ‘e’ may take either a grave or an acute accent.

460 Banque verte. La     

Banque verte. La      

**

This is the nickname of Le Crédit agricole, so called because this bank, found particularly in the rural parts of France, has traditionally been the bank of the agricultural community.

Beauvau. Place nf      

***

The metonymical name of the ministry of the interior. It is located in the 8e arrondissement of Paris.

Bercy      

***

The metonymical name of the ministry of finance. It is located in Bercy in the 12e arrondissement of Paris. This is not to be confused with the abbreviated name of the stadium of the same name, which is often used for sports events, mass meetings and rock concerts, i.e. le Palais Omnisports de Bercy. NB rue de Rivoli was the previous metonymical name used to refer to the French ministry of finance before it moved to Bercy in 1989. This is useful to know for dating, and thus translating, certain texts. NB when one has a cold and tries to say ‘thank you’ in French it sounds like ‘Bercy’. Frequently punned upon.

blouses blanches. Les nfpl.      

**

The white-​uniformed members of the medical profession, essentially doctors and nurses.

Bonne mère. La      

**

This is the familiar and affectionate name of the basilica of Notre-​Dame-​de-​ la-​Garde. High on a hill, it looks over the port and the town of Marseille. NB in English, Marseille used to take a final ‘-​s’, but these days it generally doesn’t.

Cambon. Rue nf.      

***

This is the metonymical name of La Cour des comptes. See Chapter 9 ‘Cour des comptes. La’.

capitale de la gastronomie. La      

*

Lyon. Similarly to Marseille, Lyon used to take a final ‘-​s’ in English but nowadays this is usually dropped.

cité phocéenne. La  461

*

capitale des Gaules. La       Lyon.

*

capitale/​m étropole girondine       Bordeaux.

**

Chancellerie. La      

Another name for the French ministry of justice. Something of a false friend in that it has nothing to do with embassies or consulates.

*

Charleville. Le poète de      

Arthur Rimbaud was born here on 20 October 1854. Charleville-​Mézières is a French town situated in the département of the Ardennes (08), in the region now known as the ‘Grand Est’.

château. Le      

***

The metonymical term to designate the Élysée, or the President and his or her staff.

château la pompe nm.      

*

Water.

chevrons. La marque aux      

*

Citroën, the car manufacturer, has a logo formed by a double chevron.

cité mariale. La      

**

Lourdes, the city of Mary.

cité phocéenne. La      

**

Marseille, known as the ‘Phocaean’ city, was founded in 600 b c by sailors who had originally come from Phocaea, an ancient Ionian village in western Asia Minor, on the Aegean Sea. The original name of Marseille was Massilia.

462 Coupole. La (Académie)     

Coupole. La (Académie)      

**

This is the metonymical name of the Académie française. See Chapter  9 ‘Institut de France. L’’. See Chapter 10 ‘Coupole. La’.

Crédit municipal. Le      

*

See Chapter 3 ‘tante, chez ma’.

Dame de fer. La      

*

La Tour Eiffel (or Margaret Thatcher).

der des ders. La (la dernière des dernières)      

**

This is a reference to the First World War, which was supposed to be the war to end all wars. Today, the expression refers to the ultimate, to the last of the last, sometimes to a final deciding game.

deuxième personnage de l’État. Le      

**

The President of the French Senate. He automatically assumes the presidency as an interim measure in the event of the elected President being unable to carry out his or her duties because of death, illness etc.

divin marquis. Le      

*

Donatien Alphonse François de Sade (1740–​1814).

Écureuil. L’      

*

La Caisse d’épargne, the National Savings Bank, whose logo is a stylized squirrel.

Élysée. L’      

***

The French President and/​or his or her staff.

empire du Milieu. L’       China.

***

grande muette. La  463

énarques de la rue Cambon. Les      

***

Members of the Cour des comptes. See Chapter 9 ‘Cambon. Rue’.

État hébreu. L’      

***

Israel.

événements. Les      

***

This is a euphemism for the War of Algerian Independence. See above ‘actions de maintien de l’ordre’.

Faubourg Saint-​H onoré. 55 rue du      

***

The address of the official residence of the President of the Republic, located in the 8e arrondissement. It is the address of the Palais de l’Élysée.

fille aînée de l’Église catholique. La      

***

France. See Chapter 6 ‘Fille aînée de l’Église’.

gueules noires.      

*

coal miners.

grand argentier. Le      

**

The minister of finance.

Grande Boucle. La      

**

The Tour de France cycle race.

grande faucheuse. La      

**

Death, the Grim Reaper.

grande muette. La      

**

The French Army and the ministry of defence. This is generally supposed to refer to the fact that until 1945, soldiers had no electoral rights. Furthermore, they were not allowed to join a trades union or belong to a political party.

464 grandes oreilles. Les nfpl.     

grandes oreilles. Les nfpl.      

***

This refers to the Renseignements généraux (a political police). The RG has now been merged with the DST (Direction de la surveillance du territoire) to form the new entity Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur (DCRI). See Chapter 14 ‘DCRI’.

habit vert. L’ nm.      

**

The uniform of the members of the Académie française.

Hémicycle. L’ nm.      

***

The French National Assembly. It refers to the semi-​circular construction of the salle de séances of the Palais Bourbon. This configuration contrasts singularly with the Westminster system, where the parties are physically in a position of confrontation.

herbe à nicot. L’nm.      

*

Tobacco. Jean Nicot (1530–​ 1600) introduced tobacco to the court of Catherine de Medici.

hermine. L’      

**

The magistrature.

Hexagone. L’      

***

France. A regular six-​sided geometrical figure into which the shape of France can be fitted. Hexagonal is the corresponding metonymical adjective. See below ‘outre-​Quiévrain’.

hirondelles nfpl.      

***

See the bonus chapter ‘Menagerie’ at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758.

homme le plus puissant de France. L’      

***

The opinion of Honoré de Balzac concerning the juge d’instruction. See the bonus chapter ‘Legal terminology’ at www.routledge.com/​9780367376758 ‘juge’.

Lumières. Le pays des  465

hôte/​l ocataire actuel de Matignon/​d e l’Élysée nm.      

***

The current Prime Minister or President.

hôtel de Lassay nm.      

***

This is an eighteenth-​century house located in the 7e arrondissement of Paris and is the official residence of the President (Speaker) of the Assemblée nationale.

Hôtel Matignon nm.      

***

This is the metonymical term to refer to the Prime Minister and/​or his or her staff. See Chapter 9 ‘Matignon. L’Hôtel (de)’.

houille blanche nf.      

*

Hydraulic energy.

Île de Beauté nf.      

**

Corsica.

Immortels. Les      

**

Members of the Académie française.

langue de Goethe/​M olière/​S hakespeare. La   

**

German/​French/​English.

losange. Le groupe/​l a marque/​l a firme au       * Renault’s logo is a lozenge.

Lumières. Le pays des      

*

France. This is a reference to the movement of the enlightenment in eighteenth century France, characterized by reason, tolerance, the desacralization of the monarchy, the notion of a social contract and the primacy of intellectual enlightenment over divine illumination.

466 Luxembourg. Le Palais du     

Luxembourg. Le Palais du      

***

The French Senate. See Chapter 9 ‘Palais du Luxembourg. Le’.

magistrats de la Rue Cambon nmpl.      

**

Members of the Cour des comptes. See Chapter 9 ‘Cour des comptes. La’.

magistrature suprême. La      

***

The Presidency of the French Republic.

mammouth. Le      

**

L’Éducation nationale.

maréchaussée. La      

*

The police, especially when referring to the gendarmerie.

mère des guerres. La      

*

The First World War.

métal jaune. Le      

***

Gold.

mîtrés. Les      

*

Bishops.

le monde du silence      

**

The submarine world.

nation arc-​e n-​c iel. La      

*

South Africa. NB it should be pointed out that the rainbow flag has always been associated with peace, harmony and diversity, and since 1978 has been the flag of the LGBT movement. See Chapter 14 ‘LGBT’.

Palmipède. Le  467

nerf de la guerre. Le      

***

Money.

neuf-​t rois. Les      

***

The socially deprived département of Seine-​Saint-​Denis, the administrative number and postcode of which is 93.

or noir nm.      

**

Crude oil.

outre-​M anche      

**

Another way of saying ‘in England’ or ‘in Great Britain’. See below ‘Perfide Albion’.The English are often referred to by the French as ‘nos amis d’outre-​ Manche’. The word ‘amis’ is sometimes used ironically.

outre-​Q uiévrain      

*

In Belgium or France. From the French standpoint it refers to Belgium, but from the Belgian standpoint it refers to France. Quiévrain is a town in Belgium.

outre-​R hin      

*

In Germany.

palais Bourbon. Le      

***

The lower house of the French Parliament, i.e. the National Assembly. See Chapter 9 ‘Palais Bourbon. Le’.

Palais-​R oyal. Le      

***

This can refer to either le Conseil d’État or le Conseil constitutionnel. See Chapter 9 ‘Conseil constitutionnel. Le’, and ‘Conseil d’État. Le’.

Palmipède. Le       Le Canard enchaîné (a duck is web-​footed).

**

468  passé qui ne passe pas. Ce     

passé qui ne passe pas. Ce      

***

The collaborationist past of France symbolized by Vichy, from the title of a book by Eric Conan and Henry Rousso published in 1994.

pays de Cyrano. Le      

*

France.

pays de Guignol. Le      

**

Lyon.

pays de la petite sirène. Le      

*

Denmark.

pays de Rabelais/​Voltaire/​d es Droits de l’homme. Le      

*

France.

pays du cèdre. Le      

*

Lebanon.

pays du jasmin. Le      

*

Tunisia.

Perfide Albion      

**

Perfidious Albion. England. See Chapter 1 ‘Perfide Albion’.

Petit Luxembourg. Le      

*

The official home of the President of the French Senate since 1825. The building is contiguous with the Palais du Luxembourg.

perchoir. Le       The seat of the President of the Assemblée nationale, i.e. the Speaker.

***

Quai de Conti. Le  469

petite reine. La      

**

Bicycle.

pierre. La      

***

Real estate.

Piscine. La      

**

The name of the headquarters of the DGSE. It is located in bld Mortier, a street in the 20e arrondissement of Paris near the swimming pool in the rue Tourelles.

plateau. Le      

***

The presidency of the French Senate.

plus simple appareil. Dans le (en tenue d’Ève)      

*

Naked, in one’s birthday suit.

poète de Charleville. Le      

*

Arthur Rimbaud. Charleville is the name of the town where he was born.

poilus. Les      

***

The simple soldiers of the 1914–​18 war.

premier flic de France. Le      

***

The minister of the interior.

premier magistrat de France. Le      

***

The President of the Republic.

Quai de Conti. Le       L’Académie française.

**

470 Quai des Orfèvres. Le     

Quai des Orfèvres. Le      

***

The legendary address of the French equivalent of the British CID is no more. La direction de la police judiciaire de la préfecture de police de Paris is now located at 36, rue du Bastion in the 7e arrondissement of Paris, since it moved in 2017.

Quai d’Orsay. Le      

***

The French ministry of foreign affairs, located in the 7e arrondissement on the left bank in Paris. Frequently referred to simply as le Quai.

robes noires. Les      

**

Lawyers.

Rocher. Le      

*

‘The Rock’, otherwise known as ‘the Principality of Monaco’.

ruban rouge. Le      

*

The ribbon of the Légion d’honneur.

Sages de la Rue Montpensier. Les      

**

Members of the Conseil constitutionnel.

Saint-​G uillaume. L’École de la rue      

***

Sciences Po, i.e. l’École libre des sciences politiques de Paris, which is located at 27, rue Saint-​Guillaume in the 7e arrondissement of Paris. See Chapter 9 ‘Sciences Po’.

sale guerre. La      

**

The Algerian War of Independence.

salles obscures. Les       Cinemas.

*

Vendôme. La Place  471

septième art. Le      

**

Cinema.

soldats du feu. Les      

**

Firemen.

sous ministre des cocotiers. Le      

*

The junior minister in charge of the overseas territories.

têtes blondes. Nos chères nfpl      

**

Our children.

transalpin(e)      

***

Italian.

tricolore adj.      

***

French, after the French flag of three colours, red, white and blue (bleu, blanc, rouge).

Ulm      

***

The metonymical name for the École normale supérieure. See Chapter  9 ‘normale supérieure. L’École’.

Valois. Rue de      

***

The ministry of culture.

Varennes. Rue de      

***

The French Prime Minister and/​or his or her office and staff. They occupy no. 57.

Vendôme. La Place      

***

The ministry of justice is located here. Situated in the 1er arrondissement of Paris, it is the square where most of the prestigious jewellers’ shops can be found.

472 Veuve. La     

Veuve. La      

*

The nickname of the guillotine.

Vieille Dame du quai (de) Conti. La      

***

L’Académie française. Used alone, the metonymical term would be Quai de Conti.

vieille maison de la rue de Lille. La      

*

La Caisse des dépôts et consignations, which is located at 56, rue de Lille in the 7e arrondissement in Paris. Used alone, the metonymical term would be Rue de Lille.

Vieux Continent. Le      

*

Europe.

vieux métier du monde. Le plus      

***

Prostitution.

Vieux-​Port. Le      

***

Marseille.

ville de Bernadette Soubirous. La      

**

Lourdes.

Ville Lumière. La      

***

Paris.

ville rose. La      

**

Toulouse.

ville sainte. La       Jerusalem.

**

Balbec 473

volatile. Le      

**

Le Canard enchaîné.

voleurs de poules. Les nmpl.      

*

Gypsies. 2  HIGHLY CONNOTED GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS Il a cassé du Viet quand il était à Assas

Assas. Rue d’ nf      

**

The rue d’Assas takes its name from the heroic French officer who died at the Battle of Kloster-​Kampen in Westphalia in 1760 while serving under Louis XV. Today, its name is synonymous with the faculty of law  –​the University of Paris II, Panthéon Assas  –​located in the 7e arrondissement. Its name is closely associated with right-​wing politics, and the street violence of 1968 that opposed the right-​wing students of the faculty and those of the Communist Party. Three former students, Gérard Longuet, Patrick Devedjian and Alain Madelin, were members of the extreme right-​wing movement Occident, of which Madelin was a founding member; they all spent some time in police custody after they had attacked the Vietnam Committees on the campus of the University of Rouen in 1967. They are all lawyers and have all exercised ministerial responsibility in right-​wing governments of the Fifth Republic.

Baden-​B aden      

*

Amid the unrest of 1968, on 29 May, General de Gaulle disappeared; not even the Prime Minister knew of his whereabouts. It transpired that he had flown by helicopter to Baden-​Baden in West Germany. He apparently went there to visit General Massu, Commander-​in-​Chief of the French forces in Germany, with a view to making sure that the Army would remain faithful to the Republic. This is the official version of the facts.

Balbec      

*

This is the name of an imaginary town in À la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust. It is described as being a seaside resort in Normandy.

474 Barbès     

Barbès      

*

A poor quarter in the 18e arrondissement of northern Paris with a high immigrant population, mainly from the Maghreb, beset with high unemployment and drug trafficking. The avenue de Barbès takes its name from a politician named Armand Barbès (1809–​70).

Bastille-​R épublique      

***

During public demonstrations in Paris, the route of the demonstration goes from la place de la Bastille in the 5e arrondissement to la place de la République in the 3e arrondissement.

Blanche. Rue      

*

The famous acting school l’École nationale des Arts et Techniques du Théatre is located in this street. The school is referred to as la Rue Blanche.

bois de Boulogne nm.      

**

The name of a very big park in the west of Paris in the very chic 16e arrondissement, which is said to be the ‘lungs of Paris’. It is three times bigger than London’s Hyde Park. It is the notorious place where prostitutes congregate at nightfall and is sometimes referred to as ‘the capital of Brazil’, given the number of Brazilian transsexual prostitutes plying their trade there.

Boisserie. La      

*

See below ‘Colombey-​les-​Deux-​Églises’.

Bormes-​l es-​M imosas      

**

This is the name of a commune in the département of the Var (83) in the south of France, in which the fort de Brégançon is situated. Since 1966, it has been the official holiday residence of the President of the French Republic.

Brégançon. Fort de       See above ‘Bormes-​les-​Mimosas’.

**

Colombey-les-Deux-Églises 475

Caluire      

*

Préfet, and General de Gaulle’s resistance coordinator of the Conseil national de la Résistance in France, Jean Moulin (1899–​1943), was arrested by the Gestapo on 21 June 1943 in Caluire in the suburbs of Lyon, which is in the département of the Rhône (69). It is widely accepted that he had been betrayed and that the meeting in Caluire was in fact a trap. It has never been very clear who betrayed him. He was tortured in Paris and later died near Metz, on the train during his transfer to Berlin for further interrogation. Initially buried in the cemetery of Père-​Lachaise, his presumed ashes were transferred to the Panthéon in 1964. See Chapter 2 ‘Entre, ici Jean Moulin!’.

Canebière. La      

**

La Canebière is the name of a long street (and quarter) in the heart of Marseille, which goes from the Reformed Church to the north, and leads directly to the port of Marseille, le Vieux Port. The name is said to derive from an Occitan word meaning ‘hemp plantation’.

Charleville-​M ézières      

*

Famous for being the birthplace of the poet Arthur Rimbaud (1854–​1891), in the département of the Ardennes (08).

Clairefontaine      

**

This is a small town situated 50 km south-​west of Paris in the département of the Yvelines (78), and is the home of the Institut national de football, a football training centre opened in 1988 and administered by the French Football Association.

Colombey-​l es-​D eux-​É glises      

*

This is the name of a French commune located in the département of the Haute-​Marne (52) in the region of the Grand Est (Champagne-​Ardenne). In 1934, General de Gaulle bought a property there called La Brasserie (the brewery), which he rapidly renamed La Boisserie. He chose this commune because it was equidistant from Paris and the north-​eastern garrisons. He died there on 9 November 1970.

476 Croisette. La     

Croisette. La      

*

This famous promenade takes its name from the boulevard running along the sea front in Cannes in the département of the Alpes-​Maritimes (06). It is synonymous with the Cannes Film Festival, which traditionally takes place there in May.

Drancy      

**

Drancy is a commune in the département of the Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93) in the Île-​de-​France. The town is notorious for having been an internment camp (1941–​4) for the Jews who were then deported by train to Auschwitz. See Chapter 6 ‘Vel’ d’Hiv’’.

Épinay (congrès d’) nm.      

*

Le congrès d’Épinay in 1971 was aimed at uniting the socialists, and it was during this congress that François Mitterrand (a new adherent of the socialist movement and former extreme-​right-​wing politician) was elected leader of the newly created Parti socialiste.

Faubourg Saint-​H onoré. 55, rue du      

***

The address of Le Palais d’Élysée, the official residence of the President of the Republic, located in the 8e arrondissement of Paris.

Flamanville      

*

One of the power stations in the French nuclear network, 25 km west of Cherbourg in the département of La Manche (50) in Normandy.

Foch, 84 avenue      

*

Located on a beautiful, residential avenue in the chic 16e arrondissement of Paris, this was the notorious address of the Gestapo headquarters in Paris during the occupation of France by the Germans during the Second World War. It was here that Pierre Brossolette, resistant and hero, was tortured. Taking advantage of the inattention of his guard, Brossolette threw himself out of the window to avoid giving any information. He died from his injuries. NB Gestapo is an acronym taken from the name of the secret political police of the Third Reich: ‘Geheime Staatspolizei’.

Grenelle. Rue de nf.  477

Forum des Halles. Le      

*

Situated in the 1er arrondissement of Paris, this is the name of the underground leisure and shopping centre opened in 1979 on the site of the former wholesale food market. The Pompidou Centre is part of this development. Several suburban railway lines and underground railway lines converge on this point, with the accompanying ‘importation’ of suburban vandalism and violence.

Gay-​L ussac      

*

This is the name of a street near the Sorbonne, in the Paris Latin quarter, which was the scene of some of the most violent clashes between students and police in the riots of 1968. Joseph Louis Gay-​Lussac was a French physicist (1778–​1850). See below ‘Odéon/​Panthéon’, and ‘Saint-​Michel. Bld’.

Glières. Plateau des nm.      

***

A mountainous area in the massif des Bornes in the département of the Haute-​Savoie (74). This plateau was chosen by the British Special Operations Executive as a parachuting zone for weapons, and was the scene of a heroic stand by the maquisards against the Wehrmacht in March 1944. Two-​thirds of the maquisards defending the plateau were later captured after denunciation by local collaborators, and died either under torture or during deportation.

Goutte-​d ’Or nf.      

*

A poor quarter in the north-​east of Paris in the 18e arrondissement with a high North African immigrant population. It is notorious for its drug trafficking and prostitution.

Grande Borne. La      

*

La Grande Borne is a huge social housing estate of 3,685 flats built on the communes of Viry-​Chatillon and Grigny in the département of the Essonne (91) between 1967 and 1971. High unemployment and drug-​related gang-​ rivalry have turned this estate into a social nightmare.

Grenelle. Rue de nf.      

***

Astride the 6e and 7e arrondissements in Paris, 127, rue de Grenelle is remembered for having been the place where the industrial relations

478 Hauts-de-Seine     

agreement (‘les accords de Grenelle’) was signed at the ministry of labour in May 1968. The agreement was reached in the wake of riots and unrest. The negotiations took place between the unions and government representatives, and the French employers’ confederation, then known as the CNPF (Conseil national du patronat français), now known as the MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France). The name is now used as a generic term to describe any broad-​scale discussion among the forces vives of the nation. It can now be used with an indefinite article. ‘Un Grenelle’ designates a multipartite debate involving the government, associations and/​or NGOs, aimed at producing ideas for legislation. NB 110, rue de Grenelle is the home of the ministry of education. See Chapter 14 ‘MEDEF’.

Hauts-​d e-​S eine      

***

The département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92) is located to the west of Paris and is crescent-​shaped. Its GDP is three times the national average. It is part of the Île-​de-​France (which may be equated with Greater London in terms of geographical extent). Given the political scandals associated with this département it has been called ‘the Augean stables’ by a right-​wing politician. See Chapter 7 ‘Augias (les écuries d’)’.

Invalides. Les      

**

L’Hôtel national des Invalides was built on the initiative of Louis XIV in 1670 to house the war-​wounded of his armies. It still serves that purpose but is also a military museum and a military necropolis located in the 7e arrondissement. It is the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte and some of France’s most illustrious war leaders, including Foch, Lyautey, Hautecloque (better known as Leclerc), Juin and Nivell. This edifice was to inspire Charles II of England to build the Chelsea Pensioners’ Hospital in 1682.

Lauriston. Rue nf      

**

The gang known as the Carlingue operated at this address: 93, rue Lauriston, in the 16e arrondissement. It was, in fact, the Parisian headquarters of the French Gestapo during the Second World War. It was staffed by the dregs of the French underworld, aided and abetted by the collaborationist police. Other equally sinister streets associated with police torture during the Second World War are rue des Saussaies, rue de la Pompe, rue le Sueur and avenue Foch.

Montaigne. Avenue  479

Levallois      

*

The headquarters of the DGSI (Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure) are located at 84, rue de Villiers, Levallois-​Perret 92300.

Longchamp      

*

This is one of the most famous hippodromes. It is located in Paris on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne. It is used for flat racing, with the highlight event of the year being Le Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Held on the first weekend in October, the prestigious event attracts the best horses from around the world.

Lourdes      

*

This is the name of a small commune located in the département of the Hautes-​ Pyrénées (65) in the south-​west of France. It was here, in 1858, that the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Bernadette Soubirous (1844–​79). It is a place of Catholic pilgrimage, drawing 5  million visitors per year, many of them disabled people praying for a miracle. Bernadette was a French farm girl who, when she was fourteen in 1858, had visions of the Virgin Mary in a cave not far from her native village. The pilgrimages to Lourdes date from this period. She entered the religious order of the Sisters of Charity in Nevers in 1866. She was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI.

Maisons-​A lfort      

*

Famous for being the home of the national veterinary school located in the département of the Val-​de-​Marne (94).

Marais. Le      

*

A quarter that straddles the 3e and 4e arrondissements of Paris, on the right bank. It is one of the oldest quarters in Paris and has become, over the years, the arrondissement of the gay community in Paris.

Montaigne. Avenue      

**

An avenue situated in the chic 8e arrondissement of Paris, famous for its shops selling luxury goods. Many of the major brand names have shops on this avenue, e.g. Dior, Chanel, Vuitton, Gucci, Prada etc.

480 Montparnasse     

Montparnasse      

***

The home of the Muses in Greek mythology. The quarter of Montparnasse is situated essentially in the 14e arrondissement in the south of Paris. It has always been related to the artistic and intellectual community. Famous names associated with Montparnasse early in the century include Modigliani, Picasso, Soutine, Foujita, Matisse and Léger. In the 1950s and 1960s it was frequented by Sartre and de Beavoir at their famous haunts Le Dôme, Les Deux Magots and Le café de Flore. See Chapter 10.

**

Montpensier. 2, rue de (au Palais Royal)       Le Conseil constitutionnel. See Chapter 9 ‘Conseil constitutionnel. Le’.

Mortier. 141, bld      

*

The headquarters of the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure. See above ‘Piscine, La’.

Mureaux. Les      

*

Situated 40 km to the west of Paris in the département of the Yvelines (78), it is the town in which the huge metallic structures of the Ariane rocket are assembled.

Mururoa      

*

The name of the atoll in French Polynesia, located in the south Pacific, used as an underground nuclear testing site by the French government. The last test took place in 1995.

Neuilly, Auteuil, Passy      

**

Auteuil and Passy are very rich quarters that together constitute the very chic 16e arrondissement. Neuilly is an extremely affluent town in the département of the Haut-​de-​Seine (92). As an adjective, NAP could be translated into English as ‘Sloaney’. The term connotes affluence and snobbery. See Chapter 14 ‘BCBG’.

Notre-​D ame-​d es-​L andes      

***

Notre-​Dame-​des-​Landes is a commune in the west of France in the département of Loire-​Atlantique (44). It was the centre of contestation by ecologists

Petit-Clamart. Le  481

who were protesting against the proposed building of an airport that would have caused the destruction of the wetlands. It was declared a ZAD (zone à défendre), and the Zadistes succeeded in forcing the government to abandon the project. See Chapter 14 ‘ZAD’.

Odéon/​Panthéon      

*

In the Latin Quarter of Paris, the Odéon (6e arrondissement) and the Panthéon (5e arrondissement) were the scenes of some of the most violent clashes between students and the Compagnie républicaine de sécurité (CRS) in the student riots of 1968. L’Odéon is the name of the theatre located near the Luxembourg gardens. See Chapter 14 ‘CRS’.

Oradour-​s ur-​G lane      

**

This is the name of a village in the département of the Haute-​Vienne (87) to the north-​west of Limoges. On 10 June 1944, the inhabitants of the village, numbering 642, were massacred by the panzer division Das Reich during its retreat northwards. It was the biggest massacre of a civil population perpetrated by the German Army.

Orléans      

*

In 1429, against all expectations, Jeanne d’Arc succeeded in forcing the English to abandon their siege of Orléans. Since then, the name of Orléans has been intimately associated with her. Her nickname is La Pucelle d’Orléans, i.e. the Maid of Orleans.

Petit-​C lamart. Le      

**

On 22 August 1962, under the code name ‘Charlotte Corday’, the OAS, led by Lt Col. Bastien Thiry (polytechnicien) machine-​gunned the car taking General de Gaulle and his wife to the military airfield of Villacoublay, his ultimate destination being Colombey-​les-​Deux-​Églises. As the car drove through Le Petit-​Clamart in the département of the Hauts-​de-​Seine (92), it came under fire from the gunmen waiting in ambush. The general and his wife were unscathed in the attack, de Gaulle saying contemptuously ils tirent comme des cochons. Bastien Thiry was found guilty of making an attempt on the life of the head of State, and was shot by firing squad on 11 March 1963 at the Fort d’Ivry in the département of the Val-​de-​Marne (94). See Chapter 2 ‘Je vous ai compris’, and Chapter 14 ‘OAS’. See below ‘Villacoublay’.

482 Pigalle     

Pigalle      

*

This quarter straddles the 9e and 18e arrondissements in Paris, and is famous for its striptease establishments, sex shops and clip joints. This red-​light district was named after the architect Jean-​Baptiste Pigalle (1714–​85).

place de la Concorde nf.      

*

Situated at the eastern end of the Champs Élysées in the 8e arrondissement in Paris, it was built in 1776 and originally called place Louis XV. During the Revolution of 1789, it was the square at which the guillotine was erected, known as place de la Révolution. After the Revolution it was renamed place Louis XVI (in 1826), but then renamed again as place de la Concorde after the Revolution of 1830. It is often used as a venue for political demonstrations.

plateau du Vercors nm.      

*

A symbolic site in the Rhône-​Alpes region that straddles the départements of the Isère (38) and the Drôme (26). It was the scene of the heroic resistance by the Free French Forces, who fought a losing battle against the German troops in June 1944. Vercors was also the pseudonym of the resistant Jean Bruller (1902–​92).

plateau des Glières nm.      

***

See above ‘Glières. Plateau des’.

Pompe. Rue de la      

*

Another notorious address in the 16e arrondissement of Paris, associated with Gestapo torture during the German occupation of France in the Second World War.

Porte de Versailles. nf      

**

In former times, access to Paris was possible only via one of the many gates surrounding the city. The name of the Porte de Versailles is synonymous with one of the biggest of the seven exhibition centres in Paris, located on the edge of the 15e arrondissement. La Foire de Paris (somewhat like an Ideal Home Exhibition) is held here every year in May. It is also used for political conventions. See Chapter 10 ‘Porte’.

Saint-Michel. Bld nm.  483

Quartier latin nm.      

***

The Latin Quarter straddles the 5e and 6e arrondissements of Paris and is situated on the left bank of the Seine. It was here that Robert de Sorbon (1201–​74) founded a school for the poor in 1257. Latin, in the Middle Ages, was both a lingua franca and the language of learning, which gave its name to the district. Apart from the Sorbonne, the Latin Quarter is home to many of the most prestigious grammar schools and institutes of higher education. The Latin Quarter, being the student quarter, was the scene of much violence during the unrest of 1968, with frequent clashes between students and the anti-​riot police, the CRS. The names of Saint-​Michel, Panthéon, Odéon and Gay-​Lussac all come to mind in this respect. See individual entries above, and Chapter 14 ‘CRS’.

Reims      

*

Reims is a town situated in the département of the Marne (51) in the region of Grand Est, some 129 km to the north-​east of Paris. This name is inevitably associated with Jeanne d’Arc, since after she forced the English to raise the siege of Orléans in 1428/​9, she conducted the Dauphin to be crowned Charles VII in Reims Cathedral in 1429. NB the increasingly outdated English (and the ancient) spelling of the town –​‘Rheims’ –​is still current in the Champagne region.

Saint-​G ermain-​d es-​P rés      

***

This is the name of the affluent quarter surrounding the church of the same name in the 6e arrondissement. In 558, Childebert I died and was buried in the church that he had had built on the advice of Bishop Germain, who was later canonized. The inhabitants are known as germanopratins. After the Second World War, the quarter became the intellectual and artistic centre of Paris; many book publishers were located here. Philosophers, artists, musicians, writers and actors congregated in this quarter, frequenting the bars and cafés such as Lipp, Les Deux Magots and Le café de Flore. The famous names associated with the quarter are Jean-​Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Boris Vian and Juliette Greco.

Saint-​M ichel. Bld nm.      

**

The main street in the Latin quarter, which passes on a north–​south axis in front of the Sorbonne, was the scene of some of the most violent clashes

484 Sainte-Mère-Église     

between students and the police during the student riots of 1968. It marks the boundary between the 5e and the 6e arrondissements. See ‘Assas. Rue d’, ‘Gay-​ Lussac’ and ‘Odéon/​Panthéon’.

Sainte-​M ère-​É glise      

**

Sainte-​Mère-​Église is the name of a French commune in the département of la Manche (50) in the region of Normandy. The commune is famous for having been the first to be liberated by the Allies on 6 June 1944 during the Battle of Normandy.

Saints-​Pères. Rue des nf.      

**

28, rue des Saints-​Pères is the home of Sciences Po. See Chapter 9 ‘Sciences  Po’.

Saussaies. Rue des nf.      

*

One of the notorious addresses at which the Gestapo tortured French resistants. It is located in the 8e arrondissement of Paris. Several departments of the ministry of the interior are currently located here.

Seine-​S aint-​D enis (93)      

***

The département of Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93) is situated to the north-​east of Paris and is part of the region known as Île-​de-​France. It has a high rate of unemployment and a high immigrant population. Its name is associated with chronic urban violence and social discrimination. See above ‘neuf-​trois. Les’.

Sentier. Le      

*

The quarter known as le Sentier is famous for its wholesale textile trade. It is situated in the 2e arrondissement of Paris.

Septimanie      

*

This is a fifth-​century term for a region in the south-​west of France that roughly corresponded to the area once known as Languedoc-​Roussillon. As a simplification, one may say that langue d’oc refers to the Occitan language spoken in the more southern regions of France, while langue d’oïl refers to that spoken in the more northern regions. Following a renaming and reorganization of the French regions in 2017, the south-​ west region, including Languedoc-​Roussillon–​Midi-​Pyrenées is now known as Occitanie.

Vichy 485

Solutré. Roche de nf.      

***

A few kilometres west of Mâcon, this rocky escarpment, with an altitude of 493 m, looks over the vineyards of the mâconnais at the heart of the Pouilly-​ fuissé vineyards in the département of Saône-​et-​Loire (71) in the Bourgogne-​ Franche-​Comté region. It became famous through the annual pilgrimage made by the late President Mitterrand, accompanied by his close friends and family. The one-​hour climb used to take place on Whitsunday, accompanied by the media.

Souzy-​l a-​B riche      

**

This is the name of a small town in the département of the Essonne (91) to the south of Paris, in which a private domain, reserved for the use of the President of the Republic, is located. It is here that the former President François Mitterrand used to spend his weekends in the company of his mistress and illegitimate daughter. Since taking over the ‘Lanterne’ in Versailles in 2007, the President has left Souzy-​la-​Briche to the Prime Minister for his weekends.

Tarterêts. Les      

***

The notorious name of a council-​estate-​type quarter built in the 1960s in the town of Corbeil-​Essonnes (with an ‘s’) in the département of the Essonne (91) (without an ‘s’), some 35 km south of Paris. It is known for its acute social problems, chronic unemployment and juvenile delinquency, as well as urban violence.

Vél’ d’Hiv’. Le      

***

See Chapter 11 ‘Vél’ d’Hiv’’.

Verdun      

**

See Chapter 6 ‘Verdun’.

Vichy      

***

A spa town in the département of the Allier (03), in the Auvergne-​Rhône-​ Alpes, which was the seat of the French collaborationist government of Maréchal Pétain between 1940 and 1944.

486 Villacoublay     

*

Villacoublay      

A military aerodrome in the département of the Essonne (91), south-​west of Paris. See above ‘Petit-​Clamart. Le’.

Villers-​C otterêts. L’ordonnance de      

**

See Chapter 6 ‘Villers-​Cotterêts (l’ordonnance de)’. 3  THE NICKNAMES OF PEOPLE IN THE LIMELIGHT, YESTERDAY AND TODAY Le solitaire de Port Royal

Agité du bocage. L’      

**

Philippe Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, right-​wing politician whose electoral region is the Vendée. ‘Bocage’ is farmland composed of small fields enclosed by stone walls or hedges etc.

Badinguet      

*

Napoleon III.

Bécassine      

*

Ségolène Royal. See Chapter 1 ‘Bécassine’.

Connétable. Le   

*

Charles de Gaulle. This word referred to the supreme chief of the Army.

Dame de fer. La     

**

Margaret Thatcher.

Florentin. Le      

*

François Mitterrand.

gentil Dauphin. Le       Charles VII (1403–​61). He owed his throne to Joan of Arc.

*

pas(s)ionaria du Poitou. La  487

général Morphée. Le      

*

On the night that a crowd of Parisian women marched on Versailles in 1789 to bring the King and his family back to Paris, La Fayette arrived with the National Guard, a force of 20,000 men. Thinking that the situation was under control, he went to bed. His inaction earned him this nickname. See Chapter 6 ‘boulanger, boulangère, petit mitron’.

Grand Charles. Le      

**

Le général de Gaulle, President of the Fifth Republic of France (1958–​69). Not only was he morally great but he was a very tall man.

Incorruptible. L’      

**

Robespierre. He was exceptional in this respect, compared to the corrupt Mirabeau and Danton.

Jupiter      

***

President Macron.

Maître des horloges. Le      

***

President Macron.

massacreur de Versailles. Le      

*

Adolphe Thiers. See Chapter 6 ‘Commune’.

meilleur d’entre nous. Le      

***

Alain Juppé, in the words of Jacques Chirac.

Mongénéral      

**

General de Gaulle.

pas(s)ionaria du Poitou. La       Ségolène Royal.

*

488 Perfide Albion     

Perfide Albion      

***

The British, or the English. See Chapter 1 ‘Perfide Albion’.

philosophe pour classes terminales. Le      

*

The derogatory expression used by his opponents to describe Albert Camus.

Pucelle. La      

**

Jeanne d’Arc (1412–​1431). French heroine who kicked the English out of France. She was burned at the stake as a heretic and a witch. She is said to have been a virgin, hence her nickname, ‘the Maid of Orleans’.

roi serrurier. Le nm.      

*

The nickname of Louis XVI was ‘the locksmith King’ because of his passion for making and repairing locks.

rosbifs. Les      

***

The English.

solitaire de Port-​R oyal. Le      

*

Blaise Pascal (1623–​62).

Tante Yvonne      

**

Yvonne de Gaulle (1900–​79), wife of Charles de Gaulle.

Thénardier des Hauts-​d e-​S eine. Les      

***

Patrick Balkany, right-​wing politician, mayor of Levallois-​Perret and député of the Hauts-​de-​Seine, and Isabelle Balkany, his wife and deputy mayor. He was released from prison while serving a four-​year sentence for tax evasion. He was released for medical reasons. See Chapter 6 ‘Thénardier’.

Tigre. Le      

**

Georges Clemenceau (1841–​1929), Président du Conseil 1906–​9 and 1917–​20. He owes this nickname to the brutality with which he treated his political opponents.

Volatile. Le 489

Tonton      

***

François Mitterrand (1916–​96), politician and President of France for two mandates, 1981–​95.

Vert-​G alant. Le      

*

Henri IV (1553–​1610), King of France 1589–​1610, and of Navarre 1572–​1610. He owes his nickname to his amorous escapades and numerous mistresses.

Volatile. Le       Le Canard enchaîné.

**

Chapter 13

Foreign words and expressions

Le toubib m’a dit que je souffrais de burnout; il m’a conseillé un break.

The English words used in French can be broken down into four broad categories. 1 Words for which there is no concise translation and that are consequently never translated into French, e.g. ‘boycott’. 2 Words that are in vogue (frequently corporate-​ speak) but for which there is a perfectly good translation and one that is recommended to the student for examination purposes, even though the English expression may be more usual, e.g. ‘benchmarking’ (étalonnage concurrentiel). The recommended French term is written in italics. 3 Badly translated terms: ‘happy end’ being the most frequent among them and pseudo-​English words such as un brushing, un lifting etc. In this case, the proper English term is given. 4 Jargon used in a given professional environment and not necessarily mainstream, e.g. in finance we will have leveraged management buyout, breakeven, cashflow, churn, credit default swaps, easing, back office and front office, trading, trader, private equity, raid, raider, pacemaker, profit warning, revolving credit, shadow banking, spread, spyware, stent, venture capital, subprimes, junk bonds etc., which we shall not consider here. ENGLISH

baby-​b lues nm.      

*

une dépression post-​natale. NB this is not to be confused with a dépression post-​partum. The former is a benign condition that appears a few days after

big bang nm.  491

the birth and disappears just as quickly, whereas the latter is a much more serious condition that can last much longer and requires medical help.

baby-​b oom nm.      

***

idem

baby-​b oome(u)r nm.      

***

idem

baby sitter/​s itting nm.      

**

idem

background nm.      

**

This tends to be restricted to HR jargon, meaning parcours professionnel.

bankable adj.      

***

une valeur sûre, e.g. when speaking of a showbiz or sports personality.

bashing nm.      

***

This term is never used in the sense of physical violence but means severe criticism, for which the verb taper sur would be equivalent in meaning, e.g. ‘agribashing’ for the attacks made on farmers because of pesticide abuse and cruelty to animals.

benchmarking nm.      

**

l’étalonnage concurrentiel nm.

best seller nm.      

***

un succès en librairie (the most usual meaning)

big bang nm.      

**

idem. Not necessarily the beginning of the world but any cataclysmic event, such as the financial crisis of 2008.

492 Big Brother     

Big Brother      

***

in the Orwellian meaning of Nineteen Eighty-​Four.

big data nm.      

***

mega données. This term implies massive volumes of data, to be processed from a wide variety of sources, at very high speed.

binge drinking nm.      

*

biture express

black (travailler au) vi.      

**

travailler au noir (to moonlight)

blackbouler vt.      

*

to blackball sb., i.e. to eliminate the candidacy of sb. with one negative vote

blacklisté adj., blacklister vt.      

**

blacklisted, to blacklist

black out nm.      

**

le silence radio. Used in a context of censorship. Also used to describe a total electricity distribution failure (une panne générale).

bling-​( bling) adj.      

***

tape à l’œil

blockbuster nm.      

***

un film/​livre à grand succès

blog nm.       idem

***

boycott/boycottage nm., boycotter vt.  493

blues. Les nmpl.      

***

un coup de cafard. Not translated in the case of music.

body building nm.      

**

la musculation, le culturisme or la gonflette (arg.)

boom nm.      

***

une forte progression or un essor rapide

booster vt.      

***

stimuler, e.g. sales

borderline adj.      

**

limite. Frequently used in HR jargon to describe an applicant’s status.

boss nm.      

**

le patron

box-​o ffice nm.      

***

It frequently refers to the number of cinemagoers who have seen a given film. One could say le nombre d’entrées. It is not used in the meaning of the sales window at the cinema.

boycott/​b oycottage nm., boycotter vt.      

***

From Captain Boycott (1832–​97), an estate agent, who was working in Ireland for an absentee landlord at the time of the Irish Land League agitation. In 1879, Boycott evicted some Irish tenants from the land in response to their demand for fairer rents. He was ostracized by his neighbours, who acted collectively and refused to have anything to do with him. The term was first coined by the English newspaper The Times in November 1880 and entered the French language a year later. See Chapter 7 ‘ostracisme’.

494 boy scout adj.     

boy scout adj.      

***

naïve

brain trust nm.      

**

un groupe d’experts. NB in English usage the word is ‘brains trust’.

break nm.      

*

une pause (for health reasons). Also used in tennis score terminology without translation.

briefing nm.      

**

a short meeting to bring sb. up to date with the details of a project

brunch nm.      

***

idem

brushing nm.      

**

a blow-​dry

bug nm.      

***

un bogue in the IT context

building nm.      

**

un immeuble. Often used in the sense of a high-​rise building.

bulldozer nm.      

***

attributed to sb. who has more force than tact. It can also be used as a verb, in which case the French equivalent recommended would be faire du forcing.

bullshit jobs nmpl.      

***

emplois à la con, des. A concept developed by David Graeber, which postulates that modern society is based on the alienation of the vast majority

cameraman nm.  495

of workers whose professional tasks are useless and devoid of interest, and that the workers in question are aware of their non-​contribution to society. NB this does not refer to low-​paid jobs in fast-​food restaurants but to management positions where the real added value of the employee is insignificant.

burnout nm.      

***

épuisement professionnel

business nm.      

***

affaire/​s nf(pl.). This term is frequently used with a negative connotation. It is often related to an activity that is illegal, e.g. drug dealing.

business angel nm.      

***

un ange d’affaires. This refers to a person who invests in an innovative company at the critical early stage of its development when the investment risk is highest.

business as usual loc. adv.   

***

Nous restons ouverts pendant les travaux. This is a reference to the Second World War and the Blitz, when shopkeepers put up this sign outside their bomb-​damaged shops. The English expression is never translated.

business plan nm.      

***

un plan de développement

buzz nm.      

***

le bruit médiatique

bye- ​bye      

***

salut (au revoir)

cameraman nm.       plural ‘cameramans’ (sic). For the purists, preneur de vues or cadreur.

**

496 camping nm.     

camping nm.      

**

camp/​camping  site

cash adv.      

***

This can either mean en espèces or au comptant or –​in familiar register –​to say something ‘straight out’, in a very frank manner.

casting nm.      

***

In the theatrical sense, the translation of ‘the cast’ is la distribution. In French, ‘casting’ is often used with an indefinite article and has the meaning of ‘an audition’. Frequently used in the figurative sense, i.e. une erreur de casting.

challenge nm.      

***

un défi. There is no real justification for using the English term. That being said, it can sometimes have the specific meaning of an internal competition among certain members of a company, e.g. sales staff, for the prize of ‘Salesperson of the Year’ etc.

challenger nm.      

**

idem

chat nm.      

***

idem in the internet context

checkpoint nm.      

**

un point de contrôle

check-​u p nm.      

***

une visite médicale de routine

clash nm.       un heurt, un affrontement, un conflit

***

come-back nm.  497

class action nm.      

***

une action de groupe, une action collective or un recours collectif

clean adj.      

*

in the sense of people who are not taking drugs, or have no criminal record or scandal attached to their name

cloud computing nm.      

***

informatique distribuée nf.

coach nm.      

***

un accompagnateur (HR), un entraineur (in sport)

coacher v.      

**

accompagner. In the corporate context, this has a connotation of psychological support and mentoring.

coaching nm      

**

accompagnement nm. In the corporate environment, this implies personal development of one’s team members and team-​leading, and is frequently used in cases of retraining, mobility and outplacement.

cockpit nm.      

**

le poste de pilotage

cookies nmpl.      

***

mouchards nmpl. (IT)

come-​b ack nm.       un retour sur scène

***

498 coming-out nm.     

coming-​o ut nm.      

***

idem in the meaning of a public declaration about one’s sexuality or gender identity

cool adj. and interj.      

**

genial, super

copyright nm.      

***

There is also the term droits d’auteur or royalties for the remuneration aspect.

corner nm.      

***

Only used in a football context.

corporate adj.      

***

de l’entreprise. Especially used in the sense of au niveau de la direction générale, i.e. ‘at the headquarters level of a company’ or ‘affecting the company as a whole’.

cost-​k iller nm.      

***

un chasseur de coûts

cow-​b oys nmpl.      

**

Especially used in the meaning of gun-​ happy policemen or maverick businessmen.

crash nm.      

***

un accident (e.g. car, plane) or un effondrement du marché nm.

crash test nm.      

*

essai de choc nm. An operation carried out in a laboratory that consists of testing the behaviour of vehicles in a collision, using dummies to highlight the possible effects on a human driver.

debriefing nm.  499

crasher, se vpr.      

**

s’abîmer (en mer), s’écraser (sur terre) for aircraft

credit crunch nm.      

**

un assèchement du crédit

crowdfunding nm.      

**

financement participatif. The funding of projects by a very large number of people often directed towards PMEs or start-​ups.

dark web nm      

*

internet sombre, darknet. A clandestine overlay network that uses the public internet, the access to which is restricted to people with certain software or IT configurations.

dark tourism nm.      

*

tourism sombre, i.e. in regions wrecked by war or natural catastrophe

data centre nm.      

*

Un centre de données is a place where IT equipment of one or several companies is located (mainframes, servers, telecom network equipment etc.).

data mining nm.      

**

forage de données (tri et analyse de très grands volumes de données). To obtain knowledge from a mass of data, e.g. about a consumer’s purchasing profile.

deal nm.      

**

un accord, une transaction, un marché

debriefing nm.       un compte rendu de fin de mission or analyse d’un match de football

**

500 deep data nm.     

deep data nm.      

*

données profondes. As opposed to analysing vast amounts of data (big data), deep data supposes identifying a small number of data streams that can reveal valuable commercial information, e.g. about a customer’s credit card activity, or discriminatory analysis of a customer’s electricity consumption via a smart meter.

deep fake nm.      

**

hypertrucage. A fake is an artificial-​intelligence-​based method for tampering with a photo or video to produce a fictitious ‘reality’ where the ‘falseness’ is practically undetectable.

deep learning nm.      

**

apprentissage profond/​approfondi. It is one of the aspects of machine learning and artificial intelligence that have produced advances in, e.g., the field of facial and vocal recognition.

disc-​j ockey nm.      

**

idem

downsizing nm.      

**

la compression du personnel nf.

draft nm.      

***

un projet de texte

dream team nm.      

**

l’équipe des meilleurs, une équipe de rêve nf.

drone nm.      

***

un petit avion de reconnaissance sans pilote. NB this is a male honeybee serving purely as an agent of reproduction. It does not perform work.

fashion victim/addict nm.  501

dumping social nm.      

***

By analogy with commercial dumping, this refers to the employment of very low-​paid foreign workers who usually take the jobs of more highly paid local labour.

edge computing nm.      

**

le traitements des données au plus près de la source

establishment nm.      

***

le sérail

exit tax nm      

**

taxe de sortie. A fiscal instrument intended to deter rich French tax payers from moving abroad to a more fiscally clement climate. Dropped by the Macron government.

fact checking nm      

**

vérification des faits/​des sources nf.

fair play nm. or adj.      

***

déloyal would be appropriate in the expression pas très fair play.

fake news nm.      

***

information(s) fallacieuse(s), infox nfpl.

Far West nm.      

**

chaos, law of the jungle, lack of control, anything goes

fashion victim/​a ddict nm.       une victime/​un drogué de la mode

***

502 fashion week nm.     

fashion week nm.      

**

semaine de la mode or semaine des défilés. An industry-​wide event that takes place twice a year to allow designers and fashion houses to present their latest creations and collections in the market segments of ready-​to-​wear and haute couture.

fast food nm.      

***

la restauration rapide

fast fashion nm      

*

mode éphémère

feedback nm.      

***

un retour d’information

feeling, au adv.      

*

par intuition

fifty-​f ifty loc. adv.      

**

idem

fitness nm.      

**

le bien être physique

flash-​b ack nm.      

***

un retour en arrière in the cinema context (also flash-​forward)

flashball nm.      

***

In fact, ‘flashball’ is a commercial brand name that is erroneously used in France as a generic term for un LBG, i.e. un lanceur de balles défensives.

flat tax nm.      

***

prélèvement forfaitaire unique sur les revenus du capital. A tax applied to revenue generated by capital, e.g. tax on dividends.

fun nm., adj.  503

flirt nm., flirter vi.      

***

idem. But originally came from the French expression conter fleurette.

flop nm.      

***

un bide, un four (arg.)

flyer nm.      

**

une feuille volante, a text or advertising message written on paper and handed out in public areas

followers npl.      

**

idem in the social media context, suiveurs

food truck nm.      

**

camion restaurant

free-​l ance nm. adj.      

***

But a freelance journalist could be un journaliste indépendant or un pigiste.

french doctor nm. [sic]      

**

used ironically and often as a nickname for Bernard Kouchner

french touch nm. [sic]      

***

une note française or le sceau français, une touche française

friendly adj.      

***

gay-​friendly, dog-​friendly, eco-​friendly etc.; convivial envers . . .

fuel nm.      

**

Used in the sense of fuel oil, never in the English sense of the term combustible.

fun nm., adj.       amusement or amusant

**

504 gag nm.     

gag nm.      

***

idem in the sense of a ‘joke’, but also plaisanterie

gadget nm.      

*

idem

game over      

**

rideau! in the sense of ‘curtains’, the end

garden-​p arty nm.      

**

idem

gay adj.      

**

homosexuel

gentleman nm.      

**

idem

gentleman’s/​g entlemen’s agreement nm      

**

idem

glamour adj.      

*

This corresponds to the English ‘glam’ or ‘glitzy’.

globe-​t rotter  nm.      

**

un routard

go fast nm. high-​powered cars for transporting drugs

golden boy nm.       a financial-​sector whizz kid

***

hard adj.  505

golden hello nm.      

***

indemnité/​prime d’arrivée nf.

golden parachute nm.      

***

un parachute d’or or un parachute doré

gore adj      

*

gory, particularly used to describe a cinema genre

green deal nm.      

*

pacte vert

greenwashing nm.      

***

l’éco blanchiment, lessivage écolo. Name given to the efforts of a company to try to direct its marketing and communication towards a green position, ‘cosmetic’ rather than real.

happening nm.      

**

idem, but also un événement branché et exceptionnel

happy end nm. [sic]      

***

fin heureuse nf. (happy ending).

happy few nmpl.      

***

une poignée de privilégiés or les heureux élus

happy hours nmpl.      

*

this is a moment in the day (from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. frequently) when a café offers attractive tariffs for the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

hard adj.       Used to qualify severe criticism.

**

506 hard adj     

hard adj      

*

idem (pornography). Une hardeuse is a hard-​porn actress.

hard discount(er) nm.      

***

idem

has been nm. adj.      

***

une célébrité sur le déclin, and also as an adjective to designate st. that is dépassé or vieux jeu

hashtag nm.      

***

idem (touche-​dièse)

high-​t ech adj.      

**

technologie de pointe, de haute technologie

hit-​p arade nm.      

**

idem

hobby nm.      

*

un passe-​temps, un violon d’Ingres

hold up nm.      

***

Un braquage nm. is the term for a hold-​up at a bank. In French usage, the English term ‘hold-​up’ is used in the sense of ‘daylight robbery’, un vol manifeste. Thus ‘hold up’ in French usage would be more ‘rip-​off’ in English, or escroquerie in French.

home sweet home       never translated

***

job nm.  507

hooligan/​h ouligan nm.      

**

restricted to the football context

hot-​l ine nm.      

***

un n° du service après-​vente 24/​7

hub nm.      

**

une plate-​forme in distribution, but un point de concentration in civil aviation or telecommunications

in adj.      

**

à la mode

insider nm.      

***

un initié (insider-​trading is délit d’initié)

jackpot nm.      

***

le gros lot

jet-​s et nm.      

***

idem

jet-​l ag nm.      

***

fatigue provoquée par le décalage horaire suite à une long voyage en avion

jingle nm      

**

un sonal publicitaire

job nm.      

***

un emploi, un travail. Initially used in the sense of temporary or student-​ vacation employment, its meaning is now broadening towards the English

508 jogging nm.     

sense of the word but is still familiar in terms of linguistic register. NB il a fait le job (in the sense of il a assuré) would be rendered by ‘he delivered the goods’.

jogging nm.      

**

un survêtement, as an item of clothing. Equivalent to the English ‘track suit’. Faire son jogging means ‘to go jogging’.

joint venture nm.      

**

co-​entreprise

joker nm. interj.      

***

idem in the card game meaning, or used as a synonym for replacement. Frequently used as an interjection to say ‘pass’ when one is asked an embarrassing question that one does not wish to answer.

junk food nm.      

***

cochonneries nfpl. or la malbouffe

junkie nm.      

*

un camé, from de la camelote meaning ‘junk’ in the sense of worthless bric-​à-​brac

kidnapping nm.      

***

un rapt d’enfant, une abduction, from ‘kid’ (gamin) and ‘nap’ (enlever). The term was originally used to describe the illegal capture of children for use in slavery. Now used irrespective of the kidnapped person’s age. The term was first coined in 1672.

killer nm.      

***

tueur nm., corporate speak

killer acquisitions nmpl.      

**

rachats par des grands groupes de PME qui aboutissent in fine à tuer la concurrence

lobby nm.  509

last but not least loc. ad.      

***

never translated

leader nm      

***

frequently used in the sense of ‘number one’ in a given field. The more appropriate term if used in the sense of ‘leader’ of a political party would be chef de fil nm.

leadership nm.      

***

the ‘number one’ position rather than the abstract qualities of a leader

leaks nmpl.      

***

fuite d’informations

lifting nm.      

**

a face-​lift

light adj.      

***

allégé, à faible teneur en calories

like nm.      

***

a vote of approval on the internet (also liké)

listing nm.      

***

un listage

live adj.      

**

en direct in a broadcasting context

lobby nm.       un groupe de pression

***

510 lobbying nm.     

lobbying nm.      

***

idem nm.

lobbyist nm      

**

lobbyiste

look nm.      

***

Used fashion-​wise, this refers to a person’s allure nf., style nm. or image nm.

loser nm.      

***

un perdant. Often misspelt as ‘looser’ because of the apparently appropriate spelling.

low-​c ost adj.      

***

à bas prix, particularly used of airline companies

Made in China      

***

Fabriqué en Chine

mail nm.      

***

un courriel or un mél

mainstream adj.      

***

courant dominant

making of nm.      

**

idem. Frequently mispronounced ‘off’.

manager nm.       un cadre. See Chapter 9 ‘cadre’.

***

no comment  511

marketing nm.      

***

idem

match nm.      

***

idem in a sports context, and could also be translated by une rencontre.

meeting nm.      

***

used in the sense of a ‘mass meeting’, the venue often being a sports stadium. ‘Meeting’ in the English sense of the term is generally translated by une réunion.

melting pot nm.      

***

idem

millennials nm.      

**

génération Y. The generation born in the 1980s, young adults in the new century who have been brought up with the internet, video games and mobile phones. It can also include the travelling generation who frequently study abroad within the framework of a programme such as Erasmus.

must nm.      

**

The noun would become the adjective incontournable.

name and shame vi.      

**

nommer et faire honte. Used in the context of sexual harassment scandals.

new deal nm.      

***

la nouvelle donne

no comment       pas de commentaire

***

512 no deal nm.     

no deal nm.      

***

pas d’accord. In the context of Brexit, without a negotiated agreement with the European partners.

no man’s land nm.      

***

never translated

Nobody is perfect      

**

Final words of the film Some Like It Hot by Billy Wilder (1959). Rarely quoted in French.

nudge nm.      

*

une technique d’incitation douce à la décision

off adj.      

***

off the record

off (voix) nf.      

**

voice-​over

offshore adj.      

***

extra territoriale (banking)

offshore adj.      

***

au large de/​en mer (oil rigs, wind farms etc.)

one-​m an-​s how nm.      

***

idem

one-​s top shopping nm.       guichet unique

**

packaging nm.  513

open bar nm.      

**

idem. This is a bar where drinks are served on an ‘as much as you can drink’ basis. Figuratively, it implies a situation where one can have what one wants even to an abusive extent, no holds barred.

open space nm.      

**

une plate-​forme de bureaux décloisonnée

outing nm.      

*

idem in the meaning of a public announcement, without the consent of the person concerned, about his or her sexuality or gender identity

outplacement nm.      

***

idem

outsider nm.      

***

idem in the competition sense of the word. L’Étranger in the sense of the novel by Camus.

outsourcing nm.      

***

externalisation nf.

pacemaker nm.      

**

un stimulateur cardiaque

package nm.      

***

une offre commerciale groupée

packaging nm.       le conditionnement

**

514 papy-boom nm.     

papy-​b oom nm.      

**

idem. The explosion in the number of male retirees of the baby-​ boom generation.

parking nm.      

***

parking lot (US), car park (UK)

patchwork nm.      

**

idem for a quilt, but bigarré for a landscape. Pejoratively, un assemblage de pieces disparates.

people (‘pipole’) nm. adj.      

***

the ‘celebs’; vulgaire, bas de gamme, ‘peuple’, e.g. for a television reality show

performer vi.      

**

‘Bien performer’ and ‘sous performer’ are frequent barbarisms in the French economic, sporting and financial press. They indicate that e.g. a share price has had a better (or worse) performance than a reference benchmark value. NB for the student translator, if it proves difficult to translate an English verb into French, try replacing the English verb with a French noun mutatis mutandis.

phishing nm.      

**

hameçonnage or filoutage. This involves getting an internaut to communicate personal data by pretending to be a trustworthy third party.

pickpocket nm.      

*

idem

pick-​u p nm.      

**

a pick-​up truck

pipeline (in the) nm.       un oléoduc, un gazoduc (en cours de réalisation)

**

revenge porn nm.  515

playback, en loc. adv.      

**

en différé

playboy nm.      

***

idem

playlist nm.      

**

a list or compilation of various pieces of music on a telephone or IT support that may be played in order of recording or in a random manner.

prime time nm.      

***

les heures de grande écoute (television or radio)

puzzle nm.      

**

specifically ‘a jigsaw puzzle’. The English word ‘puzzle’ could be translated by un casse-​tête or une énigme. Highly connoted in French culture; see Chapter 1 ‘façon puzzle!’.

racket nm.      

***

extorsion nf.

recordman/​woman nmf.      

**

idem

relooker vt.      

**

to give a new look to sb. or st.

remake nm.      

***

une nouvelle version d’un film

revenge porn nm.       idem

**

516 ring nm.     

ring nm.      

**

idem in a boxing context

road-​m ovie nm.      

**

idem

roaming nm.      

**

itinérance (telecoms), i.e. la possibilité technique de quitter son réseau nominal ou de rattachement avec la continuité de la communication

rock’n’roll adj.      

*

Although this is a musical genre, it is often used as an adjective to describe a situation that is somewhat rough, excessive or destabilizing.

royalties nfpl.      

*

droits d’auteur nmpl.

rushes nmpl.      

*

les épreuves de tournage (avant le montage final)

sandwich nm.      

**

idem. In 1762 the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, an inveterate gambler, did not want to leave the card table in the inn where he was playing, although he was hungry. He asked the inn-​keeper to prepare him a snack. The inn-​keeper brought him some roast beef between two slices of bread.

scoop nm.      

***

idem (journalism)

sea, sex and sun       idem. See Chapter 1 ‘Sea, Sex and Sun’.

***

shopping (faire du) nm.  517

self nm.      

**

self-​service café or restaurant

self control nm.      

*

la maîtrise de soi

self-​m ade man/​woman nmf.      

***

idem

self-​s ervice adj.      

***

en libre service

selfie nm.      

***

égoportrait

serial killer nm.      

**

un tueur en série

sex-​a ppeal nm.      

*

idem

sexy adj.      

**

séduisant(e), not always in a sexual context

shocking! interj.      

**

used ironically when referring to the prudes that the English are considered to be. It is used in the sense of ‘oh my goodness!’.

shopping (faire du) nm.      

***

du lèche-​vitrine. In French, the word ‘shopping’ is often understood as ‘window shopping’ without necessarily involving a purchase. Otherwise

518 short listé(e) adj.     

the appropriate term would be faire des courses, faire des achats or faire des emplettes (the last being of a higher register and rather dated). It resembles the English term more and more under the influence of ‘teleshopping’, where an effective purchase is made.

short listé(e) adj.      

**

shortlisted

show nm.      

***

un spectacle

showbiz nm.      

***

idem

show must go on. The      

***

never translated

small is beautiful      

**

idem. Not translated. From the title of a book published in 1973 by the British economist E. F. Schumacher.

smartphone nm.      

***

téléphone intelligent, generally having a touch-​sensitive screen and digital camera, and providing some computer functions

snacking nm.      

*

The fact of having a snack rather than a sit-​down meal. It can sometimes pejoratively refer to grignotage, which means ‘nibbling’ between meals.

sniper nm.       un tireur isolé

**

squatter vi.  519

snob adj.      

**

snobbish

so british! [sic]      

**

often used with a slightly mocking tone towards the British

soap nm.      

***

a soap opera. (The original sponsors of such programmes were soap and detergent companies in the USA.)

soft adj.      

*

idem for pornography, but atténué for criticism or édulcoré when speaking about a watered-​down or sweetened version

spin doctor nm.      

***

un spécialiste en communication chargé de l’image d’un candidat ou d’un parti politique

spoiler vt      

**

to spoil a film for sb. who hasn’t seen it yet by telling them what happens at the end. In Canada they speak of divulgâcher.

sponsor nm.      

***

un parrain, un publiciste or un mécène. A euphemism to avoid using the term ‘advertiser’ (annonceur).

sponsoring nm.      

***

le parrainage or le mécénat d’entreprise

squatter vi.       to squat

**

520 staff nm.     

staff nm.      

**

in the sense of senior advisors or directors at the headquarters level of a company. Not equivalent to ‘personnel’. État-​major in a military context.

standing nm.      

**

le statut social

standing ovation nm.      

***

idem

standup nm.      

*

idem, but the English term would be strictly ‘standup comedy’.

star nf.      

***

une vedette

start-​u p nm.      

***

une jeune pousse

start-​u p nation      

***

France as seen by Macron

starting blocks (blocs) nmpl.      

***

les blocs de départ nmpl.

stock-​o ptions nf.      

***

idem

storytelling nm.      

***

la mise en récit ou accroche narrative. A communication technique used by the advertising industry or political spin doctors, the same effects being sought after as with a fairy tale for a child, i.e. rassurer and endormir.

talk-show nm.  521

streaming nm.      

***

idem in the internet context

street medics nmpl.      

**

secouristes de rue, volunteers who provide first aid to people injured during demonstrations

stress nm.      

***

la pression or la tension nerveuse

stress test nm.      

**

un test de résistance, e.g. in car design, and more recently in the banking sector

string nm.      

**

G-​string

striptease/​s trip-​t ease nm.      

**

idem. Effeuillage is the theoretical translation but is never used.

success story nm.      

***

idem

superstar nf      

***

idem

switcher vi.      

*

entreprende une réconversion professionnelle radicale, e.g. the financial executive who throws up his well-​paid job in the City to prepare an examination in agriculture with a view to raising goats in the Lubéron

talk-​s how nm.       idem

***

522 talkie-walkie nm.     

talkie-​w alkie nm.      

*

walkie-​talkie. NB the inversion.

tanker nm.      

**

un camion/​bateau citerne

tarmac nm.      

**

le sol à l’aéroport où roule les avions, e.g. ‘to taxi along the tarmac’, rouler lentement au sol.

task-​f orce nf.      

***

un détachement or une équipe spécial(e)

‘Tea for Two’      

**

Song immortalized in the film La Grande Vadrouille, a Franco-​British film directed by Gérard Oury in 1966. See Chapter 1 Grande Vadrouille. La.

teambuilding nm.      

**

renforcement d’équipe. This aims at tightening the links between members of the same group, e.g. during special sports-​oriented weekends.

teasing nm.      

**

idem in the advertising context. See Chapter 1 ‘Demain, j’enlève le bas’. This is also used to describe a literary technique whereby the reader is constantly tantalized.

tee-​s hirt nm.      

***

idem

tennisman nm.       male tennis player

***

tramway nm.  523

testing nm.      

***

This is used in the context of showing up discriminatory practices at the moment of recruitment, applying for an apartment or accessing a night club. A black person will attempt to enter a night club and be turned away on the grounds that the club is full. A  hidden camera will film subsequent white nightclub-​goers who are granted admittance to the club a few minutes later. This can sometimes lead to prosecution on the grounds of racial discrimination.

think tank nm.      

***

un groupe/​une cellule de réflexion

thriller nm.      

**

un film à suspense

timing nm.      

***

le choix du moment opportun

too much loc. adv.      

**

de trop, used in the English meaning of OTT (over the top)

top model nf.      

**

idem

top secret adj.      

**

ultra secret

trader nm.      

***

un courtier en bourse

tramway nm.       idem

**

524 trash adj.     

trash adj.      

**

idem in the sense of trash TV

trust nm.      

***

un cartel

understatement nm.      

***

une litote

upcycling nm.      

***

le surcyclage. This involves recuperating materials or products for which we have no need and transforming them into products of higher quality or greater usefulness. We recycle upwards.

uppercut nm.      

**

idem in boxing

user-​f riendly adj.      

**

convivial pour l’utilisateur

week-​e nd nm.      

***

The French term fin de semaine is not so frequent.

western nm.      

**

idem as a cinema genre

Who’s Who nm.      

***

Le Bottin mondain

workaholic nm.       un bourreau de travail

**

ad hoc loc. adj.  525

yes! interj.      

***

This is frequently used as an exclamation of satisfaction accompanied by a downward, pulling action of the clenched fist.

zoom nm      

**

un gros plan in the cinema or TV context LATIN In reading the list of common Latin expressions used in French, English readers will be surprised by the absence of such familiar terms as in absentia and in camera, which are never used in the language of Molière. They will also be surprised by spelling differences between English and French usage and by the different use that is made of certain terms, e.g. post mortem, used as a noun in English but rather as an adverb in French. The following Latin terms have been translated into English and the French translation has been given in italics only where the French term is commonly used as an alternative. It is not within the scope of this book to give extensive details about the origin of the quote but there are one or two interesting exceptions to this rule.

a contrario loc. adv., loc adj.      

***

inversely

a fortiori loc. adv.      

***

all the more so

a posteriori loc. adv., adj.   

***

from the latter, related to reasoning from observed facts

a priori loc. adv., nm.      

***

from the former, without examination, conceived beforehand

ad hoc loc. adj.       for this specific purpose

***

526 ad hominem loc. adj.     

ad hominem loc. adj.      

***

An ad hominem argument is a means of contradicting opponents by quoting either their own words or citing their own actions that are in contradiction of their position.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam dev.      

*

‘To the greater glory of God’, the motto of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits)

ad nauseam loc. adv.      

**

à la nausée, to the point of causing disgust

ad patres exp. adv.      

**

mort; lit. ‘towards one’s ancestors’, i.e. dead.

ad usum Delphini loc. adj.      

*

à l’usage du Dauphin, ‘for the use of the Dauphin’. A special series of texts by Latin authors was commissioned by Louis XIV for his son’s use. All of the unchaste words and expressions were replaced by more innocuous terms. Le Dauphin, in the French royal family, was the heir to the throne. ‘Bowdlerized’ could be used as a translation of this Latin expression.

ad vitam aeternam loc. adv.      

***

pour toujours, for eternity

agnus dei nm.      

*

l’agneau de Dieu, the lamb of God

aléa nm.      

**

game of dice, of chance. In modern French, it is used in the plural to designate unpredictable events.

alea jacta est cit.       les dés sont jetés, the die is cast. See Chapter 2 ‘alea jacta est’.

**

bis repetita ax.  527

alias adv.      

***

otherwise known as

alibi nm.      

*

the plea in law of having been elsewhere at the time of a crime

alter ego nm.      

***

one’s other self

annus horribilis loc. nom.      

***

une année horrible, ‘a horrible year’. This expression was used by Queen Elizabeth II in her speech at the Guildhall in 1992 after a year of family misfortune. It has since become very popular in France with the pun on ‘anus’ and ‘anis’.

Ars longa, vita brevis loc. prov.      

*

‘Art is long, life is short.. This is the Latin translation of the Greek aphorism of Hippocrates. He was referring to the long time required to learn the ‘art’ of medicine compared to the brevity of human existence.

au prorata loc. adv.      

**

proportionally

Ave Maria cit.      

*

Je vous salue, Marie. ‘Hail, Mary’. The first words of the Latin version of a prayer to the Virgin Mary used in the Roman Catholic Church. See Luke 1:28.

bis adv.      

***

twice, repeat. It can be used as ‘encore’ in the theatrical meaning, and in a postal address ‘12 bis’ would be ‘12a’ in English. It is used on roads (itinéraire bis) to advise drivers to take an alternative route to avoid congestion.

bis repetita ax.       les choses répétées. It’s the same story, all over again.

***

528 bonus nm.     

bonus nm.      

**

anything given in addition to the customary amount. Frequently used today as a coefficient for calculating the reduction in the insurance premium based on a driver’s accident-​free record. A no-​claims bonus.

carpe diem loc. prov.      

**

profitez du jour présent, ‘seize the day’. From Horace. The idea here is to take advantage of the present without thinking unduly about the future. See Chapter 5 ‘Mignonne, allons voir si la rose . . .’.

casus belli nm.      

***

a situation that could constitute reasons for declaring war

collapsus nm.      

*

Generally used as a medical term to describe a dramatic drop in blood pressure accompanied by cold sweating and a feeling of faintness. In popular usage it can simply mean ‘collapse’, e.g. of an economic system.

confer imp.      

*

compare. Abbreviated to cf. or Cf.

corpus nm.      

*

body, particularly of texts

credo nm.      

***

The ‘Creed’ takes its name from the fact that it begins with the words ‘I believe’. Today, it is used as a statement of belief, or a principle in which one believes.

curriculum vitae nm.      

***

the course of one’s life, a résumé. Frequently abbreviated to ‘CV’.

de facto loc. adv.      

***

de fait. ‘In fact’, existing, whether legal or not. Used in opposition to de jure.

et al. abbr.  529

de profundis cit.      

**

Des profondeurs je crie vers toi, Yahvé. ‘Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.’ A cry of appeal from the opening words of Psalm 130.

de visu loc. adv.      

**

for having seen it with one’s own eyes

desiderata nmpl.      

**

things desired or needed

deus ex machina nm.      

**

This expression literally means ‘god out of a machine’, and refers to an artificial or improbable character, device or event, introduced suddenly to resolve a situation or contribute to the dénouement of a play.

distinguo nm.      

***

distinction, from ‘I draw a distinction’

dixit conjug.      

***

‘he said’. Used when quoting the exact words said by sb.

dura lex, sed lex loc. prov.      

***

la loi est dure, mais c’est la loi, ‘the law is hard, but the law is the law’

Ecce homo cit.      

**

A Latin expression meaning ‘Here is the man’, attributed to Pontius Pilate when presenting a beaten and bloody Jesus to the crowd of Jews. See John 19:5.

errare humanum est dict.      

**

l’erreur est humaine, ‘to err is human’

et al. abbr.      

*

‘et alii’, and others. Frequently used in bibliographies or reference lists when only one author’s name is given although several authors contributed to a work.

530 etc. abr.     

etc. abr.      

**

et c(a)etera, ‘and the rest’

ex aequo loc. adv.      

***

equal position, a tie in sport.

ex-​a nte loc. adv.      

**

au préalable

ex nihilo adv., adj.      

***

à partir de rien, ‘from out of nothing’

exit conjug.      

**

il/​elle sort, ‘he/​she leaves the stage’ (stage direction). NB not used in the meaning of ‘way out’.

fac-​s imile nm.      

***

lit. ‘to make similar’, an exact copy

Fiat lux loc. subj., cit.      

**

Que la lumière soit, ‘Let there be light’. See Genesis 1:3. Frequently punned upon with the brand name of the car manufacturer Fiat.

Fluctuat nec mergitur dev.      

***

Il est battu par les flots, mais ne sombre pas. ‘Although it is tossed by the waves, yet it does not sink.’ The motto of the city of Paris, the emblem of which is a ship on the sea.

forum nm.      

*

forum, public place equivalent to the Greek agora

grosso modo adv.       approximately

***

imprimatur nm.  531

habeas corpus loc. jurid.      

**

literally ‘thou shalt have the body’; ‘A writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge, especially to secure the person’s release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention (The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations)

hic nm.      

***

voilà le hic, ‘there’s the rub’

hic et nunc loc. adv.      

**

ici et maintenant, ‘here and now’, immediately

hic jacet loc. verb.      

*

ci-​gît, from the verb gésir, ‘here lies’. Typically engraved on tombstones.

Homo homini lupus loc. prov.      

**

L’homme est un loup pour l’homme. ‘Brother will turn on brother.’ See Matthew 10:21. Also Plautus and Burke.

homo sapiens nm.      

**

rational man

honoris causa loc. adj.      

**

pour l’honneur, ‘for the sake of honour’, related to the honorary awarding of a university degree

ibidem adv.      

***

in the same place

idem adv.      

***

the same thing

imprimatur nm.      

**

qu’il soit imprimé, ‘let it be printed’. Authorization given by a bishop for a book about the Catholic faith to be printed.

532  in cauda venenum loc. prov.     

in cauda venenum loc. prov.      

**

dans la queue le venin, ‘the venom is in the tail’

in extenso loc. adv.      

**

intégralement, ‘in its complete form’

in extremis loc. adv., loc adj.      

***

at the last moment

in fine loc. adv.      

***

à la fin, ‘finally’

in utero loc. adv.      

*

within the womb

in vino veritas loc. prov.      

*

‘there is truth in wine’

in vitro loc. adv.      

**

in a test tube, in artificial conditions, as opposed to in vivo

in vivo loc. adv.      

**

in the living organism

intra muros adv., adj.      

**

within the walls of the city

ipso facto loc. adv.       by that very fact

***

mens sana in corpore sano cit.  533

Ite, missa est imp.      

***

Allez, la messe est dite. It is with these words that the priest dismisses the faithful after Holy Communion. In idiomatic French, the expression is used in the sense of ‘there is nothing more to be said’.

lapsus (linguae) nm.      

***

a slip of the tongue

magnum opus nm.      

**

l’oeuvre majeure; the greatest or most important work of an author, composer etc.

malus nm.      

***

Coefficient for calculating the increase in the insurance premium based on a driver’s bad accident record

manu militari loc. adv.      

***

by physical force

Mater Dolorosa nf.      

*

La mere de douleur, the sorrowful mother, ‘the Lady of Sorrows’

mea culpa nm.      

***

‘my fault’, an admission of one’s error. From the prayer of confession in the Latin mass but frequently used as a noun, e.g. Il a fait son mea culpa.

memorandum nm.      

**

a note or summary made for future use and in order to remember the content. Frequently used in French in the term MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), un protocole d’accord.

mens sana in corpore sano cit.      

*

un esprit sain dans un corps sain, ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’ (Juvenal)

534  missi dominici nmpl.

missi dominici nmpl.      

**

envoys of the Lord, royal inspectors at the Carolingian period. Today, a representative of sb.

modus operandi nm.      

***

the way of working or operating, especially of a criminal

modus vivendi nm.      

***

a practical arrangement or compromise that makes it possible to work/​live together

mordicus adv.      

***

‘in biting’. E.g. prétendre mordicus que . . . is ‘to claim stubbornly that . . .’.

motus excl.      

**

motus et bouche cousue. ‘Mum’s the word.’

mutatis mutandis loc adv.      

**

with any necessary change of detail

nec plus ultra nm.      

***

‘no more beyond’, the highest point of perfection. ‘Ne . . .’ in English usage.

nolens volens exp. adj.      

**

‘unwilling, willing’, whether you like it or not

numerus clausus nm.      

**

a fixed or limited number, e.g. of taxis in Paris or chemists within a certain geographical radius

opus nm.       an important literary or musical work. Sometimes used ironically.

***

per capita loc. adv.  535

Opus Dei nm.      

**

‘The work of God’. A Catholic association.

opus magnum nm.      

*

A rather obsolete form of magnum opus. See above ‘magnum opus’.

O tempora, o mores! cit.      

***

Ô temps, ô moeurs. ‘Oh the times, oh the manners!’ (Cicero).

otium nm.      

**

Otium is a Latin term covering a wide spectrum of activities one can pursue in one’s free time. It is the time during which a person can take advantage of a time of rest in order to meditate. It is also used in opposition to active public life. It is now assuming sociological importance and is making inroads in the area of industrial relations.

panem et circenses cit.      

**

du pain et des jeux, ‘bread and circuses’ (Juvenal)

para bellum, si vis pacem loc. prov.      

**

si tu veux la paix, prépare-​toi à la guerre; ‘if you wish for peace, prepare for war’

Pater Noster nm.      

*

Notre Père, ‘Our Father’: opening words of the Lord’s Prayer

paterfamilias nm.      

**

père de famille, ‘the head of the family’

pensum nm.      

**

‘task’, or ‘chore’, often in the sense of punishment at school, e.g. writing lines

per capita loc. adv.       par tête

*

536 persona nf.     

persona nf.      

*

‘mask’ in the theatrical meaning

persona non grata nf.      

***

an undesirable or unwanted person, often used in diplomatic circles

placebo conjug.      

***

‘I will please.’ A substance that is chemically inactive but that will have a positive effect on patients in up to 30 per cent of the cases. Often used as a control in medical experiments.

post mortem loc. adv.      

***

after death. Not used in the nominal sense of an ‘autopsy’, for which the French term is autopsie but in the adverbial sense, i.e. ‘the body of the victim was moved post mortem’.

post scriptum n.      

**

written after, PS

primo adv.      

**

first, to begin with

primus inter pares loc. adj.      

**

first among equals

pro domo loc. adv., adj.      

***

‘for one’s own house’, to plead in one’s own interest

quiproquo n.       a confusion whereby one thing or person is mistaken for another

***

satisfecit nm.  537

quid interr.      

***

qu’en est-​il de . . .?, ‘what about . . .?’

quidam nm.      

**

an individual, an unspecified person, a chap

quitus nm.      

**

full discharge

Quo non ascendit dev.      

**

‘To what heights may he not rise?’ Motto of Nicolas Fouquet (1615–​80). See Chapter 2 ‘Où ne montera-​t-​il pas?’.

quod erat demonstrandum (QED)      

**

ce qu’il fallait démontrer (CQFD), ‘which was to be proved’

quota nm.      

***

a share, or determined amount

recto nm.      

***

the right-​hand page of a book, the front side of a page

referendum nm.      

***

from the Latin verb referre, to submit a question to an assembly

res publica nf.      

**

la chose publique, affairs relating to the community, State or nation

satisfecit nm.       a good mark

**

538 secundo adv.     

secundo adv.      

**

second(ly)

senior nm.      

**

the eldest

sic adv.      

**

ainsi, ‘it is thus’. When quoting a sentence in which there is a mistake, sic is used to indicate that there is no error in the reproduction of the quotation.

sine die loc. adv.      

***

‘without day’, without any future date being designated, often used in legal proceedings. A case is often renvoyé sine die.

sine qua non loc. adj.      

***

‘without which not’, a prerequisite

statu quo nm.      

***

in the same state, ‘status quo’ in English usage

statu quo ante nm.      

**

in the former state

stricto sensu loc. adv.      

***

in the strict meaning of the word

summum nm.      

**

the highest point, the highest degree, the acme

tabula rasa nf.      

**

table rase. A blank surface ready to receive new impressions, related to the philosophical idea that the human mind, at birth, is a virgin blank receiving the impressions of life.

vade retro Satana(s) imp., cit.  539

Te Deum (laudamus) nm.      

*

Christian hymn. ‘God, we sing thy praise’. Frequently used to celebrate special occasions, e.g. the coronation of a new Pope, the signing of a peace treaty etc.

terra incognita (terrae incognitae) nf.      

***

terre(s) inconnue(s), ‘unknown territory/​territories’

tertio adv.      

**

troisièmement, third(ly).

triumvirat nm.      

**

power held by a group of three men

‘Tu quoque mi fili?’ cit.      

*

See Chapter 2 ‘Toi aussi mon fils?’.

ultima ratio regum nm.      

*

‘the final argument of kings’. This was engraved on cannon cast for Louis XIV after 1650.

urbi et orbi loc. adv.      

***

‘to the city and the world’. The blessing of the Pope given from the balcony of the basilica of St Peter in Rome and particularly associated with his New Year message to the world. Idiomatically, it is used in French to mean ‘tell everyone everywhere’.

vade mecum nm.      

***

go with me. An aide-​mémoire.

vade retro Satana(s) imp., cit.      

**

passez derrière moi Satan, ‘get thee behind me Satan’. See Chapter 8 ‘Vade retro Satana(s)’. See Mark 8:33.

540 vae victis ax.     

vae victis ax.      

*

malheur aux vaincus, ‘woe to the vanquished’. See Chapter  2 ‘Malheur aux.

vanitas vanitatum loc. prov., cit.      

*

Vanité, vanité, tout n’est que vanité. ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.’ See Chapter 8 ‘Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas’. See Ecclesiastes 1:2.

verbatim nm., loc. adv.      

***

mot à mot, ‘word for word’; in the exact words, as originally spoken

verso nm.      

***

the left-​hand page of a book, the back of a page

veto nm.      

***

‘I forbid’, an authoritative ban

via prép.      

***

It can frequently be replaced by the French expression par le biais de or par l’intermédiaire de.

vice versa adv.      

**

with the relations reversed

vivats nmpl.      

***

Vivat means ‘may he/​she live’. Pluralised form of the term. A shouted wish for long life and prosperity. Les vivats are ‘cheers’ or ‘cheering’.

vox populi, vox dei loc. prov.      

***

La voix du people est la voix de Dieu. ‘The voice of the people is the voice of God.’

commedia dell’arte nf.  541

vulgum pecus nm.      

***

A very pejorative (and un-​Latin) expression referring to sb. of the common herd, or hoi polloi. ITALIAN, GERMAN, NORTH AFRICAN

ITALIAN aggiornamento nm.      

***

a bringing up to date or modernization. The term used to describe the policy of Church reform implemented by the Second Vatican Council (1962–​5).

*

allegro adv. mus.       in quick time. First used in an English musical score by Purcell in 1683.

allegro ma non troppo adv. mus.      

**

in quick time but not too energetically

basta! excl.      

**

an exclamatory term meaning ‘that’s enough’

bravo! excl.      

**

‘well done’

brio (avec) loc. adv.      

*

brilliantly, with flying colours

commedia dell’arte nf.      

**

This was a highly popular Italian theatrical genre that had its heyday in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and was to inspire Molière. The same stock characters may be found in such a play, each corresponding to the wily valet, the scheming lady’s maid, the braggart, the miser, the old man in love with a young girl etc. Among such characters we can mention Harlequin, Punchinello, Pierrot, Columbine and Pantalone.

542 cosa nostra nf.     

cosa nostra nf.      

*

‘that which belongs to us’; the Sicilian mafia

crescendo adv. mus.      

*

literally ‘growing’; a gradual increase in the loudness of music

diva nf.      

**

a goddess or a distinguished female opera singer

dolce vita nf.      

*

a life of luxury, sensuality and hedonism. This expression gained in popularity after the release of the film of the same name by Federico Fellini in 1960.

Eppur, se muove [apocryphal]      

*

Et pourtant, elle tourne (‘And yet it does move’). On 22 June 1633, Galileo Galilei (1564–​1642) was sentenced by the Inquisition to life imprisonment and forced to abjure the heliocentric system of Copernicus. On recanting, Galileo is said to have murmured these words.

fiasco nm.      

**

literally a ‘bottle’, but usually used in the meaning of an ignominious failure

ghetto nm.      

***

originally a Jewish quarter or Jewry in Italy. Its meaning has broadened to designate any neighbourhood inhabited only by persons of a given race, colour, creed or social class.

graffiti nmpl.      

**

drawing or writing scribbled on a wall, often obscene in nature

illico presto adv.       PDQ, pretty damn quick

***

Quattrocento 543

imbroglio nm.      

**

a mix-​up, tangle, mess; a state of confusion

incognito adv.      

**

disguised or under an assumed name, with one’s true identity hidden

lingua franca nf.      

**

Frankish tongue; a hybrid language used in the Levant and by extension any language used for communication between people of different nationalities.

maestria (avec) nf.      

***

brilliantly, with great skill

maestro nm.      

***

a master in the area of music. Sometimes used as a facetious reference to a band leader.

mezza voce adv. mus.      

***

Literally, this term means ‘half-​voice’, i.e. with medium volume, neither loud nor soft.

omerta nf. [Sicilian dialect]      

***

A code of conduct that involves keeping silent about crimes and refusing to cooperate with the police.

paparazzi nmpl.      

***

a word invented by Fellini. It was the name of the young photographer in La dolce vita. Today it refers to the photo-​journalists who hunt the rich and famous for dubious scoops.

Quattrocento      

*

Le Quattrocento is a contracted form of millequattrocento, i.e. the fifteenth century, the 1400s, especially when referring to art. This was the century of the pre-​Renaissance.

544 razzia nf.     

razzia nf.      

***

a foray, a raid

scenario nm.      

*

scénario

subito adv.      

*

suddenly, rapidly, e.g. santo subito:  a fast-​track method for the Vatican to make sb. a saint.

tempo nm.      

**

from the Latin tempus, time; the pace at which a musical piece is supposed to be played, indicated by such terms as allegro, andante etc.

tutti quanti (et) loc. adv.      

**

and all the rest of the same bunch

vendetta nf.      

**

a hereditary blood feud, particularly in Corsica and southern Italy GERMAN German nouns should normally take a capital letter, but this rule is not always adhered to when the word is used in French. The most common spelling has been given.

Blitzkrieg nm.      

***

la guerre éclair, ‘lightning war’

diktat nm.      

***

a settlement imposed on a defeated enemy by the victor, hence, any authoritarian order or decree

zeitgeist nm.  545

ersatz nm.      

*

a substitute or inferior quality article or product. It first made its appearance during the First World War but was extensively used during the Second.

krach nm.      

**

associated with a stock exchange crash

Leitmotiv nm.      

**

a dominant, recurrent theme or underlying pattern; a thread running through a literary or musical composition

Nach Paris! prep. hist.      

*

To Paris! Particularly used by the invading German troops.

putsch nm.      

***

an attack aimed at eliminating political opponents with a view to seizing power, popularized by Hitler’s abortive putsch in Munich in 1933

Realpolitik nf.      

***

pragmatic politics; a realistic policy that has little to do with values or morals

spiel nm.      

*

a game, e.g. Kriegsspiel: ‘war game’

Sturm und Drang      

*

literally ‘storm and passion’. It was the term given to the romantic literary movement in Germany in the second half of the eighteenth century. Passion is prized over reason. Goethe and Schiller are the most famous representatives of this movement, which takes its name from a play of the same name written by Friedrich Klinger in 1776.

zeitgeist nm.       the spirit of the times

**

546 baraka nf.     

NORTH AFRICAN AND ARABIC It is to be remembered that during and after the Algerian War of Independence (1954–​62), many French Algerians, known as les pieds noirs, returned en masse to mainland France, bringing with them a host of terms that have now become an integral part of modern French. NB the pieds noirs also came from Tunisia and Morocco. These words have been put in italics.

baraka nf.      

***

chance, luck.

bazar nm. [Persian origin]      

**

a mess or a shambles

bled nm.      

***

It refers to the hinterland of North Africa, i.e. the countryside, although it usually means a god-​forsaken place, a village in the middle of nowhere.

caïd nm.      

***

In North Africa, it was originally the name given to a civil servant who held judicial and police powers. Today, it usually refers to a big shot or gang leader.

califat nm. [Arabic]      

*

territory under the rule of a Calif, a Muslim sovereign

charabia nm. [Arabic]      

**

incomprehensible nonsense

charia nm. [Arabic]      

**

Islamic law

chouïa nm.       a little, a very small quantity

***

imam nm. [Arabic]  547

djellaba nf.      

*

a long, loose outer garment worn by either men or women

djihad nf. [Arabic]      

***

Arabic for ‘supreme effort’; a holy war

fatwa nf. [Arabic]      

**

In the Islamic faith, a fatwa is an edict or ruling on Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar, often to give guidance where Islamic jurisprudence is not clear. To the general public, since the Salman Rushdie affair in 1988, it has come to mean a death sentence passed on sb. who has offended the Islamic faith.

fissa adv. and interj.      

*

at once, rapidly, be snappy about it, get a move on!

gourbi nm.      

*

a slum or a shack

halal adj. [Arabic]      

**

Specialists claim that this word should not be written ‘hallal’ although it is frequently used in French with this spelling. It comes from the Arabic word meaning ‘permitted’. It is generally used to describe meat that has been killed in accordance with Islamic rites, i.e. the animal is killed by slitting its throat and bleeding it to death, without prior stunning, which is carried out in the name of Allah.

hidjâb nm. [Arabic]      

***

hijab; the Islamic veil worn by Muslim women, covering the head but leaving the face visible

imam nm. [Arabic]       a muslim spiritual guide

***

548 Inch’ Allah interj. [Arabic]     

Inch’ Allah interj. [Arabic]      

**

si Dieu le veut, ‘God willing’

intifada nf. [Arabic]      

**

uprising

jihad nm. [Arabic]      

***

See above djihad.

kebab nm. [Turkish origin]      

*

Generally speaking, this consists of small pieces of seasoned meat, roasted on a skewer.

kif-​k if loc adj. [Arabic]      

**

‘same’ in Arabic; bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet, ‘six of one and half a dozen of the other’

moudjahiddin nmpl. [Arabic]      

*

fighters, resistants, in the name of religion

niqab nm. [Arabic]      

**

a veil worn by Muslim women covering the head and leaving only the eyes visible.

oulema nm. [Arabic]      

*

an Islamic theologian, a doctor of Islamic law

scoumoune nf. [Algerian slang]       rotten luck, jinx

**

apparatchick nm. [Russian]  549

smala nm.      

*

from the Arab term Zmâla, which literally means a gathering of tents in which the clan chief’s family and retinue lived while travelling. Tout le smala means ‘the whole tribe’ or ‘the whole gang’.

souk nm.      

*

an Arabic term for the Persian or Turkish bazar. Used figuratively in the same way as bazar, i.e. to indicate a mess or shambles.

taliban nm. [Arabic-​Persian]      

*

a student of theology

toubib nm. [Algerian]      

***

The pronunciation of this word is ‘two-​beeb’, a familiar term for a doctor. This gives rise to one of the corniest puns in the French language: ‘Toubib or not toubib, zat is ze question.’ MISCELLANEOUS

aficionado nm. [Spanish]      

*

having a great interest in any pursuit; originally sb. passionately fond of bull-​fighting

agora nf. [Greek]      

**

a public place of assembly, especially a market place

apartheid nm. [Afrikaans]      

**

the official policy of South Africa at the time of racial segregation. Now used more broadly.

apparatchick nm. [Russian]      

***

originally, a member of the soviet bureaucracy. Now, it refers to any rather senior member of the establishment or political party.

550 autodafé nm. [Portuguese]     

autodafé nm. [Portuguese]      

***

from the Latin term actus fidei, an ‘act of faith’. It originally involved the burning of books deemed to be immoral, blasphemous or heretical etc. In the Middle Ages, it came to mean the solemn proclamation of the sentence passed by the Inquisition, especially for the burning of the condemned person at the stake.

avatar nm. [Sanskrit]      

***

the incarnation of a deity. Any metamorphosis

bakchich nm. [Persian]      

***

baksheesh, or bakshish, a tip or gratuity. It now has the connotation of a bribe or a backhander.

Banzai interj. [Japanese]      

*

the Japanese word for ‘10,000 years’; a cry used by the Japanese before going into battle, or on greeting the Emperor

boomerang nm. [Australian]      

***

a curved wooden missile that, on being thrown, returns to the thrower. It is often used in the form un effet boomerang.

brouhaha nm. [Hebrew]      

**

deformation of barukh ha ba, which means ‘blessed be he who comes’. Today, it means a confused noise coming from a crowd.

burka nf. (bourka) burqa [Pashtou]      

***

traditional dress of women in Afghanistan covering the whole of the body and equipped with a grille enabling the person to see and not be seen. Contrary to popular belief, this item of clothing has nothing whatsoever to do with Islam.

commando nm. [Portuguese]      

***

a small unit of highly mobile soldiers, skilled in the art of hand-​to-​hand fighting and frequently operating behind enemy lines

hara-kiri nm. [Japanese]  551

corrida (de torros) nf. [Spanish]      

*

running (of bulls), bull-​fighting

diaspora nf. [Greek]      

**

the dispersion, or scattering, particularly of the Jews after the Babylonian exile, but also used especially for the Armenian and Chinese exiles in Europe today

doxa nf. [Greek]      

***

opinion, hence ‘orthodox’, i.e. conforming or in line with doctrinal belief

eldorado nm. [Spanish]      

**

‘the gilded’. An imaginary country rich in gold that the sixteenth-​century Spaniards believed to exist in the upper Amazonian region. Thus, any region of great wealth.

embargo nm. [Spanish]      

***

‘arrest’. An order forbidding commerce between two countries.

guérilla nf. [Spanish]      

**

guerrilla; warfare conducted by a small group of irregular troops, often behind enemy lines. This term entered the English language at the time of the Peninsular War (1809–​14), launched by the British to encourage Portuguese and Spanish resistance to Napoleon I.

gouru nm. [Hindi]      

***

guru. In Hinduism, this refers to one’s spiritual advisor or teacher. It is often used with irony in the field of corporate management.

hara-​k iri nm. [Japanese]      

*

ceremonial suicide by disembowelling, often to preserve one’s honour. Frequently and erroneously written ‘hari’.

552 iota nm. [Greek]     

iota nm. [Greek]      

**

the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, synonymous with a very small quantity. See Chapter 8 ‘iota’.

junte nf. [Spanish]      

*

junta; an administrative and political council or assembly in Spain, Portugal or Latin America. Frequently used in the expression junte militaire.

kamikaze nm. adj. [Japanese]      

***

a Japanese suicide pilot of the Second World War. The word literally means ‘divine wind’:  kami means ‘divinity’ and kaze means ‘wind’. Japan was saved from invasion in 1281 when a violent and providential wind sprang up and destroyed the invading Mongol fleet. Used to describe sb. who is reckless.

karma nm. [Sanskrit]      

*

the whole of a person’s actions in a given phase of their existence, believed to have an influence on his or her fate in the next. Loosely used, it means fate or destiny.

kopeck nm. [Russian]      

*

one hundredth part of a rouble; figuratively ‘a farthing’

lambda nm. adj. [Greek]      

**

the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet, which has 24 letters. Lambda being nearly the middle letter, it is used to designate the average person, the man on the Clapham omnibus.

maelström nm. [Dutch]       a whirlpool. In French, it may be written with or without the umlaut.

**

oukase nm. [Russian]  553

mantra nm. [Sanskrit]      

***

a sacred text, usually from the Veda and used as a prayer or incantation; frequently used in relation to corporate speak. The latest mantra is ‘Think global, act local.’

nabab nm. [Hindi]      

***

nabob; a native provincial governor of the old Mogul Empire in India. By extension, sb. who is rich and important.

nada excl. [Spanish]      

**

‘nothing’, ‘no way’, ‘nothing doing’

niet excl. [Russian]      

**

‘nothing’, ‘no way’, ‘nothing doing’

nippon adj. (Japanese)      

**

The word Nippon is the Japanese name for ‘Japan’. It literally means ‘rising sun’.

nirvana nm. [Sanskrit]      

*

a ‘blowing out’ or ‘extinction of human life’, a ‘blending with Brahma’. This Buddhist concept refers to a situation in which human desires and passions, and even individual existence, disappear into oblivion. It is supposed to be the reward for great holiness. It is a place or condition of peace or bliss.

no pasarán cit. [Spanish]      

*

‘They shall not pass.’ See Chapter 2 ‘Ils ne passeront pas’.

nomenklatura nf. [Russian]      

***

a list of people enjoying exceptional prerogatives; the privileged elite

oukase nm. [Russian]       See below ‘ukase/​oukase’.

***

554 paria(h) nm. [Tamil]     

paria(h) nm. [Tamil]      

**

from the Tamil word paraiyan, meaning ‘a hereditary drumbeater’. It is one of the lowest and most despised of the Indian castes. It now means anyone who is despised and outcast.

pasionaria nf. [Spanish]      

*

a woman who is passionate about a cause to a degree that can involve spectacular and violent action

pacha nm. [Turkish]      

**

In the Ottoman Empire pacha was the title given to the governors of the regions. It was a term of respect. Today, to live like a pacha means to live in the lap of luxury. In marine slang, it refers to the captain of a ship.

perestroïka nf. [Russian]      

*

a term for ‘reconstruction’, popularized by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s

pogrom nm. [Russian]      

***

total destruction; aggression (supported or at least tolerated by the authorities) carried out with a view to destroying a people or class etc., particularly associated with the attacks against the Jewish community at various times during the history of Europe

safari nm. [Swahili]      

**

a journey, on foot, especially in search of big game, now synonymous with a hunting expedition

sérail nm. [Persian-​Turkish serâi]      

***

the Sultan’s palace in the Ottoman Empire, now used to refer to the inner sanctum of the political establishment

Sherpa nm. [Tibetan]      

**

The Sherpa constitute an ethnic group of Tibetan origin living on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. In Tibetan shar means ‘east’ and pa is a

tsunami nm. [Japanese]  555

suffix indicating ‘people’. Thus, the word Sherpa designates the people who come from the east. Today, Sherpas are bearers and guides who accompany mountaineers. In French, the term is very clearly defined as a person who takes part in the preparation of a political summit meeting and/​or who represents the head of State.

Shoah nf. [Hebrew]      

***

the extermination of the Jews by the German Nazis during the Second World War

sieste nf. [Spanish siesta]      

*

from the Latin sexta hora, the sixth hour (dawn was considered to be zero hour); a short nap after the midday meal taken in many warm countries

skipper nm. [Dutch]      

***

the captain, usually of a small sailing boat

tabou nm. adj. [Tonga]      

***

taboo; what is forbidden or prohibited to a certain class of persons. Other spellings are found in other Polynesian languages.

tohu-​b ohu nm. [Hebrew]      

***

term qualifying the original chaos before the creation of the world; hubbub or noisy confusion. See Chapter 8 ‘tohu-​bohu’.

totem nm. [Algonquin]      

*

the emblem (frequently an animal) of a tribe or clan of Native Americans

troïka nf. [Russian]      

**

a carriage drawn by three horses abreast, hence, a group of three political leaders

tsunami nm. [Japanese]      

**

a word of Japanese origin from tsu (port) and nami (wave). Apart from the natural disaster, today it is used in French to designate any figuratively catastrophic occurrence.

556 tycoon nm. [Japanese]     

tycoon nm. [Japanese]      

***

Derived from Chinese, this word means ‘prince’ or ‘great man’. The term has come to mean ‘magnate’, or highly successful businessman.

Yom Kippour nm. [Hebrew]      

**

Le Jour du Grand Pardon, ‘The Day of Atonement’

ukase/​o ukase nm. [Russian]      

***

In Czarist Russia, it was an imperial order having the force of law, hence, any arbitrary proclamation or decree. Synonymous with Diktat.

Zen adj. nm. [Japanese]      

**

Japanese branch of Buddhism where the accent is put on meditation from a sitting position called zazen

zombie nm. [West African]      

*

from zumbi, meaning ‘image’; a revitalized corpse acting under the magical influence of voodoo (vaudou nm.).

Chapter 14

Acronyms and abbreviations

Si le prix des clés USB est TTC c’est OK pour moi.

We have witnessed an explosion in the use of acronyms and abbreviated forms over the past few years and it would have been quite fastidious, and not very helpful, to give a comprehensive list of acronyms used in the French press. In this chapter, I have concentrated on acronyms that are not only frequent but on those that have become lexicalized, i.e. used as words in their own right. Most of these acronyms are recognized on sight by any French person and the original words represented by the individual letters of the acronym have often been forgotten. Everyone knows what the CAC 40 is; few French people know what it stands for! It will be noticed that usage of capitalization is not always consistent. In 2005, in the wake of the Tour de France doping scandal, the acronym EPO was omnipresent in the press. Today it has all but disappeared. Certain political parties, unheard of in 2005, have recently emerged –​LREM, LFI, RN –​whereas others, e.g. UMP, FN, have disappeared. Medical science has now given us GPA and PMA, while research in the area of IT has given us IA and a host of related acronyms. The 2019 political demonstrations by the gilets jaunes have put RIC at the forefront of political discussion, while terrorist attacks have given us SPT. The chapter on acronyms is one of those that has undergone significant change since my research began in 2007. NB in French, ‘acronyme’, as opposed to ‘sigle’, is often used to refer to an abbreviated form that can be pronounced as a word, i.e. CGT is a ‘sigle’ while OTAN and OVNI are ‘acronymes’. The English word for ‘sigle’, ‘initialisation’, is very rare.

558 AAAAA     

A

AAAAA      

*

Association amicale des amateurs d’andouillette authentique Let me confess that I have come across this acronym many times in French restaurants and cafés during my 50 years in France but only once did I come across it in the course of my research on this book. Not statistically significant, but it says so much about French culture in five letters that I could not resist including it in my selection. May I be forgiven.

AB      

**

agriculture biologique nf. organic agriculture

ABS      

***

abus de biens sociaux nm. misuse of corporate funds and/​or property

ADN      

***

acide désoxyribonucléique nm. DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid

ADP      

***

Aéroports de Paris

AFP      

***

Agence France-​Presse nf. the French news agency

AMP      

**

aide médicale à la procréation medically assisted procreation

AOC       Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée nf.

***

BAC 559

This is a quality label indicating the geographical origin of a product, and guarantees its authenticity. It is frequently (but not exclusively) attributed to traditional-​type products such as wine and dairy produce.

AP–​H P      

**

Assistance publique –​Hôpitaux de Paris

APL      

**

aides personnalisées au logement This is a form of financial assistance, a contribution to the rent, to help people with low salaries.

ASSEDIC      

***

Association pour l’emploi dans l’industrie et le commerce nf. This is the organization that pays out unemployment benefit. See ‘UNEDIC’.

Attac      

**

Association pour la taxation des transactions financières pour l’aide aux citoyens nf. An association whose objective is to put a brake on speculation, instituting democratic control over the financial markets and their institutions by way of taxing financial transactions. The motto of the association is ‘The world is not for sale.’

AVC      

***

accident vasculaire cérébral nm. CVA, cerebrovascular accident

B

BAC      

**

Brigade anti-​criminalité nf. a special police unit set up in 1994 to deal more effectively with urban delinquency and violence

560 BBC     

BBC      

***

bâtiments basse consommation nm. buildings with low energy consumption

BCBG      

**

bon chic, bon genre This term refers to the French upper middle class, who stereotypically attach importance to sartorial elegance and outward signs of respectability. Similar to NAP, this expression may be translated into British English by ‘Sloaney’. See Chapter 12 ‘Neuilly, Auteuil, Passy’.

BCE      

***

Banque centrale européenne nf. European Central Bank

BCG      

*

Bacille de Calmette et Guérin nm. The BCG vaccine comes from ‘bacille bilié’ and the names of the research biologist Albert Calmette (1863–​1933) and the vetinary surgeon Camille Guérin (1872–​1961), who developed it. The culture of the tuberculin bacillus was carried out in the sterile bile of an ox, hence the term ‘bilié’. The ‘B’ can thus stand for either ‘bacille’ or ‘bilié’.

BEP      

*

Brevet d’études professionnelles nm. This is a technical school certificate required in order to do a vocationally oriented baccalauréat. Pupils usually take this examination at 16 years of age.

BHV      

*

Bazar de l’Hôtel-​de-​Ville a big department store a stone’s throw from the Hôtel de Ville in Paris

BNP       Banque nationale de Paris nf.

***

C AC 40

561

One of the biggest retail and investment banks in France. The new name is BNP Paribas.

Bobo      

*

Bourgeois bohème a middle-​class person who has a Bohemian lifestyle

BRI      

**

Brigade de recherche et d’intervention nf. an anti-​gang unit of the police

BTP      

***

bâtiment et travaux publics nm. an economic sector including the building industry and public works

BTS      

**

Brevet de technicien supérieur nm. a vocational diploma taken after two years of full-​time and specialized study, after the age of 18, usually (but not necessarily) after le baccalauréat, the school-​leaving examination

BVA      

**

Initially a consultancy firm and then an opinion poll company, it takes its name from the initials of its founding members, Michel Brulé and Jean-​Pierre Ville. The ‘A’ stands for ‘Associates’. C

CA      

**

chiffre d’affaires nm. turnover

CAC 40       Cotation assistée en continu nf. the main stock exchange index on the Paris market

***

562  C AP

CAP      

*

Certificat d’aptitude professionnelle nm. a diploma certifying technical job competence, obtained after 16  years of age in a technical school with a period of in-​company training plus theory, pronounced ‘say ah pay’

CDD      

***

contrat à durée déterminée nm. a fixed-​term labour contract

CDG      

*

Charles de Gaulle (airport)

CDI      

***

contrat à durée indéterminée nm. an unlimited-​term labour contract

CE1      

*

cours élémentaire 1ère année nm. the primary class for 7-​year olds

CE2      

*

cours élémentaire 2e année nm. the primary class for 8-​year olds

CFDT      

**

Confédération française démocratique du travail nf. the biggest French trades union in terms of membership, the second largest in terms of union election impact

CFTC       Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens nf. French union having a Christian outlook in its activity

*

CNR 563

CGT      

***

Confédération générale du travail nf. one of the biggest French trades unions, founded in 1895, with clear communist sympathies

CHU      

***

centre hospitalier universitaire nm. a university/​teaching hospital

CNAM      

*

Caisse nationale d’assurance-​maladie nf. the health insurance branch of the French social security system

CNAV      

**

Caisse nationale assurance vieillesse nf. the retirement pension branch of the French social security system

CNES      

**

Centre national d’études spatiales nm. the French space research centre

CNIL      

**

Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés nf. French watchdog for computer files and civil liberties; pronounced ‘k-​neal’

CNR      

**

Conseil national de la Résistance The political platform of the CNR passed in 1944 provided for the creation of social security and the nationalisation of the banks, insurance and energy companies. The employers’ association MEDEF has vowed to undo this programme of reforms.

564 CNRS     

CNRS      

**

Centre national de la recherche scientifique nm. the biggest French scientific research agency, founded in 1939

COP 21      

**

Conférence de Paris de 2015 sur les changements climatiques Conférence des parties, the supreme body for certain international conventions

CQFD      

**

See Chapter 13 ‘quod erat demonstrandum (QED)’.

*

CP       cours préparatoire the primary class for 6-​year-​olds

*

CPAM       caisse primaire d’assurance maladie the social security payment office

CREDOC      

***

Centre de recherche pour l’étude et l’observation des conditions de vie nm. a research centre oriented towards sociological observations about living conditions and economic and statistical measurements, pronounced ‘kredock’

Crif      

***

Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France nm. a council representing the numerous Jewish institutions in France, pronounced ‘krif’

Criirad      

**

Commission de recherche et d’informations indépendantes sur la radioactivité nf. Criirad is an independent, non-​profit-​making organization whose objective is to provide the public with unbiased information about nuclear risks and

DAS 565

pollution and to combat State censorship and disinformation, pronounced ‘kree rad’.

CRS      

***

Compagnie républicaine de sécurité nf. the name of the French anti-​riot police

CSA      

***

Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel nm. the French regulatory authority for TV and radio broadcasting

CSG      

**

contribution sociale généralisée nf. a tax introduced in 1990 to reduce the deficit of the social security fund

CV      

**

curriculum vitae nm. idem, or résumé

D

DAB      

*

distributeur automatique de billets nm. cash dispenser Although this is often translated as ‘ATM’, the term corresponding to ATM is GAB (guichet automatic de banque), where the services offered are more enhanced than the simple distribution of bank notes, which is the case for the DAB.

DAS      

***

débit d’absorption spécifique SAR, Specific Absorption Rate for mobile telephones. NB this has no scientific value.

566 DASS     

DASS      

***

Direction des affaires sanitaires et sociales nf. The social services department. The common expression enfant de la DASS refers to a child brought up in care in a State orphanage. Pronounce to rhyme with ‘mass’.

DCRI      

**

Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur nf. This organization is the result of the merger of the DST and the RG. See below ‘DST’, and ‘RG’.

DEA      

*

Diplôme d’études approfondies nm. This is a postgraduate diploma at the ‘bac plus 5’ level, i.e. beyond master’s degree level. It is taken before completing a Ph.D.

DESS      

**

Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées nm. a one-​year postgraduate vocational diploma

DGA      

***

Direction générale de l’armement nf. This is the contracting authority for French arms programmes. It covers design, acquisition and evaluation of the systems that will equip the French armed forces.

DGPN      

*

Direction générale de la Police nationale nf. the headquarters of the national police force

DGSE       Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure nf.

***

EHPAD 567

The French intelligence gathering agency, part of the ministry of defence. The successor of the SDECE (Service de documentation et de contre espionnage) is called La Piscine. See Chapter 12 ‘Piscine, La’.

DGSI      

**

Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure nf. the organization concerned with French internal security

DOM      

**

Départements d’Outre-​Mer nm. those French overseas territories having the status of départements, i.e. la Guadeloupe, la Martinique, la Guyane and la Réunion; pronounced to rhyme with ‘Tom’

DRH      

**

directeur/​directrice des ressources humaines nfm. human resources manager

DST      

***

Direction de la Surveillance du territoire nf. Former internal intelligence service, also in charge of anti-​terrorist actions and protecting French economic intelligence. It merged with the Renseignements Généraux (RG) on 1 July 2008 to form the DCRI. See above ‘DCRI’. See below ‘RG’. E

EE-​LV      

***

Europe-​Écologie-​Les  Verts. the Green Party in France

EHPAD       établissement d’hébergement pour personnes âgées dépendantes nm. a special home for the elderly and dependent

***

568 EI     

EI      

**

État islamique

ENA      

***

École Nationale d’Administration nf. The prestigious French civil service academy, one of the most famous of France’s grandes écoles; pronounced ‘enna’. See Chapter  9 ‘ÉNA. L’’, and ‘grandes écoles. Les’.

EPR      

***

The abbreviation stands for ‘European pressurized reactor’, which translated into French would be réacteur pressurisé européen nm. Third generation nuclear reactor.

ESSEC      

**

École supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales nf. One of the most famous French business schools, pronounced ‘Essec’. See Chapter 9 ‘grandes écoles. Les’. F

FAI      

***

fournisseur d’accès à Internet nm. IAP, internet access provider

FDJ      

***

Française des Jeux the organization (recently privatized) responsible for overseeing the gambling sector in France, e.g. Loto and sports betting etc.

FIV       fécondation in vitro in vitro fertilization

***

GPA 569

FMI      

***

Fonds monétaire international nm. IMF, International Monetary Fund

FO      

**

Force ouvrière the third biggest French trades union after the CGT and the CFDT

G

G7      

***

Groupe des sept an economic discussion group comprising the great economic powers that control two-​thirds of the world’s wealth, i.e. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States

GAFA(M)      

***

Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, (Microsoft), pronounced ‘gaffa’

Giec/​G IEC      

***

Groupe d’experts intergouvernementaux sur l’évolution du climat nm. IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

GIGN      

***

Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale nm. This is an elite unit of the French Army specializing in anti-​terrorist activity and the liberation of hostages.

GPA       gestation pour autrui nf. surrogate motherhood

***

570 GPS     

GPS      

***

global positioning system H

HD      

**

haute définition high definition

HEC      

**

Hautes études commerciales nfpl. The most prestigious of the French business schools. See Chapter 9 ‘grandes écoles. Les’.

HLM      

***

habitation à loyer modéré nf. Very roughly equivalent to local authority accommodation in England. Although HLM connotes social accomodation for low-​income groups, some of these premises are located in very pleasant Parisian quarters and bear no resemblance whatsoever to social housing in England. Several scandals have been associated with the name of HLM in Paris. See Chapter 11 ‘HLM de Paris’.

HSBC      

**

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Founded in 1865 with money made from the opium trade. It has been at the heart of several financial scandals since 2007. I

IA       intelligence artificielle nf. artificial intelligence

***

IGS 571

IAD      

**

insémination artificielle avec donneur artificial insemination (with donor)

IDF      

***

Île-​de-​France roughly equivalent to the greater Paris region

IFOP      

**

Institut français d’opinion publique nm. company specializing in marketing intelligence, pronounced ‘eefop’

IGA      

*

Inspection générale de l’administration nf. It has a function of inspection, audit and evaluation of government departments.

Igas      

**

Inspection générale des affaires sociales nf. This is an authority that monitors any social body receiving public funding in the areas of employment, social security, training etc., and checks that the activities of such bodies are compliant with the regulations, and that public money is being used appropriately. Pronounced ‘eegas’.

IGPN      

**

Inspection générale de la Police nationale nf. Commonly known as ‘the police of the police’, it is the inspectorate of the police force and of the préfecture de police in Paris. It has merged with the IGS. See below ‘IGS’.

IGS       Inspection générale des services nf.

***

572 INSEAD     

A police department concerned with investigating complaints by the public and internal disciplinary procedures. See Chapter 9 ‘Inspection générale des services. L’’.

INSEAD      

**

Institut européen d’administration des affaires nm. a prestigious business school located in Fontainebleau, in the Seine-​et-​Marne (77), pronounced ‘in sea ad’

INSEE      

***

Institut national de la statistique et des études nm. French national institute of statistics and economic studies, pronounced ‘insay’

Inserm      

**

Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale nm. medical research institute, pronounced ‘in sairm’

IRM      

*

imagerie par résonance magnétique (nucléaire) nf. (N)MRI, (nuclear) magnetic resonance imaging

ISF      

***

impôt de solidarité sur la fortune nm. tax on high wealth; abolished by President Macron

ITT      

**

interruption temporaire de travail nf. This document is issued by a doctor to help a judge determine the gravity of a sentence or the importance of damages following any bodily harm, accidental or otherwise. NB it is not a medical certificate justifying an employee’s absence from work.

LBD 573

IUT      

**

institut universitaire de technologie nm. This can be broadly compared to former polytechnics in Britain.

IVG      

**

interruption volontaire de grossesse nf. elective abortion, termination of pregnancy J

JDD      

***

Journal du dimanche

JO      

***

Journal officiel nm. The official gazette published on a daily basis by the French Republic. See Chapter 9 ‘Journal officiel. Le’.

JO      

**

Jeux olympiques nmpl. Olympic games

JT   

***

Journal télévisé nm.     TV news magazine L

LBD       lanceur de balles défensives/​de défense nm. erroneously referred to as a ‘flashball’

***

574 LFI     

LFI      

***

La France insoumise a political party to the left of the French Socialist Party

LGBT      

**

lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

LICRA      

**

Ligue internationale contre le racisme et l’antisémitisme nf. the International League against racism and anti-​Semitism, founded in 1926 to combat intolerance, xenophobia and exclusion, pronounced ‘Lee crah’

LR      

***

Les Républicains the major right-​wing party (new name of the former UMP)

LREM      

***

La République en marche The party of Emmanuel Macron, combining right and left elements. EM are the initials of Emmanuel Macron.

LVMH      

***

Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy the world leader in the sale of luxury goods, owned by Bernard Arnault M

MEDEF      

***

Mouvement des entreprises de France nm. The French employers’ confederation. It has replaced the former Conseil national du patronat français (CNPF) and represents over 700,000 companies

OCDE 575

and 90 per cent of small-​and medium-​ size companies. Pronounced ‘Med eff ’.

MNEF      

*

Mutuelle nationale des étudiants de France, pronounced ‘men eff’. See Chapter 11 ‘MNEF’.

MoDem      

***

Mouvement démocrate nm. The Centre Party, founded by its current leader, François Bayrou, in 2007. It is the successor to the UDF. N

NDLR      

**

note de la rédaction nf. In the press, this refers to any inserted note that is not part of the original text. It is either preceded by or followed by this abbreviation. It is generally placed within brackets.

NPA      

*

Nouveau parti anticapitaliste a minority, anti-​capitalist party of the French left O

OAS      

**

Organisation de l’armée secrète A clandestine politico-​military organization created to defend French Algeria by terrorist action. See Chapter 11 ‘OAS’.

OCDE       Organisation de coopération et de développement économique nf. OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

***

576 OGM     

OGM      

***

organisme génétiquement modifié nm. GMO, genetically modified organism

OMC      

***

Organisation mondiale du commerce nf. WTO, World Trade Organization

OMS      

**

Organisation mondiale de la santé nf. WHO, World Health Organization

ONG      

**

Organisation non-​gouvernementale nf. NGO, non-​governmental organization

ONU      

**

Organisation des Nations Unies nf. UN, United Nations

OPA      

***

offre publique d’achat nf. a takeover bid, pronounced ‘oh pay ah’

OPEP      

**

Organisation des pays exportateurs de pétrole nf. OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

ORL       oto-​rhino-​laryngologiste  nm. an ear, nose and throat specialist

*

PACTE 577

OS      

*

ouvrier spécialisé nm. In spite of the appearance, this word refers to an unskilled worker who is at the very bottom of the industrial workers’ ladder.

OTAN      

***

Organisation du traité de l’Atlantique Nord nf. NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization

OVNI      

**

objet volant non-​identifié nm. UFO, unidentified flying object. Frequently used to describe people who are strange and who do not fit in. P

PAC      

*

Politique agricole commune the common European agricultural policy

PACA      

**

the region of Provence-​Alpes-​Côte d’Azur (Région Sud)

PACS      

**

pacte civil de solidarité nm. a contract intended for people who enter a long-​term relationship; not necessarily same-​sex relationships

PACTE      

**

plan d’action pour la croissance et la transformation des entreprises a group of measures intended to free up the creative potential of companies and their capacity to innovate, invest and operate technical transition

578 PAF     

PAF      

***

paysage audiovisuel français nm. the French broadcasting world

PAF      

**

Police aux frontières port and airport border police

PDG      

***

Président-​directeur général nm. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

PEA      

*

plan d’épargne en action nm. This is a type of share-​cum-​savings account intended to foster stock market investments among private individuals and to enhance employee participation in the company they work for.

PIB      

***

Produit intérieur brut nm. GDP, gross domestic product

PJ      

***

Police judiciaire nf. equivalent to the CID (UK) or FBI (US)

PMA      

***

procréation médicalement assistée nf. medically assisted procreation

PME       petites et moyennes entreprises nfpl. small-​and medium-​size companies, pronounced ‘pay em uh’

***

QCM 579

PMU      

**

Pari mutuel urbain nm. the organization in charge of horse-​ racing and the gambling network in France

PNB      

***

produit national brut nm. GNP, gross national product

PS      

***

Parti socialiste nm. the French Socialist Party

PSG      

**

Paris Saint-​Germain. Parisian football team

PV      

**

procès verbal nm. A report, proceedings, minutes of a meeting. In its abbreviated form, it generally means a fine for a driving offence, speeding, irregular parking etc. In this case it may be translated as ‘a ticket’ or an FPN (fixed penalty notice) in the UK.

PVC      

*

polychlorure de vinyle polyvinyl chloride Q

QCM       questionnaire/​questions à choix multiples nm. multiple-​choice questionnaire

**

580 QG     

QG      

***

quartier général nm. HQ, headquarters

QI      

**

quotient intellectuel nm. IQ, intelligence quotient

QPC      

*

question prioritaire de constitutionnalité In French law, it is a procedure for checking the constitutionality of a law that has already been passed. It is referred to as contrôle de constitutionnalité a posteriori. R

RAS      

**

rien à signaler a military expression meaning ‘nothing to report’

RATP      

***

Régie autonome des transports parisiens nf. the Paris Transport Authority

RER      

***

Réseau express régional nm. the Paris regional, suburban, express-​train network

RG      

***

Renseignements généraux nmpl. Part of the French police force, under the control of the ministry of the interior, in charge of informing the government of threats to internal security. It came into existence under the Third Republic in 1911. It has now been

SA 581

merged with the Direction de la surveillance du térritoire to form the Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur, the DCRI. See above ‘DCRI’.

RGPD      

***

Règlement général sur la protection des données nm. the general framework of regulations governing data protection

RIC      

***

Référendum d’initiative citoyenne nm. citizen-​initiated referendum launched by the gilets jaunes movement in 2018

RN      

***

Rassemblement national nm. the new name of the former Front national

RSA      

***

revenu de solidarité active nm. an unemployment allowance intended to replace the existing forms of assistance such as the RMI, PRE and PPE

RTL      

***

Radio Télé Luxembourg nf. the biggest radio station in France

RTT      

***

réduction du temps de travail nf. RTT days are days taken in the form of leave to compensate for the hours worked over the legal 35-​hour limit. S

SA       société anonyme nf. This corresponds to a joint stock company in the UK.

*

582 SAC     

SAC      

**

service d’action civique See Chapter 11 ‘Auriol. Le massacre d’’, and ‘SAC’.

SARL      

*

société à responsabilité limitée nf. a limited liability company

SAV      

**

service après-​vente nm. After-​sales service. Given the old-​fashioned ring to this word, the term ‘customer care’ is sometimes preferred.

SDF      

***

sans domicile fixe nm. NFA, a person of no fixed abode

SFR      

**

Société française de radiotéléphonie nf. one of the three major mobile telephone operators in France, the other two being ‘Bouygues Telecom’ and ‘Orange’

SICAV      

**

Société d’investissement à capital variable nf. This is a financial instrument enabling people to invest in shares and bonds via a fund without the risk of investing directly in shares.

SMIC      

***

salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance nm. the minimum guaranteed wage

SNCF       Société nationale des chemins de fer français nf.

***

SVT 583

the French national railway company, in charge of the commercial running of the French railways

SPA      

**

Société protectrice des animaux nf. the French equivalent of the British RSPCA, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

SPT      

**

stress post-​traumatique nm. PTSD, post-​ traumatic stress disorder. This is a concept that started to be widely used in the wake of the various terrorist attacks in France since 2015.

SRAS      

*

syndrome respiratoire aigu sévère nm. SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome

SSII      

**

société de services en ingénierie informatique nf. computer engineering and maintenance company

SUD      

***

Solidaires, unitaires et démocratiques a left-​wing trades union whose motto is ‘Solidarity, unity and democracy’; pronounced ‘sued’

SVT      

***

sciences de la vie et de la terre nfpl. With the growth of awareness related to global warming, ecology, renewable energies etc., a new subject is now found on the curriculum in secondary schools and as a university subject, ‘earth and life sciences’.

584 TEG     

T

TEG      

**

taux effectif global nm. This figure gives the consumer the total cost of taking out a loan.

TER      

**

Transport express régional nm. part of the French express, regional railway network

TF1      

***

Télévision française 1 nf. French television channel, part of the Bouygues group

TGI      

**

Tribunal de grande instance nm. This is roughly equivalent to a county court having general jurisdiction and staffed by professional magistrates and, for the citizen, requiring the services of a lawyer. See www.routledge.com/​9780367376758 ‘Legal terminology’.

TGV      

***

Train à grande vitesse nm. the French high-​speed train

TINA      

**

‘there is no alternative.’

TIP      

*

titre interbancaire de paiement nm. This is a document given to a debtor by his or her creditor. It is signed and dated by the debtor and sent back to the creditor. It authorizes a single automatic withdrawal of a given sum from a bank account for the amount marked on the TIP. It frequently replaces a cheque and must not be confused with direct debit (prélèvement automatique).

TTC 585

TNT      

**

télévison-​numérique terrestre nf. digital terrestrial television

TOC      

**

troubles obsessionnels compulsifs nmpl. OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder

TOM      

**

Territoires d’Outre-​Mer nmpl. French overseas territories that do not have the status of a département, pronounced ‘Tom’. Generally associated with DOM. See above ‘DOM’.

TPE      

**

très petites entreprises very small companies

TPG      

**

trésorier-​payeur général nm. This is one of the most highly paid (and sought after) positions in the French civil service. In the field, the TPG (paymaster general) is a treasurer, accountant and controller, the State’s bank manager in the localities. It is one of the juiciest jobs (fromages) in the Republic, given that the variable bonus of a TPG is based on the amounts of money under management.

Tracfin nm.      

***

Traitement du renseignement et action contre les circuits financiers clandestins the anti-​ money-​ laundering unit within the ministry of finance at Bercy, pronounced ‘track fan’

TTC       toutes taxes comprises inclusive of tax, tax included

**

586 TVA     

TVA      

***

taxe à la valeur ajoutée nf. VAT, value-​added tax U

UE      

***

Union européenne nf EU, European Union

UFC      

*

Union fédérale des consommateurs nf. a consumer defence association that regularly publishes a magazine called Que Choisir

ULM      

*

ultra léger motorisé nm. microlight

UNEDIC      

***

Union nationale interprofessionnelle pour l’emploi dans l’industrie et le commerce nf. Unlike the Assedic, which is concerned with paying out unemployment benefit, the Unedic deals with all of the back-​up paper work involved in making such payments: a kind of back-​office of the Assedic.

URSSAF      

**

Union de recouvrement des cotisations de sécurité sociale et d’allocations familiales nf. the social security contribution collection agency

UV       unité de valeur nf. the basic credit unit used in French universities

*

ZAD 587

V

VAB      

*

véhicule à l’avant blindé nm. (blindé de transport de troupe) nm. armoured personnel carrier

VIH     . 

***

virus d’immunodéficience humaine nm. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

VRP      

***

voyageur, représentant, placier nm. a term covering all travelling sales personnel

VTC      

**

véhicule de tourisme avec chauffeur nm. an alternative to a traditional taxi that is reserved via an IT platform

VTT      

*

vélo tout terrain nm. mountain bike Z

ZAC      

*

zone d’aménagement concerté nf. an administrative mechanism to facilitate the urban development of areas declared a priority by facilitating cooperation between local authorities and private developers

ZAD      

***

zone à défendre nf. An example of this was the projected construction of a new airport near Nantes, Notre Dame-​des-​Landes. The site was occupied by environmental

588 ZEP     

action groups who wanted to protect the wetlands. The government was forced to back down and abandon the project. The term zadiste is derived from the acronym.

ZEP      

***

zone d’éducation prioritaire nf. Certain difficult social areas have been declared ZEP. Their schools enjoy more generous financial resources and more favourable teacher–​ student ratios.

ZUP       Zone d’urbanisation prioritaire nf. forerunner of the ZAC. See above ‘ZAC’.

**

Chapter 15

Chez les Hurons et les Mohawks

Je me souviens.

Language In a country three times the size of France, where ‘cold’ is a culture, thousands of kilometres from Paris, and in spite of political opposition and economic pressure from a southern neighbour, in schools in Quebec, the language of Molière is still spoken and defended heroically. The difference between Parisian French and the French of the former French African colonies is not so marked; the difference between Parisian French and the French of Quebec is quite another question: accent, vocabulary, figurative expression and syntax are sometimes profoundly different. The law ‘101’, passed on 26 August 1977, made French the only official language of Quebec. Of the 8 million inhabitants, 80 per cent are francophones; 10 per cent are anglophones; and the remainder are allophones, i.e. people whose mother tongue is foreign to the community in which they live. Only 7 per cent of English-​speakers in Canada can hold a conversation in French. This has led to the expression les deux solitudes, the ‘anglophones and the francophones’, each group living in its own respective tongue, une étanchéité immatérielle in the words of Denise Bombardier, the Canadian writer. She wrote that Pour un Québécois, parler français est un acte politique. It is not only an instrument of communication but a vector of emotions, of history, of belongingness to French culture in the broadest meaning. The French of la Belle Province is not the ‘pure’ French (whatever that may mean) of Paris. The snobbish Parisian elite tend to look down on the language of Quebec, which is a strange mixture of anglicisms, archaic expressions and earthy terms born of the hard fight of the trappers against the elements. The defeat of the French at the Battle of the Heights of Abraham in 1759 had the effect

590 History

of inferiorizing the French-​speaking population; there was a social stigma attached to speaking the language of a defeated people. Certain words, such as ‘vastitude’ or ‘survivance’, seem worthy of Ségolène Royale, while the syntax of ‘l’homme que je marche avec’ is positively Jane Birkinien. Today, this language is proudly claimed, loud and clear, by a population determined to protect its precious heritage. This is all the more urgent, since the linguist Claude Hagège believes that before the century is out, we will have lost between 50 and 90 per cent of the languages still spoken today; we are currently losing one language every fortnight. The intellectual elite of Paris, journalists first among them, constantly give way to lazy surrender by adopting English terminology: there is no French meeting, no French article that does not contain half a dozen English terms for which there is a perfectly adequate French equivalent. The Parisians have adopted ‘spoiler’ to designate the fact that one spoils a film for prospective cinemagoers by revealing to them what happens at the end. One can only admire the creativity of the ‘Québécois’, which has given us ‘divulgâcher’. Parler français est un acte de résistance . . . against what, against whom? One needs to know the historical background to understand the importance of the French language for the ‘Québécois’ and the sometimes strained relations that exist between the two linguistic communities . . . ‘anglos’ and ‘francos’. But the linguistic history of Quebec goes back well beyond the exploits of the first European settlers. There is proof of the presence of Amerindians in what is now Quebec, 8,000 years b c . Today the 70,000 native inhabitants constitute ten nations, with different histories, languages and cultures; they fall into two great families: the Algonquiens and the Iriquoiens, the latter being composed of the Hurons-​Wendat and the Mohawks. Of these, 50,000 live on reserves and 20,000 outside such reserves. To this list must be added the Inuits, who total 11,000. The very word ‘Quebec’ comes from the Amerindian term signifying ‘là où le fleuve se resserre’, ‘there, where the river narrows’. ‘Kanata’ is the Amerindian term meaning ‘a collection of huts’ and, by extension, ‘a village’. The question now is ‘Who is Canadian?’. According to a dictionary of the eighteenth century, ‘un Canadien’ was somebody born in Canada of French-​settler parenthood; the others were ‘les Anglais’. The history is not straightforward.

History A brief historic overview should prove useful in answering the question as to how speaking French is related to resistance and politics. The first settlers of

History 591

New France were Catholic and French. The latecomers, the conquerors, were the Protestant English. 1534

Jacques Cartier took possession of Canada in the name of François Ier, King of France, and set up a gigantic cross at Gaspé at the mouth of the Saint-​Lawrence (Laurent) River. 1535 Cartier followed the Saint-​Lawrence River as far as Hochelaga (Montreal). By the end of the sixteenth century, the French controlled the fur trade in the gulf of Saint-​Lawrence. 1608 Samuel Champlain founded Quebec, a fur trading post, and concluded an alliance with the Hurons. Montreal followed. 1627 Cardinal Richelieu founded the Compagnie des Cents Associés with a view to stepping up the colonization of New France by French Catholic settlers. The policy of the Church was ‘go forth and multiply’, and later became known as the ‘revenge of the cribs’. 1663 New France became a royal colony. 1665 Louis XIV sent 1,300 soldiers (le régiment Carignan) to help the settlers fight the Iroquois, who were killing and looting the European settlers. The King proposed free land to the soldiers who were willing to set up home there. Given that they were unmarried, a large number of Filles du Roi (and not, as some would have it, Filles de joie) were sent to be wives for the newly arrived soldier-​settlers. 1689–​97 Rivalry between the French (allies of the Hurons) and the English (allies of the Iroquois) was intense. 1715 The population of New France amounted to 18,000 inhabitants. 1715 The population of New England amounted to 400,000 inhabitants. 1759 Franco-​British rivalry came to a head at the Battle of the Heights of Abraham (la bataille des Plaines d’Abraham). The victory of General Wolfe over General Montcalm put an end to French supremacy in North America. A Franco-​Canadian Waterloo. 1760 The French governor, Vaudreuil, officially gave up New France to the English, in the person of General Amherst. 1763 The Treaty of Paris put an end to the ambitions of France in North America. 1845–​50 There was a wave of Irish immigration following the Great Famine in Ireland. 1867 The creation of the Canadian Federation, the birth of modern Canada with its four provinces: Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

592  Abraham. The Heights of

1945–​60 The period known as la Grande Noirceur under the Prime Minister Maurice Duplessis, ultra-​conservative and backed by the Catholic Church. 1960 The Quiet Revolution (la Révolution tranquille). The province turned its back on the Catholic Church and purged the education system of Church influence. 1965–​75 Quebec affirmed its position in the fields of economics and industry. This period was associated with Jean Lesage. 1977 Law 101 made French the official language of Quebec. 1980 Referendum for the independence of Quebec; rejected by 60 per cent. 1995 Referendum for the independance of Quebec; rejected by 50.6 per cent. The attitudes of the ‘Québécois’ were modelled by three fundamental forces: the abandonment of the Belle Province by France, the bullying by the victorious English conquerors and the humiliation inflicted by the Catholic Church. Perhaps this is why the motto of Quebec is Je me souviens. UN PETIT POT-​P OURRI

Abraham. The Heights of The Canadian Waterloo, by which the British took control of Quebec in 1759 when the English General Wolfe defeated the French General Montcalm. Both generals died in the battle.

amputation This is the habit that ‘Québécois’ have of dropping the last syllable of certain words: ‘ôldress’ for ‘all dressed’ ‘vinaig’ for ‘vinaigre’ ‘minis’ for ‘minister’ ‘tref’ for ‘trèfle’ ‘nationalis’ for ‘nationalist’ ‘tabernac’ for the expletive ‘tabernacle’

bleuet nm. Bilberry (UK) blueberry (US). Also the word designating the inhabitants of Saint John (Saint-​Jean), who traditionally have been great bilberry eaters.

Dion. Céline  593

Bombardier. Joseph-​A rmand (1907–​6 4) Great inventor of the snow vehicles using a caterpillar mechanism. He was unable to take his young son to hospital because of the deep snow. The child died and this led Bombardier to solve the problem of transport in the heart of winter. His invention revolutionized transport in winter, making it possible to travel to villages that would normally be cut off during the winter months. A small individual model became a must for trappers etc. Bombardier is now a great industrial player in the area of transport.

Cartier. Jacques (1491–​1 557) He was a French navigator and explorer who wrote about his voyages. He was commissioned by the French King, François Ier, in 1534 to make an expedition up the Saint-​Lawrence River and the surrounding area. He named this country Canada (see above). He made a second voyage in 1535–​6 and a third in 1541–​2. He claimed the new territory, Nouvelle France, in the name of the King of France.

Castor The beaver is the emblem of Montreal.

Chomedey de Maisonneuve. Paul de (1612–​7 6) He founded Montreal in 1642 and became its first governor.

commérage (gossiping) The second greatest sport in Quebec after ice hockey.

diamonds du Canada. Les Unfortunately, these turned out to be simple pieces of quartz.

Dion. Céline The unwanted and unwelcome last child of 14 siblings. As Denise Bombardier points out, this was the period of the revanche des berceaux: the ‘Québécois’ were going to win with demographic numbers what they had lost with weapons. A  phenomenal megastar, one of several very talented Canadian artistes who are all from Quebec. See below ‘Plamondon. Luc’.

594  fleurs de lys

fleurs de lys The flag of Quebec bears four fleurs de lys (reminder of the Bourbon monarchy in France) and the white cross on a blue background, which is a reminder of the Catholicism of the Belle Province. The flag itself is called ‘le fleurdelisé’.

Gaspé It was at Gaspé, at the mouth of the Saint-​Lawrence river in 1534, that Jacques Cartier erected a huge cross that symbolized the fact that he was taking the territory in the name of the Catholic King of France, François Ier.

graciation The act of throwing back into the water a fish that one has caught.

Hurons One of the indigenous tribes, who were early allies of the French.

Inuits The Inuits amount to 11,000 people who live essentially in the northern parts of Quebec. They are not governed by the law related to the Native Americans. They have been governed by Quebec law since the signing of the James Bay Convention in 1975.

iris versicolore This is the floral emblem of Quebec. Given that the fleur de lys does not grow in the Quebec climate, it was decided that the iris versicolore would become its floral emblem. It has been so since 1999.

Iroquois One of the indigenous tribes of Canada. The Iroquois include two great families, Les Hurons-​Wandat and the Mohawks (literally ‘man-​eaters’). They were supported by and gave their assistance to the British, who were thus faced with Franco-​Huron opposition in the territory. The population today stands at around 125,000. Most of them live in Ontario and in the south-​west of Quebec.

Montcalm. Louis-Joseph de  595

Jesuites The first Jesuit missionaries arrived in Acadie in 1611. They had great influence in New France. They built the first college in North America in Quebec in 1635 for the training of future missionaries

joual A deformation of the word ‘cheval’, which is a form of slang, the popular language of Quebec. English and Australian readers might remember the same kind of deformation of ‘strine’ for ‘Australian’.

Leclerc. Félix One of the greats among internationally recognized singers from Quebec. A big hit in Paris in the fifties. Among his wise words are: ‘The best way to kill a man is to pay him to do nothing.’

Lindbergh. Charles Famous for having been the first solo pilot to cross the Atlantic non-​stop between New York and Paris in 1927 aboard his plane Spirit of St Louis. But for Canadians, his name is perhaps best known as the title of the song and biggest success of the Quebec singer Robert Charlebois, ‘Lindberg’ (without the final ‘-​h’).

McGill. James Son of a Scottish blacksmith, he was born in Glasgow in 1744. He made a fortune in trading furs and weapons and was later to found one of the most prestigious universities in North America.

maple leaf The emblem of Canada.

Montcalm. Louis-​Joseph de The French general (1712–​59) who lost the Battle of the Heights of Abraham against the British General Wolfe.

596  Plamondon. Luc

Plamondon. Luc The great lyricist of the star singers from Quebec:  Céline Dion, Diane Dufresne, Fabienne Thibeault, Robert Charlebois. The genius behind Starmania in 1978 along with Michel Berger, not forgetting the musical Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris.

population The population of Quebec is around 8 million.

Renaud. Line The French actress sang her famous song ‘Ma Cabane au Canada’, which should have been ‘Ma campe’, a basic kind of shack.

Saint-​Jean-​B aptiste For centuries, French Canadians have celebrated Saint-​Jean-​Baptiste, with fires that have since become associated with his name. Reference was made to such celebrations as early as 1636. In 1908, Pope Pius X officially made ‘Saint-​ Jean-​Baptiste’ the patron saint of French Canadians.

Thanksgiving Action de grâce is celebrated on the second Monday of October, a kind of harvest festival.

Tremblay There are 83,620 people in Quebec with the name Tremblay, which makes them the Canadian equivalent of the French ‘Martin’ or the British ‘Smith’.

Trudeau. Pierre Elliot Liberal Prime Minister, 1968–​79 and 1980–​4. The man who is said to have modelled modern Canada.

Wolfe. James The victorious British general (1727–​59) who won the Battle of the Heights of Abraham in 1759. This battle led to the loss of Quebec for the French.

Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English  597

Zouaves The name given to the brave defenders of the Pope and the Vatican at the time of Garibaldi and his Redshirts in the mid-​nineteenth century THE FRENCH OF QUEBEC

Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

A1 à date all dress amour, être en angine de poitrine antibiotiques, être sur anyway appointement attacher avoir des connexions

top, premier choix à ce jour garniture complète être amoureux infarctus sous antibiotiques de toute façon rendez-​vous d’affaires boutonner, lacer, nouer avoir des relations bien placées s’amuser avoir le cafard soutenir (une équipe) baignoire variante du baseball ballon (d’anniversaire) congère glacier tablette de chocolat verrouiller beurre ce cacahouètes bicyclette je vous en prie gros bonnet addition haricots secs liste noire immeuble d’habitation gamelle, boîte à sandwichs au minimum diriger de façon autoritaire frein freiner soutien-​gorge

A1 to date all dressed to be in love angina pectoris to be on antibiotics anyway appointment to attach, to do up to have connections

avoir du fun avoir les bleus backer bain balle molle balloune banc de neige bar laitier barre de chocolat barrer beurre de peanuts bicycle bienvenue big shot bill bines black list bloc appartements boîte à lunch bon trente minutes, un bosser brake braker brassière

to have fun to have the blues to back bath soft ball balloon snow bank milk bar (old fashioned) bar of chocolate to bar e.g. the door peanut butter bicycle you’re welcome big shot bill beans black list a block of flats lunch box a good half hour to boss brake to brake brassière

598  Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

brûlé, être bummer

épuisé au travail quémander, mendier, quêter parre-​choc maison de plain-​pied saloper le travail ça augure mal convoquer une réunion appareil photo annuler conserves, canettes

to be burned out to bum (US) to cadge (UK) bumper bungalow to botch a job it’s looking bad to call a meeting camera to cancel cans (drink), tins (food; UK) wheel hub business card bathing cap to be broke schedule to schedule cell phone, mobile shopping centre change (small) to charge cauldron cheap to check hot dog to be on unemployment benefit chum to clench to click

bumper bungalow butcher ça regarde mal caller un meeting caméra canceler cannes caps de roue carte d’affaires casque de bain cassé, être cédule céduler cell centre d’achat change charger chaudron cheap checker chien chaud chômage, être sur le

cooler costume de bain

enjoliveur carte de visite bonnet de bain être fauché planning, calendrier planifier, prévoir portable centre commercial monnaie facturer marmite bon marché vérifier hot dog recevoir des indemnités de chômage copain serrer s’entendre tout de suite, avoir des atomes crochus faire la fermeture embrayage trognon sous-​vêtement, caleçon long admission publique de son homosexualité immeuble d’habitation en copropriété glacière maillot de bain

cottage couple crème glacée crise de cœur

maison à deux étages deux glace infarctus

chum clencher cliquer close, faire la clutch cœur de pomme combines coming out condo

to close the shop clutch apple core combinations coming out condominium, property with joint ownership cooler bathing suit (old fashioned) swimming costume cottage couple ice cream heart attack

Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English  599 ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

crouser dash date deal déjeuner

draguer tableau de bord rendez-​vous galant marché, entente petit-​déjeuner

dézipper dîner domper down dropper efface, une

défaire la fermeture éclaire déjeuner se débarasser, larguer être déprimé, démoralisé laisser tomber gomme

to cruise dashboard date deal breakfast break = mettre fin à, fast = jeûner/​ jeûne to fast; fast unzip

en shape entendre à travers les branches épais face facture, demander la faker famille, être en

en forme apprendre par le téléphone arabe imbécile, con visage demander l’addition faire semblant être enceinte

fitter flash light

s’ajuster, correspondre, aller (taille) lampe de poche

flat fly fleucher flo

crevaison braguette tirer la chasse d’eau garçon, ado

frapper un nœud Frencher froque

rencontrer une difficulté rouler une pelle manteau, blouson

fucké fudge fuse game garde-​robe glace noire graduer gratteux gravelle happy hour hose hot-​dog stimmé

bouleversé, troublé sorte de caramel mou fusible avoir du cran penderie verglas décrocher un diplôme billet de loterie à gratter gravillons happy hour tuyau d’arrosage hot-​dog cuit à la vapeur

to lunch to dump to be down to drop an eraser (US), a rubber (UK) in shape to hear it on the grapevine’ thick face ask for the bill to fake to be pregnant, formerly ‘to be in the family way’ to fit flash light (US), torch (UK) puncture (UK), flat (US) flies to flush from ‘fellow’ (guy, chap, bloke) to hit a knot (woodwork) to give sb. a French kiss frock, in the old meaning of the term; tunic fucked fudge fuse to be game for wardrobe black ice to graduate scratch card gravel happy hour hose pipe steamed hot dog

600  Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

jammer jacket jello job kick

coincer, bloquer veste, blouson gélatine sucrée travail, emploi le plaisir intense du chasseur au moment d’abattre sa proie un paquetage permis de conduire prendre qqn. en stop citron vert assurer

to jam jacket jelly job kick, pleasure

kit licence lift, donner un lift à qqn lime livrer la marchandise lousse lumières magasiner mappe menu miroir moppe mouches à feu mouver necker nettoyeur noirceur on n’est pas sorti du bois pamphlet parade parquer (se) parté de bureau passage passer un examen patio payer cash ploguer pommes de terre pilées possiblement prendre une marche rang social relish refill

r’viens back, je revirer du bord, se rim

large, ample, trop grand feux de circulation faire ses courses carte la carte rétroviseur balai à franges lucioles déménager embrasser sur les lèvres pressing obscurité on n’est pas sorti de l’auberge dépliant, prospectus défilé se garer fête au bureau avec ses collègues couloir réussir un examen terrasse, balcon payer comptant brancher purée de pomme de terre peut-​être se promener statut social condiment etc. une tasse de café supplémentaire que l’on sert gratuitement dans les cafés de l’Amérique du nord j’arrive virer de bord jante

kit driving licence to give sb. a lift lime to deliver the goods (to be as good as one’s word) loose lights to go shopping map menu rear-​view mirror mop fire flies to move (house) to neck dry cleaners darkness we’re not out of the woods yet pamphlet parade to park office party passage to pass an exam patio to pay cash to plug in mashed potatoes possibly to take a walk social rank relish a refill

I’ll be right back to change tack rim

Terms derived directly or indirectly from British or American English  601 ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

rubber salle à diner sans farce sauver son argent scorer

caoutchou salle à manger sans blague économiser de l’argent séduire qqn.

scraper se faire pogner les culottes baissées secondaire

abîmer être pris en défaut

semi-​détaché shed side-​line sizer slaquer slash sleeping sloche sobre soccer

maison mitoyenne remise revenu péri-​professionnel jauger qqn. ralentir, relâcher barre oblique (ordinateur) sac de couchage neige fondante, boueuse à jeun (d’alcool) football

rubber dining room no kidding to save one’s money to make/​be a hit with a girl to scrape to be caught with one’s trousers down secondary school (collège plus lycée) semi-​detached shed side-​line to size up to slacken slash

sortie d’urgence souliers de course soute de bain

sortie de secours tennis, baskets maillot de bain

soute de plongée spidomètre spinner les pneus, faire splasher spliter spotter spring staff stâler starter starteur statut civil statut marital

combinaison de plongée compteur de vitesse patiner éclabousser partager l’addition détecter, identifier ressort personnel caler démarrer démarreur état civil état civil, situation de famille arrêt hétérosexuel courroie crépi citation à comparaître

stop straight strappe stucco sub poena suite surtemps switch

collège

bureau dans un grand immeuble heures supplémentaires interrupteur

sleeping bag slush sober football (UK), soccer (US) emergency exit running shoes bathing suit, swimming costume diving suit speedometer to wheel-​spin to splash to split (the bill), go Dutch to spot spring staff to stall to start starter civil status marital status stop straight strap stucco subpoena (US), summons (UK) suite overtime switch

602  False friends between Quebec French and metropolitan French ‘Québécois’

Standard French

Standard English

system de son tape tiquette tip tire tire de spare toaster tomber en amour* towing track travailler sur l’ordinateur tricotté-​serrée tripper twit van vente de garage visage à deux faces watcher weekend winshire/​winshil

chaîne stéréo scotch contravention pourboire pneu roue de secours grille-​pain tomber amoureux remorqueuse, fourrière voie ferrée travailler à l’ordinateur très unis avoir du plaisir imbécile, con camionnette vide-​greniers hypocrite surveiller fin de semaine pare-​brise

zipper

fermeture éclair

sound system Sellotape parking ticket tip tyre (UK), tire (US) spare tyre toaster to fall in love towing track to work on the computer close-​knit community to go on a trip (drug, ego) twit van garage sale two-​faced to watch weekend windshield (US), windscreen (UK) zip (UK), zipper (US)

*NB ‘tomber en amour’ can be found in seventeenth-​century French.

False friends between Quebec French and metropolitan French ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English and notes

5à7

aller boire un coup avec ses collègues après le travail

accommoder

rendre service

altération annonce aubaine avec (moi avec) baccalauréat bachelier bain balayeuse balloune

reprise, raccommodage réclame publicitaire solde moi aussi licence licencié baignoire aspirateur ballon

bandage bas

pansement, érection chaussettes

to stop off at the pub on the way home. In standard French it means the time one spends with one’s mistress. to be of service to sb., to be accommodating darning an ad sales me too bachelor’s degree holder of a bachelor’s degree bath vacuum cleaner balloon (e.g. used for celebrations) bandage (medical dressing) socks

False friends between Quebec French and metropolitan French  603 ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English and notes

bavette bec beigne

bavoir bise beignet

blonde

petite amie, copine

boisson boules bourré bourse breuvage

alcool seins, melons plein, avoir trop mangé sac à main boisson sans alcool

broche broches cadran caméra camisole capuchon cartable cartable

agrafe appareil dentaire réveil appareil photo débardeur capuche classeur classeur, cahier à spirale

catin

poupée

char charrue châssis chaudière chauffer chaussettes chialer

voiture chasse-​neige fenêtre seau conduire pantoufles se plaindre

choqué chouette (ma)

colon combines consommer correct couverte culotte

en colère ‘ma mignonne’, ‘ma chérie’ for a child meuble à tiroirs pour classer les chemises suspendues mal dégrossi caleçon long faire usage de drogues qqn. digne de confiance drap pantalon

bib kiss ‘beigne’ in French is a clout; ‘beignet’ is a doughnut See Chapter 1 ‘Auprès de ma blonde’ alcoholic drink breasts, tits full up handbag alcohol-​free drink, fruit juice etc. staple dentures alarm clock camera sleeveless T-​shirt hood a binder ‘cartable’ is a satchel in standard French also ‘pansement’. Compare this with ‘doll’ in English and the bandaged finger, ‘a dolly’ car snow plough window bucket to drive slippers to complain. ‘chialer’ in standard French is ‘to cry’ not shocked but angry my darling, my honey, my sweet filing cabinet

dactylo

machine à écrire

déjeuner

petit-​déjeuner

classeur

lout long Johns to take drugs dependable, reliable sheet (bed) trousers (French Revolution ‘sans culottes’) typewriter. ‘Dactylo’ in standard French is a typist breakfast, not lunch. See above ‘déjeuner’

604  False friends between Quebec French and metropolitan French ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English and notes

dépanneur

superette

dépense dîner

garde-​manger déjeuner

dispendieux, ex. l’hiver est une saison dispendieuse écarter, s’ épicerie

qui induit des coûts

corner shop. ‘Dépanneur’ in standard French is a breakdown vehicle pantry, larder lunch. NB we speak of school dinners for the midday meal in schools in England costly, inducing expense

fête flux foufounes

anniversaire diarrhée fesses

fournaise frustré

chaudière mécontent

garde-​malade glace gomme

infirmière glaçons chewing-​gum

gosses

testicules

habitant joufflu lavage laveuse linge liqueur malle, la mitaine, travailler à la noirceur palette pétard

plouc, cul-​terreux fessier lessive machine à laver vêtements boisson gazeuse la poste saloper un travail la nuit visière de casquette canon (femme), beau mec scrotum gazinière tringle vestibule photographier chaîne de tv

poche poêle pôle portique poser poste

se perdre supermarché

to get lost supermarket. ‘épicerie’ is a grocer’s shop in standard French birthday the runs backside. NB ‘foufounes’ in standard French refers to the female genitalia boiler not frustrated but discontented nurse ice cubes gum, chewing gum. ‘Gomme’ in standard French is an eraser balls. ‘Gosses’ in standard French are ‘kids’ yokel, bumpkin backside the washing washing machine clothes fizzy drink Royal Mail to botch a job night peak of a cap a stunner scrotum gas or electric cooker curtain pole porch to photograph TV channel

‘Québecois’ versus standard French  605 ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English and notes

scalpeur

ticket tout

se pousser sécheuse séchoir sécure sécuritaire serrer soda sucette suçon support tablette tapisserie trafic ustensiles valeur! c’est de valise

revendeur de billets (illicites), devant la salle de spectacle où un billet est vendu très cher à qqn. qui n’a pas pu s’en procurer sur le marché légal s’en aller sèche-​linge sèche-​cheveux en sécurité sans danger ranger bicarbonate de soude suçon sucette cintre bloc-​notes papier-​peint embouteillage couvert c’est dommage! coffre de voiture

vidanges

poubelles, ordures

to leave tumble dryer hair dryer safe sure to put away fizzy drink (UK); soda (US) love bite lollipop coat hanger note pad wallpaper traffic jam cutlery what a pity! what a shame! the boot (UK), the trunk (US) dustbins

‘Québecois’ versus standard French ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English

A à cause? à cause que à matin/​soir à tantôt abrier

elle pourquoi? parce que ce matin/​soir à tout à l’heure couvrir pour protéger du froid bande d’arrêt d’urgence un hasard positif entrer dans l’eau progressivement afin de s’y habituer aéroport à cette heure, maintenant plus de aussi marchander insecte bleuet, et aussi le nom des habitants de Saint-​John

she why? because this morning/​evening see you later to cover up

accotement adon amariner, s’ aréoport astheure au-​delà de avec barguigner (XII siècle) bibite bleuet

hard shoulder a piece of good luck to enter the water gradually, to avoid a thermic shock airport currently more than too to bargain insect, e.g. gnat, mosquito blueberry (US), bilberry (UK)

606  ‘Québecois’ versus standard French ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English

boutte de temps, un brunante, à la campe nm. croire, se ché chu coltailler (les éléments) correc’ coudon depu dormition doutance drette engerber entéka eskuimaux (Inuit) étriveux faque forlaquer

longtemps à la tombée du jour cabane être vaniteux je sais je suis affronter les éléments entendu écoute donc depuis l’envie de dormir doute directement prendre dans ses bras en tout cas mangeur de viande crue taquin ce qui fait que manquer à ses devoirs moraux danser avare ici cheval laide dès que je vais te dire tata ‘La Marseillaise’ panier de la ménagère

la pilule

quite some time at dusk, at the close of day shack to be vain I know I am to brave the bad weather OK listen, will you?! since to feel drowsy doubt straight on to embrace in any case raw-​meat eater teasing, cheeky consequently to neglect one’s moral duties to dance miser here Quebec patois, slang ugly as soon as I’m going to tell you aunty ‘God Save the Queen’ housewife’s shopping basket to cross the water from France to Canada shepherd’s pie choux pastry cases filled with maple syrup the pill

grosses frites molles couvertes de sauce BBQ, avec du fromage râpé radinerie malin soutien-​gorge respirer avec un sifflement souvenir

soggy chips covered in barbecue sauce with a sprinkling of grated cheese stinginess, meanness smart, shrewd, cunning bra to wheeze recollection

frotter, se gratteux n. icitte joual laite mais que m’a t’-​dire matante ‘Ô Canada’ panier d’épicerie passer l’eau pâté chinois pets de sœur pilule anticonceptionnelle poutine

radinage ratoureux sac à jumeaux siler souvenance

venir de France au Canada hachis parmentier pets de nonne (approx.)

Figurative expressions  607

Figurative expressions ‘Québécois’

Standard French

English

chacoter

tailler un bout de bois avec un couteau pour passer le temps faire la cour avec des mots avoir des relations sexuelles

to whittle wood, to pass the time

chanter la pomme chauffer le four

chevalier du bidet dimanches, elle a quarante ans rien qu’en

souteneur, maquereau se dit de qqn bien âgé

en aller, s’ v. pron. faux comme diamants du Canada

mon père s’en va mourir faux comme un jeton

on est au coton pisser autour du feu s’enfarger dans les fleurs du tapis sens-​toi bien à l’aise soleiller, se tricoté-​serré a

on est fatigués tourner autour du pot s’empêtrer

tenir un lac-​à-​l’épaule

tenir une réunion stratégique dans un endroit retiré

portager

transporter une embarcation par voie de terre entre deux parties navigable d’une rivière afin d’éviter un obstacle

soyez le bienvenu prendre un bain de soleil très uni

to seduce with words, to chat up to have sexual relations. This can be compared to being pregnant, i.e. ‘to have a bun in the oven’ in English pimp said of sb. old. This reminds an English reader of the term ‘a month of Sundays’ my father is dying false to the core. See above ‘diamonds du Canada. Les’ we’re knackered to beat about the bush to become bogged down in welcome to sunbathe close-​knit, e.g. community to hold a strategic meeting in an out of the way place, e.g. Yalta to carry e.g. a canoe by land between two sections of a navigable waterway to avoid an obstacle

Bibliography

Adamczewski, Henri (1991) Le Français déchiffré, Paris: Armand Colin. Attali, Jacques (2009) Dictionnaire amoureux du Judaïsme, Paris: Plon Fayard. Barnard, H. C. (1968) A History of English Education from 1760, London: University of London Press. Bible (1949) The Holy Bible Revised Version, Oxford: Oxford University Press. —​—​—​ (1961) Le Nouveau Testament, Paris: Louis Segond (Docteur en théologie). —​—​—​ (2001) La Bible de Jérusalem, Paris: Éditions du Mame, Cerf, Fleurus. Bliss, Alain (1992) A Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases, New  York:  Warner Books. Bloch, O. and Wartburg, W. (1994) Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. Bombardier, Denise (2014) Dictionnaire amoureux du Québec, Paris PLON. Boulogne, Jean-​Claude (1989) Les Allusions littéraires, Paris: Larousse. —​—​—​ (1994) Les Allusions bibliques, Paris: Larousse. Dauzat, A., Dubois, J. and Mitterand, M. (1994) Dictionnaire étymologique et historique du français, Paris: Larousse. Decoin, Didier (2009) Dictionnaire amoureux de la Bible, Paris: Plon. Desalmand, Paul and Stalloni, Yves (2009) Petit inventaire des citations malmenées, Paris: Albin Michel. Doré, Gustave Les Fables de La Fontaine. Duneton, Claude (2001) La Puce à l’oreille, Paris: Balland. Esnault, Gaston (1965) Dictionnaire historique des argots, Paris: Larousse. Gilbert, Muriel (2018) Un Bonbon sur la langue, Paris, Editions La Librairie Vuibert Grevisse, Maurice (1994) Le Bon Usage, Paris: Duculot. Grimal, Pierre (1999) Dictionnaire de la mythologie grecque et romaine, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. Hirtzmann, Ludovic (2012) Comprendre le Québec, Québec Ulysse. Hofstede, Geert (1984) Culture’s Consequences, London: Sage. Huisman, Denis et  al. (2002) Histoire de la philosophie française (XVII siècle), Paris: Editions Perrin. Jouet, Jacques (1990) Les Mots du corps, Paris: Larousse. Kauffer, R., Lecadre, R., Malye, F., Orange, M. and Zamponi, F. (2007) Histoire secrète de la Vème République, Paris: La Découverte, Poche. Mansion, Hubert, (2017) Guide de survie des Européens à Montréal:  Montréal Ulysse.

Bibliography 609 —​—​—​ (2017) Les trésors cachés du français d’Amérique, Montréal:  Edition de l’Homme. Martin, Joël (1988) Sur l’album de la Comtesse, Paris: Albin Michel. Nicholson, Kate and Pilard, Georges (2007) Harrap’s Slang: anglais–​français, français–​ anglais, Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap. Peyrefitte, Alain (2006) Le Mal français, Paris: Fayard. Ratcliff, Susan (ed.) (2002) The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying and Quotation, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rey, Alain (1989) Dictionnaire universel des noms propres, Paris: Le Robert. Rey, Alain and Chantreau, Sophie (1993) Dictionnaire des expressions et des locutions, Paris: Le Robert. Stewart, J. H. (1966) A Documentary Survey of the French Revolution, New  York: Macmillan. Trompenaars, Fons (1993) Riding the Waves of Culture:  Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business, London: Economist Books. Walter, Henriette (2001) Honni soit qui mal y pense, Paris: Robert Laffont.

Annex

Facts and figures about the research sources of the book

Le Canard enchaîné Genre: satirical (eight-​page broadsheet). Owner: SA Les Éditions Maréchal–​Le Canard enchaîné Political colour: neither right nor left but violently opposed to any forms of hypocrisy and corruption. Very anti-​clerical. Circulation: 400,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1915 Price: €1.20 (no price increase since 2011) Published in Paris General remarks. This newspaper carries absolutely no advertising and it thus enjoys total editorial freedom. Its journalists are not allowed to receive any official decorations or titles. One journalist did so in the past, and he was fired. Known as ‘the most well-​informed newspaper in France’, and Le Palmipède (web-​footed) or Le Volatile. Challenges Genre: economic news. Owner: Groupe Perdriel (60 per cent), Renault (40 per cent) Political colour: liberal and pro-​European Circulation: 205,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1982 by some ex-​students of the ESSEC business school Price: €4.20 Published in Paris Charlie Hebdo Genre: satirical caricatures and investigative journalism Owner: Riss (70 per cent), Eric Portheault (30 per cent)

Annex 611

Political colour: anti-​system Circulation: 60,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1970 by Cavana and Choron Price: €3.00 Published in Paris Les Echos Genre: economic, financial and corporate news (Berliner format, i.e. 470 mm × 320 mm). This is similar to the ‘tabloïd’ format but the latter term is so closely associated with the gutter press (‘la presse à scandales’) that the term Berliner is preferred. Owner: LVMH, the group of Bernard Arnault Political colour: right-​wing, pro-​liberal economy, pro-​European Circulation: 129,000+ Periodicity: daily Founded: 1908 by Émile and Robert Servan-​Schreiber Price: €2.80 Published in Paris General remarks. This is one of the two major French financial newspapers, the other being La Tribune. NB there is no accent on the newspaper title. L’Express Genre: general news magazine, current affairs Owner: News participations (51 per cent), Altice (49 per cent) Political colour: centre Circulation: 234,000 (in 2018) Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1953 by Françoise Giroud and Jean-​Jacques Servan-​Schreiber Price: €4.90 Published in Paris General remarks. Initially set up to support the socialist politician Pierre Mendès-​ France. It was anti-​ Gaullist and was one of the first news magazines to denounce torture in Algeria. Over the past few years, the magazine has moved more to the political centre-​right. Le Figaro Genre: general interest newspaper (Berliner format) Owner: Dassault Medias (Dassault Group)

612 Annex

Political colour: right Circulation: 308,000 Periodicity: daily Founded: 1826 Price: €2.80 Published in Paris General remarks. Founded during the reign of Charles X, Le Figaro is the oldest French newspaper. It takes its name from the character in The Marriage of Figaro by Beaumarchais, and has as its motto the famous line spoken by Figaro, Sans la liberté de blamer il n’est point d’éloge flatteur. Libération Genre: general news (Berliner format) Owner: Altice Médias Political colour: left Circulation: 67,000+ Periodicity: daily Founded: 1973 by Jean-​Paul Sartre and Serge July Price: €2.00 General remarks. After stormy relations with the investors 25 per cent of the staff left the newspaper. Marianne Genre: general interest and political news magazine Owner: CMI, Daniel Kratinsky Political colour:  Republican, anti-​ socialist of the 1968 type, and anti-​neoliberal Circulation: 120,000 in 2018 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1997 by Jean-​François Kahn and Maurice Szafran Price: €4.00 Published in Paris General remarks. This magazine has been ostracized by the big commercial brands; only 5 per cent of its revenues are generated by advertising. Consequently it has great editorial freedom. Journalists from all parts of the political spectrum frequently contribute to it. Its motto is a quotation from Camus: Le gout de la verité n’empêche pas de prendre parti.

Annex 613

Le Monde Genre: general interest newspaper (Berliner format) Owner:  new shareholders since 2010, Groupe Le Monde:  Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse Political colour: traditionally left of centre Circulation: 285,000+ Periodicity: daily Founded: 1944 by Hubert Beuve-​Méry Price: €2.80 Published in Paris General remarks. It is published in the afternoon bearing the following day’s date. Among the French dailies it has the biggest circulation abroad, 40,000 copies. It has, however, lost the prestigious reputation that it once enjoyed. Le Nouvel Observateur (new name L’Obs) Genre: general interest news magazine Owner: Groupe Perdriel (34 per cent), Niel-​Pigasse (66 per cent) Political colour: left Circulation: 243,000 in 2018 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1964 by Claude Perdriel, Jean Daniel and André Gorz Price: €4.20 Published in Paris General remarks. It is the number one news magazine in France. Familiarly known as Le Nouvel Obs, now known as L’Obs. Paris Match Genre: current affairs, photos and celebs Owner: Hachette Filipacci Circulation: 688,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1949 by Paul Gordeaux and Jean Prouvost Price: €2 90 Published in Paris

614 Annex

Le Point Genre: general interest news magazine Owner: Artemis (François Pinault) Political colour: centre right Circulation: 288,000 in 2018 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1972 by Claude Imbert and Georges Suffert Price: €4.50 Published in Paris General remarks. The magazine was created by journalists who had left L’Express over disagreements about the editorial line taken by Jean-​ Jacques Servan-​Schreiber. Télérama Genre: French cultural news and TV and radio guide Owner: Groupe Le Monde Circulation: 503,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1947 by George Montaron Price: €3.30 Published in Paris Valeurs actuelles Genre: general interest news magazine Owner: part of the Valmonde group, property of Privinvest Médias Political colour: right-​wing Catholic; liberal in economy, conservative in societal questions Circulation: 114,000 Periodicity: weekly Founded: 1966 by Raymond Bourgine Price: €4.90 Published in Clichy Millionaires and media Les Echos L’Express Challenges Libération

Bernard Arnault Alain Weill Claude Perdriel Patrick Drahi

Annex 615

Marianne Le Monde L’Obs Paris Match Le Point Valeurs actuelles

Daniel Kratinsky Xavier Niel Xavier Niel Arnaud Lagardère François Pinault Iskandar Safa

If any readers wish for more detailed information about the publications that were studied, they are invited to get in touch with me by email: michael. [email protected].

Index

AB (agriculture biologique) 558 Abbé Pierre (Henri Grouès) 23 abonnés absents, être aux 119 abracadabrantesque 76 Abraham, The Heights of 592, 595, 596 ‘abreuver nos sillons d’un sang impur’ 7 ABS (abus de biens sociaux) 186, 558 abysse/​abyssal  353 Académie: L’Académie 394; L’Académie des sciences 394–​95, 406; L’Académie française 395, 406, 418, 462, 464, 465, 469, 472 Achille (le talon d’) 315 a contrario 525 Action française 271–​72, 298, 455 Les actions de maintien de l’ordre 459 ad: ad hoc 525; ad hominem 526; ad majorem Dei gloriam 526; ad nauseam 526; ad patres 526; ad usum Delphini 526; ad vitam aeternam 526 Adam 353–​54, 378, 383 ‘adieu, veau, vache, cochon, couvée. Le lait tombe;’ 200 ADN (acide désoxyribonucléique) 558 ADP (Aéroports de Paris) 558 ‘Mon adversaire, celui de la France, n’a jamais cessé d’être l’argent’ 76–​77 affinité. Et plus si 7 aficionado 549 a fortiori 525 AFP (Agence France-​Presse) 558 agapes 354 aggiornamento 541 L’Agité du bocage 486 agnus dei 526 agora 316, 549 agrégé(e) 395; ‘agrégé qui sache écrire. Trouvez-​moi  un’  77

‘Ah! ça ira!’ 77 aile(s): aile, avoir du plomb dans l’ 157; aile, battre de l’ 157; ailes, se sentir pousser des 119 ‘Aimer, ce n’est pas se regarder l’un l’autre, c’est regarder ensemble dans la même direction.’ 77 Aimez-​vous  354 ‘Ainsi font, font, font, les petites marionnettes’ 8 Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra 200 L’Albatros 200 Alceste 201 Alcibiade 316 aléa 526 alea jacta est 347, 526 Alésia 272 Alexandrie 316 Algeria 96, 109, 221, 455, 462, 575; Front de libération nationale (FLN) 115, 441, 447, 451; Mers el-​Kébir 298–​99; War of Independence 302, 400, 449, 459, 463, 470, 546 alias 527 alibi 527 Alice au pays des merveilles. Les Aventures d’ 201 Allais, Alphonse 83 Allègre, Claude 85 allegro 541 Allez dire 272 ‘Allô maman, bobo’ 8 ‘Allons enfants ... ’ 77 allumage, retard d’ 120 L’Alpha et l’Oméga 354 ‘L'Alsace et la Lorraine’ 8 Alsacienne. L’École 395–​96 alter ego 527

Index 617 Amara, Fadela 37 Amazones 316–​17 Ambroise-​Paré  414 ambulance, tirer sur l’ 120 amiante 436 Amicale du Trésor 414 ‘Les Amoureux des bancs publics’ 8, 185 AMP (aide médicale à la procréation) 558 amputation 592 Anastasie 272 Ancien Régime 80, 94, 273, 287, 401 ‘L’Andouillette, c’est comme la politique, ça doit sentir un peu la merde, mais pas trop’ 77 ange(s): ange déchu 354; Ange Gabriel 355; anges, les discussions sur le sexe des see byzantinisme; anges, une faiseuse d’ 120 L’Anglais sans peine 36–​37 Angolagate 436–​37 ‘Les Animaux malades de la peste’ 201, 456 ‘Anne, ma sœur Anne, ne vois-​tu rien venir?’ 201 année 1793 273 Les Années folles 273, 418 annus horribilis 527 ‘anomalie démocratique. Le Sénat est une’ 77–​78 Antigone 317 AOC (Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée) 558–​59 apartheid 549 AP–​HP (Assistance publique –​ Hôpitaux de Paris) 559 Aphrodite 317 APL (aides personnalisées au logement) 559 Apocalypse 355 Apollinaire, Guillaume 243, 416, 417, 430 Apollon 317–​18 a posteriori 525 apothéose 318 apôtre 355 apparatchick 549 appel: appel du 18 Juin 273; un appel du pied 120 ‘appelés et peu d’élus. Beaucoup d’’ 355 ‘L’appétit vient en mangeant’ 78 L’Apprenti sorcier 202 Approchez Mesdames, Messieurs! 8

‘Après moi le déluge.’ 78 a priori 525 Aragon, Louis 90 arbre qui cache la forêt, c’est l’ 120 arc, avoir plus d’une corde à son 120 Arcadie 318 L’Arche de Noé 356 l’ardoise 157–​58, 187 Ariane 318–​19 ‘L’Arlésienne’ 202 Arletty see Bathiat, Léonie armada 274 Armageddon 356 armes et bagages, avec 158 arroi (en grand), désarroi 158 L’arrondissement 396 L’Arroseur arrosé 9 Arsène Lupin 9 ars longa, vita brevis 527 L’Article 49.3 396 Le 22 à Asnières 9 rue d’Assas 473 ASSEDIC (Association pour l’emploi dans l’industrie et le commerce) 559 assiette, ne pas être dans son 158 L’Assommoir 221 Astérix 9, 29 ‘Atmosphère ... atmosphère’ 9 atomes crochus, avoir des 120 Atrides 319 Attac 559 auberge, ne pas être sorti de l’ 120; l’auberge espagnole 158 Aubry, Martine 90, 186 ‘audace. De l’audace, encore de l’’ 78 Augias (les écuries d’) 319, 478 augurer/​augures 319–​20, 341 ‘Aujourd’hui, rien’ 78 ‘Auprès de ma blonde’ 10 au prorata 527 Auriol. Le massacre d’ 437 auspices 320 Austerlitz 274; battle of 96–​97 Autant en emporte le vent 202 Autant-​Lara, Claude  111 Au théâtre ce soir 10 autodafé 550 aux: ‘Aux armes, citoyens’ 78; ‘Aux grands hommes ... ’ 78; ‘Aux innocents les mains pleines’ 79 avaler son chapeau 120 avatar 550 AVC (accident vasculaire cérébral) 559

618 Index Avec des si (on mettrait Paris en bouteille) 10 Ave Maria 527 L’Aventin 320 avions renifleurs 437 Aymé, Marcel 111 Aznavour, Charles 29, 30, 35 Bâ, Amadou Hampâté 116 Babel 356 baby: baby-​blues 490–​91; baby-​boom/​ baby-​boome(u)r 491; baby sitter/​ sitting 491 Babylone 356–​57 BAC (Brigade anti-​criminalité) 559 Bacchus/​bacchanales 320–​21, 328, 347 background 491 Bacon, Francis 81 Baden-​Baden  473 Bad Godesberg 274 badine pas avec l’amour. On ne 203 Badinguet 486 Bagatelles pour un massacre 203 baigne, tout 120 ‘baïonnettes. Nous sommes ici par la volonté du peuple et nous n’en sortirons que par la force des’ 79 Baiser Fanny 10 baisser pavillon 120 bakchich 550 Balance ton porc 414–​15 Balard 396 balayer: balayer devant sa porte 121; balayer d’un revers de main (un argument) 121 Balbec 473 Baldaccini, César 16 bal des faux-​culs, le 121 Balkany, Patrick 257, 488 ‘La Ballade des pendus’ 203 balle au bond, saisir la 121 ballets bleus/​roses  437 ballon d’essai, lancer un 121 Balzac, Honoré de 211, 240, 241, 249, 250–​51, 312, 430, 464 ban: ban et l’arrière-​ban, convoquer le 158; être en rupture de 121; fermer le 121; mettre au 121 bankable 491 banlieue. Elle court, elle court la 11 La Banque verte 460 Banzai 550 baraka 546

Barbarin, Philippe 92 La Barbe Bleue 201 Barbès 474 barbichette. Je te tiens par la 11 Bardot, Brigitte 12, 49 un barnum 121 Barrère, Igor 19 bashing 491 Bashung, Alain 24 basta! 541 La Bastille 45, 110, 274–​75, 288, 300, 311; Bastille-​République  474 Bataclan 11 bataille: bataille, en ordre de 121; Une bataille d’Hernani 204; La Bataille du rail 275 bât blesse, c’est là où le 159 Le Bateau ivre 204 Bathiat, Léonie 9–​10, 23, 435 bâton: bâton de maréchal 79; à bâtons rompus 121 battre: battre en brèche 159, 360; battre le pavé 122; battre pavillon français 122; battre sa coulpe 122 battu à plate couture 122 Baudelaire, Charles 200, 205, 219, 225, 229, 417 ‘baudet, crier haro sur le’ 201, 214 Les Baumettes 415 Bayrou, François 186, 241, 575 bazar 546 BBC (bâtiments basse consommation) 560 BCBG (bon chic, bon genre) 480, 560 BCE (Banque centrale européenne) 560 BCG (Bacille de Calmette et Guérin nm.) 560 Béarn, Pierre 102 Beaubourg 415 Beaucoup de bruit pour rien 205 beauf 11 Beaujolais 38 beau linge, du 122 Beaumarchais, Pierre-​Augustin Caron de 81, 106, 111, 430 Beauvau. Place 460 Beauvoir, Simone de 90, 333, 416, 418, 480, 483 beaux draps, être dans de 122 le bébé Cadum 12 bec: bec avec qqn., avoir une prise de 122; bec dans l’eau, se trouver le 122; bec et ongles, se défendre 122; clouer le 122 Bécassine 12

Index 619 Bécaud, Gilbert 24 Becker, Jacques 51 Becker, Jean 24 Belle Époque 275 La Belle Hélène 12 Belphégor 357 bémol, mettre un 122 Benalla, Alexandre 346–​47, 438 Ben Barka 438 benchmarking 491 Benjamin/​Benjamine  357 BEP (Brevet d’études professionnelles) 560 bercail. Le retour au 357–​58 Bercy 460, 585 Bérézina 275 berger, à la bergère, la réponse du 123 Bernanos, Georges 227, 271–​72 berne, en 123 Berri, Claude 38, 261 ‘besoin de personne en Harley-​ Davidson, Je n’ai’ 12 best seller 491 bête: La Bête humaine 205; ‘La bête immonde’ 205–​6; une bête noire 123 beurre: beurre, l’argent du beurre et le sourire de la laitière, vouloir le 123; beurre dans les épinards, mettre du 123; compter pour du 123; ‘Du beurre ou des canons’ 79 Bévère, Maurice de 32 BHV (Bazar de l’Hôtel-​de-​Ville) 560 Biafran War (1967–​70) 87 Bibendum 12 ‘À bicyclette’ 12 ‘Les Bidochon’ 13 Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis 27 big: big bang 491; ‘Big Brother [is watching you]’ 206, 236, 492; big data 492 Bilderberg 415 billard à trois bandes, un 123 binge drinking 492 Birkin, Jane 29, 590 bis 527; bis repetita 527 Bisounours 13 ‘Bizarre! Vous avez dit bizarre?’ 13, 184 bizutage 13 black: black, blanc, beur 14; blackbouler 492; blacklisté/​blacklister 492; black out 492; black (travailler au) 492 Blanche, Francis 51 Rue Blanche 474

blanchi sous le harnais/​harnois 158 bled 546 bleuet 592 Blier, Bernard 16, 25, 51 bling-​(bling)  492 Blitzkrieg 544 blockbuster 492 blog 492 les blouses blanches 460 les blues 493 Blum, Léon 88, 291 BNP (Banque nationale de Paris) 560–​61 Bobo (Bourgeois bohème) 561 body building 493 Boétie, Étienne de La 105, 253 La Bohème 30 Boileau, Nicolas 20, 261–​62, 303 boire: boire du petit lait 123; boire le bouillon 123; ‘Boire ou conduire, il faut choisir’ 14 bois: bois de Boulogne 474, 479; un bois dont on fait des flûtes 158; bois on se chauffe, faire voir à qqn. de quel 123 boisseau. Mettre sous le 358 La Boisserie see Colombey-​les-​Deux-​ Églises Bombardier, Joseph-​Armand  593 bon: bon cœur. À votre 79; bon dos, avoir 124; à bon entendeur salut 124; bon grain 358; Bon Samaritain 358–​59; ‘Bon sang, mais c’est bien sûr ... ’ 14 ‘Le bonheur, une idée neuve en Europe’ 79 Le bonheur est dans le pré 14 Bonjour tristesse 206 une bonne fée s’est penchée sur son berceau 124 La Bonne mère 460 bonnet phrygien 276, 310 bonus 528 boom 493 boomerang 550 booster 493 ‘Un bordel peuplé de nains’ 80 Borderie, Bernard 27 borderline 493 Bormes-​les-​Mimosas  474 boss 493 botte/​botter: la botte 405, 415; botte de qqn., être à la 124; botter en touche 124 bouc émissaire 359

620 Index bouchée: bouchée de pain 359; bouchées doubles, mettre les 124 boucliers, une levée de 159 bouffer du curé 124 boulanger, boulangère, petit mitron 276, 311 Boulay de la Meurthe, Antoine 84 boulets rouges, tirer à 160 Boulin, Robert 438–​39 ‘boum. Mon cœur fait’ 14 Bourbon-​Condé, Louis Antoine Henri de 84 Les Bourgeois de Calais 276–​77 Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme 206–​7 bourre, se tirer la 124 Bourvil 27, 111 bousculer aux portillons, ne pas se 124 Bousquet, René 439 Bouter les Anglais hors de France 80 Bouvines 277 box-​office  493 boycott/​boycottage/​boycotter  493 boy scout 494 brain trust 494 branle-​bas de combat, le 160 braquet, changer de 124 bras de fer, un 124 bras le corps, prendre (un problème) à 125 Brassens, Georges 8, 30–​31, 33, 256 Brave New World see Le Meilleur des mondes bravo! 541 break 494 brebis égaré 360 brèche (battu en) 159, 360 Brecht, Bertolt 205, 231 bredouille, revenir 125 Brégançon. Fort de see Bormes-​les-​Mimosas Brel, Jacques 18, 44 Brexit 113, 286, 342, 379, 380 BRI (Brigade de recherche et d’intervention) 561 bride abattue, courir à 160 briefing 494 brio (avec) 541 ‘brioche! S’ils n’ont pas de pain, qu’ils mangent de la’ 80 brosser dans le sens du poil 125 brouhaha 550 ‘Le bruit et l’odeur’ 80 brûle pourpoint, à 160

brûler ses vaisseaux 160 brunch 494 Bruni, Carla 243 brushing 494 brut de décoffrage 125 Brutus 321 BTP (bâtiment et travaux publics) 561 BTS (Brevet de technicien supérieur) 561 bug 494 building 494 buisson ardent 360 bulldozer 494 bullshit jobs 494–​95 les bureaucrates de Courteline see Courteline/​courtelinesque burka 550 burnout 495 business 495; business angel 495; business as usual 495; business plan 495 but en blanc, de 160–​61 ‘bu? Tu t’es vu quand t’as’ 14 ‘Buvez, éliminez!’ 15 buzz 495 BVA 561 bye-​bye  495 byzantinisme 321 Cabu 11 CAC (Cotation Assistée en Continu) 40 561 ‘Cachez ce sein’ 207 CA (chiffre d’affaires) 561 cacique 415 cadavre: un cadavre dans le placard 125; cadavre exquis 415 ‘Cadet Rousselle’ 15 cadre 416 ‘Ça eût payé’ 15 Le café de Flore 416, 480, 483 le café du Commerce 16 Cagoule 277 cahiers de doléances 278 Cahuzac, Jérôme 117, 439 caïd 546 Cain 360–​61 La Caisse des dépôts et consignations 397, 472 calendes grecques 321 calice jusqu’à la lie. Boire le 80, 361 califat 546 Caligula 322 callipyge 322

Index 621 ‘Calomniez, calomniez, il en restera toujours quelque chose’ 81 Caluire 475 calvaire 361 Cambon. Rue 460, 463, 466 cambouis, mettre les mains dans le 125 Cambronne, Pierre 91 ‘Ça m’en touche un sans faire bouger l’autre’ 80 cameraman 495 camping 496 Camus, Albert 90, 94, 101, 218, 340, 416, 488, 612 Le Canard enchaîné 42, 44, 97, 176, 185–​86, 188, 198, 225, 242, 257, 467, 473, 489, 610 Candide 207, 214, 231, 237 La Canebière 475 Canossa 278 canton 397 cantonade, lancé à la 125 Les canuts 278 cap, garder le 125 CAP (Certificat d’aptitude professionnelle) 562 Capitaine Haddock 16, 35, 49, 51 capitale: La capitale de la gastronomie 460; La capitale des Gaules 461; capitale/​métropole girondine  461 ‘Capri, c’est fini’ 16 Carabosse 207 ‘Carmagnole (dansons la)’ 278–​79 Carné, Marcel 13, 23, 50, 435 les carottes sont cuites 125 carpe diem 528 Le Carrefour du développement 439–​40 Carroll, Lewis 201 Cartier, Jacques 593 un cas d’école 125 ‘Ça s’en va et ça revient’ 15 cash 496 Casier judiciaire B2 416 Cassandre (jouer les) 322–​23 casser trois pattes à un canard, ne pas 125 ‘Casse-​toi, pauv’con!’  81 ‘cassette! Ma’ 208 Castafiore 16 casting 496 Castor 593 casus belli 528 catacombes 279 Cathare see ‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’

en catimini 161 Cauchon (l’abbé) 279 Caudines (passer sous les fourches) 323 ‘Ça use, ça use’ 15 cavalier: cavaliers de l’Apocalypse 361; cavalier seul, faire 126 Le cave se rebiffe 16 caviarder 161 CDD (contrat à durée déterminée) 562 CDG (Charles de Gaulle (airport)) 562 CDI (contrat à durée indéterminée) 562 CE2 (cours élémentaire 2e année) 562 CE1 (cours élémentaire 1ère année) 562 ceinture, se serrer la 126 Céline, Louis-​Ferdinand 203, 223, 252 cénacle 361–​62 cendres (se couvrir la tête de) 362 Cerbère 323 cerise: cerises, des queues de 126; la cerise sur le gâteau 126 ‘certaine idée de la France. Je me suis fait une’ 81 Cervantes, Miguel de 97, 250 ‘cerveau disponible. Ce que nous vendons à Coca Cola, c’est du temps de’ 81 César: Rendre à 362; Une compression de 16 ‘C’est bon pour le moral’ 16–​17 C’est celui qui dit, qui l’est 17 CFDT (Confédération française démocratique du travail) 562 CFTC (Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens) 562 CGT (Confédération générale du travail) 563 Chabannes, Jacques de 103 Chabot, Guy 165 Chabrol, Claude 38 ‘La chair est triste, hélas’ 208 challenge/​challenger 496; Challenges 610, 614 Chambre 17ème 397 La Chambre régionale des comptes 397 Champollion 279 Champs de Mars 1791 279–​80 La Chancellerie 461 chandelle à qqn., devoir une fière 126 change/​changer: ‘change. Il faut que tout change pour que rien ne’ 81; changer de crèmerie 17; changer son fusil d’épaule 126 ‘Chant des partisans’ 280

622 Index ‘Chante rossignol’ 17 chapeaux de roues, partir sur les 126 une chape de plomb 126 charabia 546 charbon, aller au 126 ‘Le charbonnier est maître chez lui’ 81–​82 charge, mené au pas de 126 charia 546 charisme d’une moule, avoir le 126 Le Charivari 17 Charles V 242, 274 Charles VII 296, 483, 486 Charleville-​Mézières 475; Charleville. Le poète de 461 Charlie Hebdo 11, 416, 610–​11 Charonne. La station du métro 440 charrette, une 127 charrue devant les bœufs, mettre la 127 Charybde en Scylla (tomber de) 323–​24 chasse/​chasser: La Chasse au trésor 17; ‘Chassez le naturel et il revient au galop.’ 208; ‘Chassons le gaspi de chez nous’ 18 chat 496 Chateaubriand, François-​René de 116, 231 château(x): Le château 461; château la pompe 461; châteaux en Espagne, bâtir des 127 Chatiliez, Étienne 14, 31 ‘chatouille ou est-​ce que ça vous gratouille? Est-​ce que ça vous’ 208–​9 Chaud devant! 18 Chauffe Marcel! 18 chaussettes, avoir le moral dans les 127 checkpoint 496 check-​up  496 chef d’orchestre, le 127 chemin: chemin de croix 362–​63; Chemin des Dames 281; chemin étroit 363; chemins, ne pas y aller par quatre 127 ‘Le Chêne et le Roseau’ 209 Chenu, Gaspard de 15 un chèque en bois 127 chercher midi à 14 heures 127 ‘Cherchez la femme’ 82 Chernobyl 39 Cheval, Joseph Ferdinand 25 cheval de Troie 324 Chevalier, Maurice 41, 44 Le chevalier de La Barre 281

Chevallier, Gabriel 210 Chevènement, Jean-​Pierre  85 cheveu sur la soupe, tomber comme un 127 cheville: cheville, personne ne lui arrive à la 127; la cheville ouvrière 127 chevrons. La marque aux 461 ‘chez ces gens là’ 18 ‘chienlit non. La réforme, oui, la’ 82 chiffonnier, une bataille de 128 Chimène. Les yeux de 209 chimère 324 Chirac, Jacques 39, 45, 76, 80, 88, 95, 100, 108, 115, 402, 440, 442, 444, 445, 447, 448, 487 être chocolat 18 Choltitz, Dietrich von 40 Chomedey de Maisonneuve, Paul de 593 chouïa 546 chou(x): chou blanc, faire 128; choux, être dans les 128; choux gras, faire ses 128 chrysanthèmes see inaugurer les chrysanthèmes Ch’tis 27, 41 CHU (centre hospitalier universitaire) 563 Churchill, Winston 84, 111, 261, 313, 386 Cicero 89 Le Cid 107, 209, 210, 211, 234, 235, 236, 259–​60, 268 ‘Ciel, mon mari!’ 19 ‘La Cigale et la Fourmi’ 209 ciguë 324 Cincinnatus 324–​25 cinq: Cinq à sept 417; Cinq colonnes à la une 19; Les Cinq Dernières Minutes 14 Cinquième colonne 282 Circulez [il n’] y a rien à voir 82 cirer les pompes à qqn. 128 La cité mariale 461 La cité phocéenne 461 Citroën 24, 461 À la claire fontaine 17 Clairefontaine 475 ‘clair n’est pas français. Ce qui n’est pas’ 82 clash 496 class action 497 clean 497 Clearstream 440

Index 623 Clemenceau, Georges 83, 92, 114, 452, 488 Clément, Jean-​Baptiste  50 Clément, René 39, 275 clé: la clé de voûte 128; clés en main, une solution 128; clé sous la porte/​le paillasson, mettre la 128 cloche, le même son de 128 Clochemerle 210 La Closerie des Lilas 417 Closets, François de 52 clou, enfoncer le 128 cloud computing 497 clous, être dans les 129 Club de l’Horloge 417 CNAM (Caisse nationale d’assurance-​maladie)  563 CNAV (Caisse nationale assurance vieillesse) 563 CNES (Centre national d’études spatiales) 563 CNIL (Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés) 563 CNR (Conseil national de la Résistance) 283–​84, 475, 563 CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique) 564 coach/​coacher/​coaching  497 Cochon qui s’en dédit 19 cockpit 497 Cocorico! 19 cocoricos, pousser des 129 cocotier: grimper au 129; secouer le 129 Cocteau, Jean 89, 98, 432 cœur: ‘cœur. Tu me fends le’ 210–​11; ‘Le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point’ 210; cœur joie, s’en donner à 129; ‘cœur? Rodrigue, as-​tu du’ 210 cohorte 325 coincer la bulle 161 Colbert, Jean-​Baptiste 282, 394–​95 collaboration 282 collapsus 528 Le Collège de France 397 Collier de la Reine 441 collimateur, être dans le 129 Collins, Larry 39 Colomb, George 46 colombe de la paix 363 Colombey-​les-​Deux-​Églises 475, 481 ‘Les jolies colonies de vacances’ 19 Colonnes Morris 417, 420

colossal/​colosse 325; colosse aux pieds d’argile 363–​64 Coluche (Michel Colucci) 24, 45, 47 Colville, Charles 91 ‘combat cessa faute de combattants. Et le’ 211 come-​back  497 La Comédie Française 162, 203, 204, 417 La Comédie humaine 211 comète, tirer des plans sur la 129 coming-​out  498 comité: Comité de salut public 283; Le Comité français d’éducation pour la santé 14, 53; Un comité Théodule 83 commandements. Les dix 364 commando 550 commedia dell’arte 541 ‘comme on nous parle’ 19–​20 commérage (gossiping) 593 ‘commission. Quand je veux enterrer un problème, je nomme une’ 83 Communards 283 commune 398, 406; Commune (1871) 32, 50, 283, 299, 308 La Compagnie créole 16 Comparaison n’est pas raison 83 compte-​gouttes, arriver au 129 comptes d’apothicaire, des 129 La concierge est dans l’escalier 83 Concours Lépine 20 confer 528 Le Congrès du Parlement 398 Le Connétable 486 ‘cons! Ah, les’ 83 ‘cons ça ose tout!. Les 83 Conseil: Le Conseil constitutionnel 51, 87, 398, 445, 448, 467, 470, 480; Le Conseil de l’Ordre 398–​99; Le Conseil d’État 262, 399, 403, 404, 409, 444, 467; Le Conseil général 397, 399; Conseil national de la Résistance 283–​84, 475, 563; Le Conseil régional 399–​400, 411 La Constitution de 1958 400 ‘Construisons les villes à la campagne’ 83 Les Contes des Mille et Une Nuits 211, 254 Le Contrat social 284 contre vents et marées 129 La Convention 284 cookies 497 cool 498

624 Index COP 21 564 ‘Les copains d’abord’ 20 Copé, Jean-​François  187 copyright 498 Le coq gaulois 20 ‘corbeille. La politique de la France ne se fait pas à la’ 84 Corday, Charlotte 280–​81 corde(s): corde, usé jusqu’à la 129; cordes, être dans les 130; cordes à son arc, avoir plusieurs 130 cor et à cri, à 161 Corneille, Pierre 107, 209, 210, 211, 234, 235, 236, 249, 259–​60, 268–​69, 291 la corneille 20 cornélien (un dilemme) 211–​12 corner 498 corporate 498 corpsard 400 Les corps constitués 400 corpus 528 corrida (de torros) 551 corvée 284; corvée de bois 441 cosa nostra 542 Cosette 212, 257 cost-​killer  498 côté cour, côté jardin 161–​62 couche, en remettre une 130 coude à coude, être 130 coudées franches, avoir les 130 Coué, la méthode 20 Couleurs d’usine 102 couper: couper les ponts 131; couper l’herbe sous les pieds de qqn. 131 des coupes claires/​sombres 162 Coupole. La (Académie) 418, 462 coup(s): coup de balai 130; coup de canif (dans le contrat du mariage) 130; coup de cœur 130; coup de foudre 131; coup de fouet, donner un 130; coup d’épée dans l’eau 130; coup de pied dans la fourmilière, donner un 131; ‘Le coup de pied de l’âne’ 212; Coup d’État de Napoléon III 285; ‘Le Coup d’État permanent’ 212–​13; coup férir, sans 131; coups, faire les 400 131; coups sont permis, tous les 131 Courageux mais pas téméraire 84 courber l’échine 131 La Cour de cassation 400 La Cour des comptes 401, 404, 460, 466 ‘Cours, camarade, le vieux monde est derrière toi.’ 84

course à l’échalote 131 Courteline/​courtelinesque 213, 232 Courtioux, Charles 101 cousu de fil blanc 162 couteau(x): couteau sur/​sous la gorge, avoir un 131; couteaux, des seconds 132; couteaux tirés, être à 132 Couthon, Georges 87, 283 couverture à soi, tirer la 132 ‘Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir’ 213 COVID-​19 257, 350 cow-​boys  498 CPAM (caisse primaire d’assurance maladie) 564 CP (cours préparatoire) 564 CQFD see quod erat demonstrandum (QED) ‘crac, boum, hue!’ 20–​21 crash 498; crash test 498 crasher 499 credit crunch 499 Le Crédit Lyonnais 441–​42, 456 credo 528 CREDOC (Centre de recherche pour l’étude et l’observation des conditions de vie nm.) 564 créneau, monter au 132 crêpage d’hermine 132 crescendo 542 Crésus 325 crible. Passer au 364 crier: ‘crier famine chez la fourmi sa voisine. Elle alla’ 213–​14; ‘crier haro sur le baudet’ 201, 214; crier sur les toits 364 Crif 564 Criirad 564–​65 ‘crime, c’est une faute. C’est pire qu’un’ 84 Crime et châtiment 214 croisade 285 La Croisette 476 croix: Croix de bois, croix de fer 21; Croix-​de-​Feu (l’association des) 285; La croix de Lorraine 84, 418; croix et la bannière pour ... , c’ était la 132 crowdfunding 499 CRS (Compagnie républicaine de sécurité) 483, 565; CRS-​SS  21 crucifier 365 CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel) 565

Index 625 CSG (contribution sociale généralisée) 565 cuillère de bois, remporter la 132 cuisse de Jupiter (sorti de la) 325–​26 cul et chemise, être comme 132 ‘cultiver notre jardin. Il faut’ 214 ‘La culture, c’est ce qui reste quand on a tout oublié’ 84–​85 Cupidon 326 curriculum vitae 528 Cyrano de Bergerac 214–​15 Cythère 326 DAB (distributeur automatique de billets) 565 Daladier, Edouard 83, 455 Les frères Dalton 21 Damas (le chemin de) 365 La Dame de fer 462, 486 Dame pipi 21 damer le pion à qqn. 132, 162 Damoclès (l’épée de) 326 Danaïdes (le tonneau des) 327 danse de Saint-​Guy (St Vitus’ dance) 285–​86 ‘Dansez maintenant! 215 dantesque 215 Danton, Georges 78, 110, 281, 286, 487 dark tourism 499 dark web 499 DAS (débit d’absorption spécifique) 565 DASS (Direction des affaires sanitaires et sociales) 566 data centre 499 data mining 499 Dati, Rachida 89–​90, 200 Daudet, Alphonse 202, 255 Daumier, Honoré 17, 457 Le Dauphin 418 Dauphine 401 David et Goliath 365–​66 DCRI (Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur) 464, 566, 567, 581 DEA (Diplôme d’études approfondies) 566 deal 499 ‘Debout, les damnés de la terre’ 21 Debré, Michel 77, 400 debriefing 499 de Broglie, Prince Jean 442 dédales 327

deep: deep data 500; deep fake 500; deep learning 500 de facto 528 La Défense 418 de Gaulle, Charles 76–​77, 81–​84, 86, 93, 95, 96, 98, 105, 109, 112, 113, 116–​17, 212, 224, 273–​74, 293, 296, 321, 386, 400, 424, 426, 451, 454, 473, 475, 481, 486, 487, 488 ‘dégraisser le mammouth. Il faut’ 85 De guerre lasse 21 Delanoë, Bertrand 184, 349, 445–​46 Delon, Alain 260, 307, 340, 449 Déluge 366 demain: ‘Demain, dès l’aube ... ’ 215; ‘Demain, j’enlève le bas’ 22, 522; demain on rase gratis 132 ‘démissionne. Un ministre ça ferme sa gueule ou ça’ 85 démiurge 327 dentelle, ne pas faire dans la 132 département 401–​2, 411 de profundis 529 La der des ders (la dernière des dernières) 462 dernière ligne droite, la 133 Descartes, René 95, 216, 292 descente aux enfers 327–​28 Les Deschiens 22 ‘Le Déserteur’ 102–​3 Desgraupes, Pierre 19 desiderata 529 Desireless 54 ‘Des pâtes, oui, mais des Panzani’ 22 Desrousseaux, Alexandre 41 DESS (Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées) 566 ‘Dessine-​moi un mouton!’ 216 ‘détail de l’histoire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Ce n’est qu’un point de’ 85 deus ex machina 529 deux: ‘deux lignes d’écriture’ 85; Les Deux Magots 418, 480, 483; deux poids, deux mesures 366; deux temps trois mouvements, en 163 Le deuxième personnage de l’État 462 de visu 529 DGA (Direction générale de l’armement) 566 DGPN (Direction générale de la Police nationale) 566

626 Index DGSE (Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) 442, 446, 449, 454, 469, 480, 566–​67 DGSI (Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure) 419, 479, 567 diable, se battre comme un beau 133 Diafoirus 216 diamants de Bokassa/​Giscard d’Estaing 443 les diamonds du Canada 593 diaspora 551 Diên Biên Phu 286 Dieu: ‘Dieu n’existait pas, il faudrait l’inventer. Si’ 85; ‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’ 86; Dieu y pourvoira 366–​67 diktat 544, 556 Le Dindon 19 Diogène 328 Dion, Céline 593, 596 Dionysos see Bacchus/​bacchanales Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST) 42, 581 disciples 367 disc-​jockey  500 Discours de la méthode 216 Discours sur l’universalité de la langue française 82 discrétion de violette, être d’une 133 ‘dissimuler ne sait régner. Qui ne sait’ 86 distinguo 529 diva 542 Le divin marquis 462 dixit 529 djellaba 547 djihad 547 doigt(s): doigt dans l’œil, se mettre le 133; au doigt mouillé 133; doigts dans la confiture, pris les 133; les doigts dans le nez 133; le doigt sur la couture du pantalon 133 dolce vita 542 Le Domaine 402 DOM (Départements d’Outre-​Mer) 567, 585 Don Camillo et Pépone 22 ‘don de ma personne. Je fais’ 86 ‘Donnez-​moi dix hommes sûrs et je tiens l’État.’ 86 Don Quichotte 216–​17, 250 dormir sur ses deux oreilles 133 dos de la cuillère, ne pas y aller avec le 133

‘Douce France’ 23 Les douze apôtres see Judas downsizing 500 doxa 551 draft 500 dragée haute à qqn., tenir la 133 Drancy 476 dream team 500 Dreyfus, Alfred 286, 443, 452 DRH (directeur/​directrice des ressources humaines) 567 droit: ‘Le droit au bonheur’ 87; ‘droit dans mes bottes. Je suis’ 87; Le droit d’ingérence 87; ‘Le droit d’inventaire’ 86; Droits de l’Homme 287 La Droite Trocadero 418–​19 Drôle de drame see ‘Bizarre! Vous avez dit bizarre?’ drone 500 Drumont, Édouard 287, 346, 452 DST (Direction de la Surveillance du territoire) 567 du Bellay, Joachim 223, 242 Dulcinée. Sa 217 Dumas, Alexandre 82, 115, 409 Dumayet, Pierre 19 dumping social 501 Dupont et Dupond 23 dura lex, sed lex 529 Dutronc, Jacques 20–​21, 24, 31, 40 eau de boudin, finir en 134 Ecce homo 529 échelle, faire la courte 134 échine souple, avoir l’ 134 Les Echos 611, 614 éco-​anxiété  5 écocide 5 école buissonnière, faire l’ 134 L’École nationale supérieure des mines 402, 404 écoutilles, fermer les 134 L’Écureuil 462 Éden (le jardin d’) 367, 383 edge computing 501 édile 328 Édit de Nantes 287 EE-​LV (Europe-​Écologie-​Les Verts) 567 ‘égaux que d’autres. Certains sont plus’ 217 égérie 329 égide de (sous l’) 329

Index 627 EHPAD (établissement d’hébergement pour personnes âgées dépendantes) 567 EI (État islamique) 568 eldorado 551 ‘Élections, piège à cons’ 87 Elf 444, 446 ‘Les élites trahissent le peuple’ 87 ‘Elle est pas belle la vie!’ [sic] 23 Éluard, Paul 226 Élysée 80, 461, 462; Élysée. Le Palais de l’ 402, 438, 463, 476; Élysées (les champs) 329, 418, 422, 482 embargo 551 émigrés de Coblence 288 Émile 217, 250 éminence grise 288, 442 Emmaüs 23 Emmenez-​moi 35 ‘Les emmerdes volent toujours en escadrille’ 88 L’empire du Milieu 462 emplâtre sur une jambe de bois, mettre un 134 emplois fictifs de l’Hôtel de Ville 444 L’ÉNA (Éna) 188, 222, 402–​3, 404, 415, 425, 568 ‘Encore une minute, Monsieur le bourreau’ 88 enfant(s): enfant dans le dos de qqn., faire un 134; enfant de la balle 134; Les enfants du paradis 23 L’Enfer 419; ‘L’enfer, c’est les autres’ 88 ‘Enfin, les difficultés commencent!’ 88 Les Enfoirés 23–​24, 45 enlever une épine du pied de qqn. 134 ‘Enrichissez-​vous!’  88 ‘Entre ici, Jean Moulin!’ 88 ‘Ma petite entreprise [ne] connaît pas la crise’ 24 ‘Entrez dans la danse’ see ‘Nous n’irons plus au bois ... ’ ‘L’environnement, ça commence à bien faire’ 88 L’envoi 217–​18 éolien 329 éphèbe 330 épigones 330 Épinal, Images d’ 24 Épinay (congrès d’) 476 épingle, monter en 134 épingle du jeu, tirer son 134 Épiphanie 367–​68

Eppur, se muove 542 EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) 568 équipe qui gagne. On ne change pas une 89 Éros 330 errare humanum est 529 L’erreur est humaine (persévérer est diabolique) 89 ersatz 545 Esnault, Gaston Auguste 171–​72 ESSEC (École supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales) 568 essuyer les plâtres 135 establishment 501 estoc et de taille. frapper d’ 163 et al 529 État: ‘L’État, c’est moi’ 89; L’État hébreu 463; État islamique 11; ‘L’État ne peut pas tout’ 89; États généraux 288 etc. 530 L’été meurtrier 24–​25 et: ‘Et maintenant?’ 24; ‘Et moi et moi et moi’ 24; Et pourtant, elle tourne see ‘Eppur, se muove’ L’Être et le néant 218 ‘Être ou ne pas être’ 218 étrier, remettre le pied de qqn. à l’ 135 Euralair 445 L’Europe 330 Évangile (parole d’) 368 Ève 368, 383 Les événements 463; see also actions de maintien de l’ordre ex aequo 530 ex-​ante  530 Executive Life 444–​45 Exercices de style 218–​19 exit 530; exit tax 501 ex nihilo 530 Exode 368 L’Express 38, 611, 614 Fabius, Laurent 114, 402, 455 ‘façon puzzle!’ 25 fac-​simile  530 fact checking 501 Le Facteur Cheval 25 fagots, de derrière les 163 FAI (fournisseur d’accès à Internet) 568 fair play 501 fake news 501 ‘Familles, je vous hais.’ 89 fana mili 419

628 Index Farran, Jean 28 Far West 501 fashion: fashion victim/​addict 501; fashion week 502; fast fashion 502 fast food 502 fatwa 547 Faubourg Saint-​Honoré. 55 rue du 463, 476 Fauchon 419 Faure, Edgar 91 Faust, faustien 219 faux électeurs 445 faux-​nez,  un  135 FDJ (Française des Jeux) 568 La Fée Clochette 25 feedback 502 feeling 502 ‘feignons d’en être les organisateurs. Puisque ces mystères nous dépassent’ 89 Félix Faure qui périt en heureuse posture 288–​89 fellation 89–​90 Femina. Le prix 419 féminicide 5 feminism 37, 300, 307, 333 ‘femme, on le devient. On ne naît pas’ 90 ‘La femme est l’avenir de l’homme’ 90 fer de lance, un 135 Fernandel 22 Ferrat, Jean 90 fer rouge, marquer au 135 Festival de Cannes 25 une feuille de route 135 feu(x): feu, faire long 163; feu, jeter de l’huile sur le 135; feu, n’y voir que du 135; feu/​flèche de tout bois, faire 135; feu sacré 331; le feu vert 135; les feux de la rampe 135 fève 25–​26 Feydeau, Georges 19 fiasco 542 fiat lux 530 Fichier S 419 Fifth Republic 76, 212, 396, 400, 402, 449, 487 fifty-​fifty  502 Figaro 219, 612; Le Figaro 111, 611–​12 figue mi raisin mi 163 fil en aiguille, de 136 filer à l’anglaise 163 filer un mauvais coton 136 Filipacchi, Daniel 46

Fille aînée de l’ Église 289 Fillon, François 343, 362, 418 Le fils prodigue 368–​69 fine bouche, faire la 136 First Empire 94 fissa 547 fitness 502 FIV (fécondation in vitro) 568 Flamanville 476 flambeau, reprendre le 136 flanc, tirer au 164 flash-​back  502 flashball 502 flat tax 502 flèche de tout bois, faire 136 fleurets mouchetés, s’affronter à 164 fleur(s): La fleur au fusil 136, 289; fleurs de lys 594; Les Fleurs du mal 205, 219, 225 Fleury-​Mérogis 419, 421 Fleury Michon 23 ‘flics, 22 v’là les’ 26 flirt/​flirter  503 flop 503 Le Florentin 486 ‘flou, il y a un loup. Quand c’est’ 90 Fluctuat nec mergitur 26, 90, 530 flyer 503 FMI (Fonds monétaire international) 569 Foch, Ferdinand 102, 478; 84 avenue Foch 476, 478 FO (Force ouvrière) 569 foin, faire un 136 foire: La Foire aux vanités 220; foire d’empoigne 136; La Foire du Trône 420 La Folie des grandeurs 26 followers 503 foncer dans le mur 136 fond en comble, de 136 Fontaines Wallace 420 food truck 503 ‘football que je le dois. Tout ce que je sais de la morale, c’est au’ 90 forges (Comité des, Maîtres des) 289–​90 ‘Formez vos bataillons’ 90 Forton, Louis 42 forum 530; Le Forum des Halles 477 Fouché, Joseph 84, 116 fouetter un chat, il n’y a pas de quoi 136 ‘Foule sentimentale’ 19 ‘La foule trahit toujours le peuple’ 90

Index 629 Fouquet, Nicolas 104, 290 Fouquet’s 420–​21 Fouquier-​Tinville, Antoine Quentin 290 ‘La fourmi n’est pas prêteuse’ 220 frais: frais comme un gardon 137; frais de bouche 445–​46; aux frais de la princesse 137 Fraisse, Rémi 446 franc du collier 164 France: France et Navarre 290–​91; La France Insoumise 96, 109–​10, 358, 574; La France profonde 26; ‘La France s’ennuie’ 90 franchir la ligne jaune/​rouge 137 François, Claude 15, 31, 50 François-​Ferdinand, Prince d’Orléans 172 François I 81–​82, 105, 112, 113, 312, 397, 591, 593 Franco-​Prussian War 50, 92, 103, 105 Frédy, Pierre de 106 free-​lance  503 Frégates de Taïwan 446 freiner des quatre fers 137 french (sic) doctor 503 French Resistance 84, 88, 218, 226, 251, 275, 277, 280, 283–​84, 296, 312 French Revolution 52, 77, 79, 80, 94, 106, 110, 171, 189, 274, 275, 278–​81, 284, 291, 296, 308–​10, 317, 398, 407, 413, 433, 482 french (sic) touch 503 Fresnes 421 friendly 503 friture sur la ligne, il y a de la 137 fromage, en faire un 137 Fronde 291, 304 Front de libération nationale (FLN) 115, 441, 447, 451 Front populaire 291 fuel 503 fun 503 Funès, Louis de 26, 27, 111, 255 ‘Le furet du bois jolie’ 26–​27 fusillés pour l’exemple 91 Gabin, Jean 16, 50, 51, 111, 205 gadget 504 GAFA (Groupe d’intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale) 569 gag 504 Gaïa 331, 350 Gainsbourg, Serge 12, 29–​30, 41, 47, 48

‘galère? Qu’allait-​il faire dans cette’ 220 galerie, épater la 137 game over 504 garde/​garder: garde-​chiourme 137; ‘La garde meurt mais ne se rend pas’ 91; garde prétorienne 331; garde rapprochée 137; ‘gardez-​moi de mes amis, mes ennemis, je m’en charge! Mon Dieu’ 91 garden-​party  504 les gardiens du temple 331–​32 Gargantua 78, 170, 220, 237, 248 Garnier. L’Opéra 421 Gaspé 594 la gauche caviar 421 Gaudin, Jean-​Claude  45 Gault et Millau 421 Gautier-​Sauvagnac, Denis  446–​47 Gaveau. La salle 421 Gavroche 221 gay 504 Gay-​Lussac 477, 483 gaz: il y a de l’eau dans le 164; sentir le 137 gégène 447 gémonies (vouer qqn. aux) 332 Le général Morphée 487 Genèse 369 Le gentil Dauphin 486 gentleman/​gentleman’s/​gentlemen’s agreement 504 Germinal 221 ghetto 542 Gide, André 89, 418 gilets jaunes 4, 40, 99, 115, 236, 252, 253, 280, 283, 295, 320, 337, 347, 350, 421, 433, 581 Ginette 403, 423 Girondins 291 Giroud, Françoise 38, 105 ‘girouette qui tourne, mais le vent. Ce n’est pas la’ 91 Giscard d’Estaing, Valéry 271, 342–​43, 402, 442, 443 gladiateur 332 glamour 504 Glières. Plateau des 477 globe-​trotter  504 ‘gloire est arrivé. Le jour de’ 92 Godard, Jean-​Luc  38 Goebbels, Joseph 79 Goering, Hermann 79, 108

630 Index Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von 202, 219, 465 go fast 504 golden: golden boy 504; golden hello 505; golden parachute 505 Golgotha (la première station de) 369 Gomorrhe 369, 384 Goncourt, Edmond de 27 Le Goncourt 27, 419, 432 gonds, sortir de ses 137 Gonzague see Saint-​Louis-​de-​Gonzague gordien (couper le nœud) 332 gore 505 Gorgone 332–​33 Le Gorille vous salue bien 27, 185–​86 Goscinny, René 9, 29, 41 Gotainer, Richard 15 Gotha (Almanach de) 292 gourbi 547 gouru 551 goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase, c’est la 138 Goutte-​d’Or  477 ‘Gouverner, c’est prévoir’ 92 GPA (gestation pour autrui) 5, 569 Graal (le saint) 333 ‘grâce à Dieu, sont prescrits. La majorité des faits’ 92 graciation 594 grade, en prendre pour son 138 graffiti 542 grain à moudre, avoir du 138 grain de sel, mettre son 138 graisser la patte à qqn. 138 grand(e)(s): Le grand argentier 463; Le Grand Charles 487; Grand commis de l’État 422; La Grande Borne 477; La Grande Boucle 463; La grande couronne 422; La grande faucheuse 463; La grande muette 463; les grandes écoles 403–​4, 408, 411, 412, 424–​25; les grandes oreilles 464; La Grande Vadrouille 27; Grand Jury RTL-​Le Monde 85; Le Grand Palais 422; Grand Paris 422; Grand-​Père 30; Les Grands Boulevards 27–​28; Les Grands corps de l’État 404; Grand Siècle 292, 303 grandeurs et servitudes 221–​22 Grangier, Gilles 16 green deal 505 greenwashing 505 Grenelle 292; rue de Grenelle 477–​78

La Grenouille qui se veut faire aussi grosse que le bœuf 222 griller la politesse, se faire 138 grimper aux rideaux, faire 138 ‘grincements de dents’ 369–​70 grippe, prendre qqn. en 138 grise mine, faire 138 Griveaux, Benjamin 53–​54 Grognards 292–​93 Grosse Bertha 293 Les Grosses Têtes 28 grosso modo 530 Grossouvre, François de 442–​43 Guareschi, Giovannino 22 GUD (Groupe union défense) 293 Le Guépard 81 guérilla 551 guerre: à la guerre, comme à la guerre 138; La Guerre de Troie n’aura pas lieu 222; ‘La guerre est une affaire trop sérieuse ... ’ 92 ‘guêtre. Jusqu’au dernier bouton de’ 92 Les Gueules cassées 28 gueules noires 463 Le Guide Michelin 422–​23 guigne, s’en soucier comme d’une 164 Guignol 28; Les Guignols de l’Info 28, 94; Le pays de Guignol 468 Guizot, François 88, 93 habeas corpus 531 L’habit vert 464 halal 547 hallali, sonner l’ 164 Hallyday, Johnny 37, 44, 49 Hamlet 222–​23 happening 505 happy: happy end 505; happy few 505; happy hours 505 hara-​kiri  551 Haraucourt, Edmond 239 hard 505–​6; hard discount(er) 506 Harkis 447 Harlequin, Éditions 28 Harpagon 223 harpies 333 has been 506 hashtag 506 Haussmann, Georges-​Eugène  27 La Haute assemblée 404 Hauts-​de-​Seine  478 headline puns, examples of 183–​87, 199–​200

Index 631 hécatombe 333 HEC (Hautes études commerciales) 570 L’Hémicycle 464 Hemingway, Ernest 245, 261, 417, 418 Henri IV 105, 109, 293, 303, 489; Le lycée 404 Henry III of Navarre 105 herbe, un romancier en 138 L’herbe à nicot 464 Hercule/​herculéenne  333–​34 Hergé 16, 23, 35, 43, 49, 51 Hermès 230, 334 L’hermine 464 Hérriot, Edouard 77, 84–​85 Heureux comme Dieu en France 92 ‘Heureux qui comme Ulysse’ 223 L’Hexagone 464 hic 531; hic et nunc 531; hic jacet 531 Hidalgo, Anne 202, 219, 349 hidjâb 547 high-​tech  506 Hippocrate 334 histoire ne repasse pas les plats, l’ 139 Hitler, Adolf 40, 205, 223, 259 hit-​parade  506 HLM (habitation à loyer modéré) 570; HLM de Paris 447 hobby 506 holà, mettre le 139 hold up 506 Hollande, François 95, 101, 106, 251, 324, 361 holocauste 370 homérique (lutte, rire, colère) 334 home sweet home 506 homme: ‘L’homme est un loup pour l’homme’ 223, 531; L’homme le plus puissant de France 464; Les hommes de bonne volonté 224 Homo homini lupus 531 homophones 177–​83 homo sapiens 531 ‘Une honnête femme qui tiendrait un bordel’ 93 honoris causa 531 honte bue, toute 165 hooligan/​houligan  507 hôpital qui se moque de la charité, c’est l’ 139 hôtel: Hôtel de Brienne 404; L’Hôtel de Lassay 404, 465; Hôtel de Roquelaure 405; Hôtel du Nord 9; L’Hôtel du Petit Luxembourg 405

hôte/​locataire actuel de Matignon/​de l’Élysée 465 hot-​line  507 Houellebecq, Michel 185, 243 houille blanche 465 hub 507 Hubscher, Catherine 32–​33 hue et à dia, tirer à 165 Hugo, Victor 26, 80, 90, 93, 104, 204, 212, 215, 221, 233, 234, 247, 254–​55, 257, 262–​63, 269, 312, 328 Huis clos 88 ‘L’Huître et les plaideurs’ 224 Hulot, Les vacances de Monsieur 28–​29 Hulot, Nicolas 28 Hurons 590, 591, 594 hussarde, à la 139 hussards noirs 29, 294 Huxley, Aldous 5, 96, 230 hydre (de Lerne) 334–​35 ‘L’hypocrisie est un homage que le vice rend à la virtue’ 93 hypokhâgne 405 IAD (insémination artificielle avec donneur) 571 IA (intelligence artificielle) 570 ibidem 531 Icare 335 ‘Ici Londres (les Français parlent aux Français)’ 93 idem 531 idiots utiles 294 IFOP (Institut français d’opinion publique) 571 IGA (Inspection générale de l’administration) 571 Igas (Inspection générale des affaires sociales) 571 IGPN (Inspection générale de la Police nationale) 571 IGS (Inspection générale des services) 406, 571 Île de Beauté 465 Île-​de-​France 405, 478, 484, 571 il/​ils: ‘Il est des nôtres’ 93; ‘Il est difficile, Sire, de servir et de plaire à la fois’ 93; ‘Il faut savoir terminer une grève’ 93; ‘Ils ne passeront pas’ 93–​94; ‘Ils n’ont rien appris ni rien oublié.’ 94; ‘Il y a longtemps que je t’aime’ 29 Iliade 335 illico presto 542

632 Index imam 547 imbroglio 543 immigration 80, 102, 104, 337, 367, 474, 477, 484 Les Immortels 465 Impressions of America 37 imprimatur 531 in 507; in cauda venenum 532; in extenso 532; in extremis 532; in fine 532; in utero 532; in vino veritas 532; in vitro 532; in vivo 532 inaugurer les chrysanthèmes 139 incendier, se faire 139 Inch’ Allah 548 incognito 543 inconnu au bataillon 139 L’Incorruptible 487 index (mettre à l’) 294 infamie 224 Inquisition 294–​95, 309 INSEAD (Institut européen d’administration des affaires) 572 INSEE (Institut national de la statistique et des études) 572 Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) 572 insider 507 L’Insoutenable Légèreté de l’être 224 Inspection: L’Inspection académique 405; L’Inspection générale des finances 405–​6; L’Inspection générale des services 406, 571 institut: INSEAD (Institut européen d’administration des affaires) 572; INSEE (Institut national de la statistique et des études) 572; Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) 572; L’Institut catholique 405; L’Institut de France 406; L’Institut Pasteur 423; L’Institut Thomas More 423; IUT (institut universitaire de technologie) 573 instituteur 29 ‘À l’insu de mon plein gré’ 94 Intercommunalité/​Métropole  406 ‘interdit d’interdire. Il est’ 94 ‘L’Internationale’ 29, 32, 184 intifada 548 intra muros 532 Inuits 337, 590, 594 Les Invalides 478 inventaire à la Prévert 225 ‘L’Invitation au voyage’ 225

iota 370, 552 ipso facto 532 iris versicolore 594 IRM (imagerie par résonance magnétique (nucléaire)) 572 ‘irréductibles. Un village peuplé d’’ 29 ISF (impôt de solidarité sur la fortune) 572 Ite, missa est 533 ITT (interruption temporaire de travail) 572 IUT (institut universitaire de technologie) 573 IVG (interruption volontaire de grossesse) 573 ivraie 370–​71 ‘ivresse. Pourvu qu’on ait l’ 225 jackpot 507 Jacobin 295, 309 Jacquerie 295 jambe(s): jambe, ça lui fait une belle 165; jambe, par-​dessus la 139; jambes à son cou, prendre ses 139 Janson-​de-​Sailly. Le lycée  407 Janus 335–​36 Jarnac (un coup de) 165, 295 Jaurès, Jean 106, 238 JDD (Journal du dimanche) 573 Je: J’ai dix ans 50; ‘J’aime la justice, mais je préfère ma mère.’ 94; ‘J’ai survécu.’ 94; ‘J’écris ton nom, Liberté’ 226; ‘Je décide, il exécute.’ 95; ‘Je me voyais déjà, en haut de l’affiche’ 29; ‘Je n’aime pas les riches’ 95; ‘Je n’ai pas rencontré beaucoup d’entre vous à Londres.’ 95; ‘Je ne partage pas vos idées.’ 95; Je ne suis pas bien portant 45; ‘Je ne suis pas d’un côté, je ne suis pas de l’autre, je suis pour la France.’ 95; ‘Je pense, donc, je suis.’ 95; Je sème à tout vent 422; ‘Je suis contre les femmes, tout contre.’ 96; ‘Je suis le bruit et la fureur.’ 96; ‘Je suis oiseau: voyez mes ailes’ 226; ‘Je t’aime, moi non plus’ 29–​30; ‘Je vous ai compris’ 96; ‘Je vous parle d’un temps que les moins de vingt ans’ 30; J’y étais 96; ‘J’y pense et puis j’oublie’ 31; ‘J’y suis, j’y reste’ 97 Jeanne d’Arc 80, 279, 296, 303, 481, 483, 486, 488 ‘Jean qui pleure et qui rit’ 226–​27

Index 633 jérémiades 371 Jesuites 423, 595 jeter: jeter dans le grand bain, se 139; jeter la rancune à la rivière 140; jeter le froc aux orties 140; jeter l’éponge 140; jeter son dévolu sur qqch. ou qqn. 140; jeter un pavé dans la mare 140 jet-​lag  507 jet-​set  507 jeu: Jeu de main, jeu de vilain! 30; Jeu de paume 296, 424; le jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle 165 jihad 548 jingle 507 job 507–​8 Job (pauvre comme) 371 jogging 508 Johnson, Boris 200, 332, 362 Johst, Hans 108 joint venture 508 JO (Journal officiel) 407, 573 joker 508 joli(e): ‘joli. Ah, c’est pas’ 30; Une jolie fleur 30–​31 Jospin, Lionel 78, 85, 86, 89, 403 joual 595 jouer: jouer avec le feu 140; jouer dans la cour des grands 140; jouer la montre 140 ‘Jouir sans entraves’ 96 ‘joujou extra. Un’ see ‘crac, boum, hue!’ Jourdain. M. 227 journal: Journal d’un curé de campagne 227; Le Journal officiel 407, 573; JT (Journal télévisé) 573 Jouvet, Louis 9, 13, 209, 227 JT (Journal télévisé) 573 Judas 371–​72 Le Jugement dernier 372 Julius Caesar 113 July Monarchy see Monarchie de Juillet junk food 508 junkie 508 junte 552 Jupiter/​jupitérienne 336, 487 Juppé, Alain 50–​51, 87, 402, 444, 447–​48, 487 kafkaïen 227 kairos 372 kamikaze 552 karma 552 kebab 548

khâgne 407 kidnapping 508 kif-​kif  548 killer 508; killer acquisitions 508 Knock 227–​28 Koger, Géo 44, 45 kopeck 552; ne pas valoir un 140 Kouchner, Bernard 87 krach 552 labyrinthe 336 lac, mettre le feu au 140 ‘Lafayette, nous revoilà.’ 97, 297 La Fontaine, Jean de 169–​70, 200, 201, 209, 212, 215, 222, 224, 226, 230, 234, 238–​39, 240, 241, 244, 247, 249, 251–​52, 257, 263–​68, 357, 359, 456 Lagarde, Christine 234, 252, 456 ‘laisser [donner] du temps au temps. Il faut’ 97 lait sur le feu, surveiller comme le 140 Laïus 336–​37 Lamartine, Alphonse de 91, 235, 259 lambda 552 Lambert, Vincent 208, 312–​13, 334, 386 lampiste, un 141 langue de bois, la 141 La langue de Goethe/​Molière/​ Shakespeare 465 La Lanterne 424, 485 lanterne rouge, être la 141 Lanzmann, Jacques 21, 40 Lapierre, Dominique 39 lapsus (linguae) 533 La Rochefoucauld, François de 93 last but not least 509 lauriers à qqn., tresser des 141 rue Lauriston 478 Lautner, George 51 Lautrec, Toulouse 18 laver les mains (s’en) 372 Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent de 110 Lazareff, Pierre 19 LBD (lanceur de balles défensives/​de défense) 573 leader 509; leadership 509 leaks 509 Leclerc, Félix 595 Leclerc du Tremblay, Joseph François 288 Lefebvre, Frédéric 118 Le Gendre, Gilles 100

634 Index légion 373; La Légion d’honneur 407–​8, 470; Légions d’honneur. L’affaire des 448 Leitmotiv 545 Le Lay, Patrick 81 les lendemains qui chantent 141 lentilles (un plat de) 373 Le Pen, Jean-​Marie 85, 104, 305 L214 (Éthique et animaux) 424 lettre à la poste, passer comme une 141 Lettres persanes 228 Levallois 479 lever le pied 141 Lève-​toi et marche 373 Léviathan 373–​74 Lévy, Bernard Henri 231 LFI (La France insoumise) 96, 109–​10, 358, 574 LGBT (lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels et transgenres) 298, 466, 574 Les Liaisons dangereuses 228 Libération 211, 612, 614 ‘Ô liberté, que de crimes on commet en ton nom! 97 ‘La liberté de la presse ne s’use que quand on ne s’en sert pas’ 97 lice, entrer en 165 LICRA (Ligue internationale contre le racisme et l’antisémitisme) 574 lifting 509 light 509 like 509 ‘Liliane, fais les valises ... !’ 98 lilliputien 228–​29 limbes (dans les) 374 Lindbergh, Charles 595 lingua franca 543 lisière, tenir qqn. en 166 listing 509 litière de qqch., faire 141 live 509 Livy 89 lobby/​lobbying/​lobbyist  509–​10 logé à la même enseigne, être 141 loges, être aux premières 141 loin. Le tact dans l’audace, c’est de savoir jusqu’où on peut aller trop 98 Lombard, Didier 50 Longchamp 479 long fleuve tranquille. La vie est un 31 look 510 Lop, Ferdinand 43

losange. Le groupe/​la marque/​la firme au 465 Los Bravos 37 loser 510 Louis IX 306 Louis-​le-​Grand. Le lycée 408, 423 Louis Napoleon see Napoleon III Louis Philippe 17, 299, 304 Louis XI 86 Louis XIII 430 Louis XIV 37–​38, 89, 91, 93, 104, 282, 287, 290–​92, 297, 304, 408, 426, 429–​31, 453, 478, 539, 591 Louis XV 78, 88, 281, 430, 473 Louis XVI 78, 110, 116, 426, 488 Louis XVIII 79, 116, 433 ‘Loup, y es-​tu?’ 31 Les loups sont entrés dans Paris 32 Lourdes 479 low-​cost  510 LREM (La République en marche) 574 LR (Les Républicains) 76, 295, 332, 350, 362, 574 Luchaire 448 Lucky Luke 21, 32 Lumière, Louis 9 Lumières: Le pays des 465; le Siècle des 297 ‘lutte finale. C’est la’ 32 Lux, Guy 112 ‘Luxe, calme et volupté’ 229 LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) 574 lycées d’Île-​de-​France 445, 449 Machiavel, Nicolas 229, 297 un machin 98 MacMahon, Patrice de 97, 109 Mac Orlan, Pierre 50 Macron, Emmanuel 4, 5, 186, 202, 205, 206, 237, 239, 240, 242, 283, 294, 297, 305, 315, 327, 335–​37, 341, 346, 361, 362, 372, 383, 432, 438, 487, 572, 574 Macronismes 98–​100 Madame Michu 32 Madame Sans-​Gêne 32–​33 Made in China 510 la madeleine de Proust 229 La Madrague 49 maelström 552 maestria (avec) 543 maestro 543 Maginot (la ligne) 297–​98 La magistrature suprême 466

Index 635 magnum opus 533 mail 510 maille à partir avec qqn., avoir 166 le maillot jaune 33 la main invisible 230 mainstream 510 ‘main tremblante’ 100 ‘Mais ça, c’était avant’ 33 maison: ‘La maison brûle’ 100; La Maison de la Chimie 424; La Maison de l’Amérique Latine 424; Maisons-​Alfort  479 ‘Maître corbeau’ 230 Le Maître des horloges 487 major de sa promotion. Être 424–​25; see also grandes écoles, les making of 510 Le Malade imaginaire 11, 216, 246 ‘Malheur à toi’ 374 ‘Malheur aux vaincus.’ 101 Mallarmé, Stéphane 208, 417, 418 ‘Mal nommer les choses, c’est ajouter au malheur du monde.’ 101 Malraux, André 88, 112, 431 malus 533 ‘Maman les p’tits bateaux ... ’ 33 Mammon 374 Le mammouth 466 manager 510 mânes 337 manettes, être aux 141 manger son pain blanc 142 La Manif pour tous 425 manne 374–​75 mantra 553 manu militari 533 maple leaf 595 Le Marais 479 Marat, Jean-​Paul  281 Marathon 337 Marchais, Georges 98 Marchal, Ghislaine 104 marchands du temple 375 marche ou crève 33 ‘Maréchal, nous voilà!’ 101 La maréchaussée 466 marée, un raz de 142 ‘Margot dégrafait son corsage. Quand’ 33 Le Mariage de Figaro 106, 111 le mariage pour tous 425 Marianne 2, 612, 614 Marie-​Antoinette 80, 441

Ils se marièrent et eurent beaucoup d’enfants 33–​34 Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel 89 Marigny. L’Hôtel de 408 marketing 511 Markovic 449 marmite, faire bouillir la 142 Mars 337 ‘La Marseillaise’ 34, 77, 78, 90, 92, 301 Martel, Charles 280 Massacre à Paris 1961 449 Le massacreur de Versailles 487 match 511 Mater Dolorosa 533 Mathusalem (l’âge de/​vieux comme) 375 Matignon. L’Hôtel (de) 408, 465 maurrassien 298 mauvaise fortune bon cœur, faire contre 142 Maxim’s 425 la mayonnaise prend 142 McCulley, Johnston 54 McGill, James 595 mea culpa 533 mécène 337–​38 La Médaille Fields 425 Le Médecin malgré lui 230 Médecins Sans Frontières 87 MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) 290, 478, 563, 574–​75 Mediapart 425–​26 Médiator 450 Méduse 338 meeting 511 meilleur: Le meilleur d’entre nous 487; Le Meilleur des mondes 230–​31, 259; Le Meilleur Ouvrier de France 426 mélanger les torchons et les serviettes 142 Mélenchon, Jean-​Luc 96, 109–​10, 239, 316, 347 melting pot 511 Même pas mal! 34 Mémoires de Guerre: L’Appel 81, 116 Mémoires d’outre-​tombe 231 memorandum 533 Mendès France, Pierre 92 mener qqn. en bateau 142 mens sana in corpore sano 533 ‘Merci pour ce moment’ 101 ‘De la merde dans un bas de soie’ 101 Merde see ‘garde meurt mais ne se rend pas. La’

636 Index mère: Mère Courage 231–​32; la Mère Denis 34; La mère des guerres 466; ‘La Mère Michel’ 34 La mer Rouge 375 Mers el-​Kébir  298–​99 Méry, Jean Claude 76 message reçu cinq sur cinq 166 Messie/​messianique  376 Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir 232 le métal jaune 466 Métro, boulot, dodo 102 Métropoles 408 mettre: mettre de l’eau dans son vin 142; mettre le feu aux poudres 142; mettre les voiles 142 mezza voce 543 Midas 338 les midinettes 34–​35 ‘Mignonne, allons voir si la rose ... ’ 232 Les Mille et Une Nuits 232–​33, 254 millennials 511 ‘Mille tonnerres/​sabords!’  35 Milou see Tintin Mirabeau, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de 110, 487 miroir aux alouettes 166 Le Misanthrope 201, 256 Les Misérables 212, 221, 233, 234, 257, 312 misère: ‘misère du monde. La France ne peut accueillir toute la’ 102; ‘misère serait moins pénible au soleil. Il me semble que la’ 35 missi dominici 534 mithridatisation 338 Les mîtrés 466 Mitterrand, François 86, 97, 98, 185, 212–​13, 309, 327, 331, 427, 428, 435, 437, 439, 442, 451, 454, 476, 485, 486, 489 MNEF (Mutuelle nationale des étudiants de France) 450, 575 MoDem (Mouvement démocrate) 575 modus operandi 534 modus vivendi 534 Les Mohicans de Paris 82 Molière 11, 20, 201, 206–​8, 213, 216, 220, 223, 227, 230, 236, 241, 245, 246, 254, 255, 256, 269–​70, 292, 417, 430, 465, 541 Moloch 376 La Môme 35

mon: ‘Mon ami Pierrot’ 35; ‘Mon beau sapin’ 36; ‘Mon centre cède, ma droite recule, situation excellente, j’attaque.’ 102; mon général. Les deux 102; ‘Mon père, ce héros au sourire si doux’ 233; ‘Mon truc en plumes’ 36 Monarchie de Juillet 17, 95, 299 Le Monde 90, 613, 614 le monde du silence 466 Mongénéral 487 Monsieur est trop bon. 36 ‘Monsieur le Président, je vous fais une lettre.’ 102–​3 Montagard, André 101 ‘La Montagne qui accouche d’une souris’ 234 Montaigne, Michel de 105, 107; avenue Montaigne 479 Montand, Yves 12, 26, 209 Montcalm, Louis-​Joseph de 591, 592, 595 Montesquieu 100, 228, 299 Montparnasse 273, 418, 432, 480 Montpensier. 2, rue de (au Palais Royal) 480 Le Mont-​Valérien  426 moquette, avoir fumé de la 142 mordicus 534 Moreau, Émile 33 Morgan, Michèle 50 Morin, Edgar 54, 349, 357 Morphée (dans les bras de) 338 mors aux dents, prendre le 166 ‘mort, il était encore en vie. Un quart d’heure avant sa’ 103 Mort aux vaches 103 Mortier. 141, bld 480 motus 534 mouche, faire 143 mouche t’as piqué?, quelle 143 mouchoir de poche, arriver dans un 143 moudjahiddin 548 mouiller sa chemise 143 moulin, entrer comme dans un 143 Moulin, Jean 88, 284, 296, 409, 475 mousser qqn., faire 143 la moutarde m’a monté au nez 143 le muguet 36 Les Mureaux 480 Mururoa 480 Muses 339 Musset, Alfred de 203, 225 must 511

Index 637 mutatis mutandis 534 Mutualité. Le Palais de la 426 myriade 339 ‘My tailor is rich’ 36 nabab 553 Nach Paris! 545 nada 553 naïades 339 name and shame 511 Napoleon I 33, 80, 86, 94, 96, 101, 107, 108, 112, 117, 273, 274, 292, 302, 313, 318, 337, 402, 407, 435, 478 Napoleon III 12, 80, 254, 285, 299, 304, 307, 328, 421, 424, 486 Narcisse 339 National Front 32, 85, 104, 226, 256 Nationaliser les pertes, privatiser les profits. 103 La nation arc-​en-​ciel  466 NDLR (note de la rédaction) 575 Necker 426 nec plus ultra 534 nectar 340 Némésis 340 Neptune 340 le nerf de la guerre 467 Ne tirez pas sur le pianiste 37 Les neuf-​trois 467, 484 Neuilly, Auteuil, Passy 480 new deal 511 nez et à la barbe de qqn., au 143 niet 553 Nietzsche, Friedrich 200, 239, 313 Nineteen Eighty-​Four 234, 235, 236, 259, 492 nippon 553 Ni putes, ni soumises 37 niqab 548 nirvana 553 Nivelle, Robert 93–​94 ni vu ni connu 143 no: no comment 511; no deal 512; no man’s land 300, 512; no pasarán 94, 553 Nobody is perfect 512 ‘Noir c’est noir’ 37 nolens volens 534 nombril du monde, se prendre pour le 143 nomenklatura 553 ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’ 37 nord, ne pas perdre le 143

normale supérieure. L’École 403, 405, 407–​9, 415, 471 Nos ancêtres les Gaulois 104 Notre-​Dame Cathedral 236, 237, 247–​48, 251, 263, 278, 299, 316, 328, 338, 360, 375, 377, 384 Notre-​Dame-​de-​Paris 234, 596 Notre-​Dame-​des-​Landes  480–​81 ‘Nous n’irons plus au bois ... ’ 37–​38 ‘Nous partîmes cinq cents’ 234–​35 nouveau/​nouvelle: Le ‘X’ nouveau est arrivé 38; La Nouvelle-​Calédonie 450–​51; Nouvelle Vague 38; Le Nouvel Observateur 2, 613, 615 La novlangue 235 NPA (Nouveau parti anticapitaliste) 575 nudge 512 la nuit du 4 Août 300 numerus clausus 534 OAS (Organisation de l’armée secrète) 440, 451, 454, 481, 575 Oberfeld, Casimir 101 L’Observatoire 426–​27; L’attentat de 451 OCDE (Organisation de coopération et de développement économique) 575 Océania 236 Odéon/​Panthéon 481, 483 odeur de sainteté, ne pas être en 144, 166 Odyssée 223, 323, 334, 340 Œdipe 340 œil pour œil see talion (la loi du) œuf: œuf, étouffer/​tuer dans l’ 144; œufs dans le même panier, ne mettez pas tous vos 144 off 512; offshore 512; off (voix) 512 OGM (organisme génétiquement modifié) 576 oignons, soigné aux petits 144, 167 oiseau-​lyre  167 L’Olympe 341; Olympe de Gouges 300 L’Olympia 427 Olympic Games 106, 331, 573 ‘Omar m’a tuer (sic).’ 104 À l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs 200 OMC (Organisation mondiale du commerce) 576 omerta 543 Ô: Ô mort, où est ta victoire? 376–​77; ‘Ô rage! Ô désespoir!’ 235; ‘Ô temps, suspends ton vol ... ’ 235 OMS (Organisation mondiale de la santé) 576

638 Index on: On a gagné! 38; ‘On est foutu, on mange trop’ 38; ‘On ira tous au paradis’ 38; ‘On m’assassine’ 236; ‘On nous cache tout, on [ne] nous dit rien’ 39; ‘On préfère toujours l’original à la copie.’ 104; ‘On se calme et on boit frais.’ 104 one-​man-​show  512 one-​stop shopping  512 ONG (Organisation non-​gouvernementale)  576 ONU (Organisation des Nations Unies) see United Nations OPA (offre publique d’achat) 576 open bar 513 open space 513 OPEP (Organisation des pays exportateurs de pétrole) 576 L’Opéra Comique 427 opus 534; Opus Dei 535; opus magnum 535 oracle 341 Oradour-​sur-​Glane  481 Orange 50, 234 L’Orangerie 427 l’Oréal 39, 185 orfraie, pousser des cris d’ 167 Orléans 481 ORL (oto-​rhino-​laryngologiste)  576 or noir 467 Orphée 341 Orsay 424, 427–​28, 470 Orwell, George 206, 217, 234, 235, 236, 257, 492 OS (ouvrier spécialisé) 577 ostracisme 341, 493 OTAN (Organisation du traité de l’Atlantique Nord) 577 ‘Ôte-​moi d’un doute’ 236–​37 O tempora, o mores! 535 otium 535 oubliettes 300–​1 oulema 548 Oulipo 237 ‘Où ne montera-​t-​il pas?’ 104 Oury, Gérard 26, 27 Oussekine, Malik 451–​52 outing 513 outplacement 513 outre: outre-​Manche 467; outre-​ Quiévrain 467; outre-​Rhin  467 outsider 513 outsourcing 513

Ouvrard, Gaston 45 ‘Ouvrez une école et fermez une prison.’ 104 Ouvroir de littérature potentielle 237 OVNI (objet volant non-​identifié) 577 PACA (pacte civil de solidarité) 577 pacemaker 513 pacha 554 package/​packaging  513 PAC (Politique agricole commune) 577 pacte faustien see Faust, faustien PACTE (plan d’action pour la croissance et la transformation des entreprises) 577 pactole 342 PAF (paysage audiovisuel français) 578 PAF (Police aux frontières) 578 Pagnol, Marcel 29, 210–​11 paille, sur la 144 paille et la poutre 377 pain: pain, cela ne mange pas de 144; du pain et des jeux de cirque 342; pain sur la planche, avoir du 144 paire de manches, c’est une autre 144 Palais: Le Palais Bourbon 409, 467; Le Palais de la Découverte 428; Le Palais des Congrès 428; Le Palais des Sports 428; Le Palais de Tokyo 428; Le Palais du Luxembourg 409, 413, 468; Le Palais-​Royal  467 Palmes académiques. L’ordre des 409 Le Palmipède 467, 610 Panama. L’Affaire du canal de 452 Paname 39 Pandémonium 377 Pandore (boîte de) 342 panem et circenses 535 Pangloss 237 panne, être en 167 Pantagruel 111, 237–​38, 248 panthéon 342–​43; Le Panthéon 78, 88, 409–​10, 475, 481, 483 pantoufle, pantoufler, pantouflard, pantouflage 428 Panurge. Moutons de/​panurgisme 238 Papa Mambo 38 paparazzi 543 Papon, Maurice 440, 449, 452–​53 papy-​boom  514 pâquerettes, au ras des 144 para bellum, si vis pacem 535

Index 639 paradis 377 parapluie, ouvrir le 144 Parc des expositions Porte de Versailles 429 Le Parc des Princes 429 ‘Parce que c’était lui, parce que c’était moi’ 105 ‘Parce que tu le vaux bien’ 39 parcours du combattant, un 145 pardon 378 pardonne-​leur  378 parent pauvre, un 145 paria(h) 554 le pari de Pascal 39 Parigot tête de veau 39 Paris: Paris brûle-​t-​il? 39–​40; Paris IV 410; Paris Match 43, 613, 615; ‘Paris n’est pas une ville.’ 105; ‘Paris outragé, Paris brisé, Paris martyrisé, mais Paris libéré’ 105; ‘Paris s’éveille’ 40; ‘Paris vaut bien une messe’ 105 parité 105 parking 514 ‘parlez jamais, pensez-​y toujours. N’en’ 105 ‘par l’odeur alléché’ 238 parquet de ses dents, rayer le 145 la part des anges 429 la part du lion 239 ‘participer. L’important est de’ 106 ‘Partir c’est mourir un peu’ 239 Pascal, Blaise 116, 210, 292, 302, 488 pasionaria 554 Pasqua, Charles 440, 454 ce passé qui ne passe pas 106, 468 passer l’arme à gauche 167–​68 passer l’éponge 145 ‘Passe ton bac d’abord!’ 40 La pas(s)ionaria du Poitou 487 passions tristes 239 patate chaude, refiler la 145 patchwork 514 paterfamilias 535 Pater Noster 535 patience 240 La Patrie en danger 106, 301 Patrie est son seul bien. À celui qui n’a rien, la 106 ‘patte blanche. Montrer’ 240 pavé, tenir le haut du 168 Le Pavillon Dauphine 429 Le Pavillon Gabrielle 429

payer: payer au lance pierre 145; payer les pots cassés 145; payer sur la bête, se 168 pays: Pays de cocagne 429; Le pays de Cyrano 468; Le pays de Guignol 468; Le pays de la petite sirène 468; Le pays de Rabelais/​Voltaire/​des Droits de l’homme 468; pays du cèdre 468; pays du jasmin 468 PDG (Président-​directeur général) 578 PEA (plan d’épargne en action) 577 peau: peau de chagrin, se réduire comme une 145; La Peau de chagrin 240–​41; peau de l’ours (ne vendez pas la) 241 péché originel 378 pédaler dans la choucroute 145 Péguy, Charles 87 peigne fin, passer au 145 ‘La peine de naître’ 106 pèlerin, prendre son bâton de 146 pelés et un tondu, trois 146 Pellerin, Jean-​Charles  24 pénates (regagner ses) 343 pendules à l’heure, remettre les 146 Pénélope 343, 351 Les Pensées 116, 210 pensum 535 pente, être sur une mauvaise 146 people (‘pipole’) 514 per capita 535 Le perchoir 468 père: Le Père Duchesne 171; Le Père Fouettard 40; Le Père Goriot 241, 249; père Joseph see ‘éminence grise’ Père Lachaise. Le cimetière du 420, 429–​30, 475 perestroïka 554 Perfide Albion 40 performer 514 péril en la demeure, il n’y a pas 146 Perrault, Charles 201, 241–​42 Perret, Pierre 19, 53 persona 536; persona non grata 536 peste et le choléra, choisir entre la 146 Pétain, Maréchal Philippe 86, 101, 113, 114, 117, 223, 274, 282, 309, 318, 399, 485 péter un plomb/​des plombs 146 petit(e)(s): ‘le petit chat est mort’ 241; Le Petit-​Clamart 96, 451, 481; La petite couronne 430; petite reine 469; petite semaine, un voleur à la 146; Le Petit Luxembourg 410, 468; Le

640 Index Petit Nicolas 41; ‘Petit Papa Noël’ 40; Le Petit Poucet 41, 241–​42; Le Petit Prince 216; Les petits chanteurs à la croix de bois 41; petits pains. La multiplication des 378–​79; petits pains, se vendre comme des 146; petits plats dans les grands, mettre les 146; ‘Des petits trous, des petits trous’ 41; Le Petit Trianon 430; ‘Le P’tit Quinquin’ 41 ‘petons/​tétons. Elle avait des tout petits’ 41 ‘pétrole, mais on a des idées. En France, on n’a pas de’ 42 ... un peu, beaucoup, passionnément 42 Peyo 47 Peyrefitte, Alain 108, 271 pharisaïsme, pharisiens 379 Phénix 343 Philippe, Édouard 104, 208, 348, 361, 418 Le philosophe pour classes terminales 488 phishing 514 phobie administrative 106–​7 Piaf, Édith 35, 37, 77, 430 Piat, Yann 453 PIB (Produit intérieur brut) 578 pickpocket 514 pick-​up  514 picrocholine 242 pied(s): prendre son 168; pied danser, ne pas savoir sur quel 146; pied de nez, faire un 147; au pied du mur 147; pieds dans le plat, mettre les 147; pieds dans le tapis, se prendre les 147; pieds joints sur qqn. ou qqch., sauter à 147; Les Pieds Nickelés 42 piège à cons, un 147 Piéplu, Claude 47 pierre : la pierre 469; pierre angulaire (pierre d’angle) 380; pierre d’achoppement 379; pierre dans le jardin de qqn., jeter une 147; pierre deux coups, faire d’une 147; pierre (jeter la première) 380 Pigalle 482 pignon sur rue, avoir 168 pince-​sans-​rire  147 pincettes, il n’est pas à prendre avec des 147 Pinchon, Émile 12 Pinocchio 242

pipeline (in the) 514 La Piscine 469, 567 un pisse-​vinaigre  147 Pitié Salpêtrière 430 Pivot, Bernard 248 PJ (Police judiciaire) 578 placebo 536 place de la Concorde 482 plaies d’Égypte 380 Plamondon, Luc 596 planche, avoir du pain sur la 168 plan Marshall 301–​2 Le plateau 469 plateau du Vercors 482 plates-​bandes de qqn., marcher sur les 148 playback 515 playboy 515; Les Playboys 21 playlist 515 plébien 344 La Pléiade/​Pléiades 242–​43, 247, 344 Pleyel. La salle 430 plier bagage 148 ‘C’est le plombier’ 42 pluie: il n’est pas né de la dernière 148; pluie et le beau temps, faire la 148 plumes: laisser des 148; voler dans les 148 plus: Plus belle la vie 42; ‘plus petit que soi. On a souvent besoin de’ 243; plus simple appareil. Dans le (en tenue d’Ève) 469 PMA (procréation médicalement assistée) 5, 578 PME (petites et moyennes entreprises) 578 PMU (Pari mutuel urbain) 579 PNB (produit national brut) 579 Poésie et vérité 226 Le poète de Charleville 469 pogrom 554 ‘Le poids des mots, le choc des photos’ 43 poil: caresser dans le sens du 148; poil, de tout 148; poil à gratter, un 148; Poil de Carotte 43; poil de la bête, reprendre le 148 les poilus 469 Poincaré, Raymond 105 Le Poinçonneur des Lilas 41 point: Le Point 614; point d’orgue, le 148; point mort, être au 149; point zéro 430–​31

Index 641 pointe des pieds, se retirer sur la 149 poire et le fromage, entre la 169 poisons. L’Affaire des 453 Poitiers (arrêter à) 302 police? Que fait la 107 Polichinelle, un secret de 169 Polnareff, Michel 38 Polytechnique. L’École 188, 271, 336, 386, 400, 403, 408, 410, 413, 415 pomme 380; pomme de discorde 344–​45 Pompadour, Madame de 78, 430 rue de la Pompe 482 Pompidou, Georges 77, 293, 321, 415, 449, 456 Ponce Pilate 381 pont(s): pont, être sur le 149; Le pont d’Arcole 302; ‘Le Pont Mirabeau’ 243; ponts et chaussées. L’École des 400, 403, 404, 409, 410 ‘poor lonesome cowboy’ see Lucky Luke Porte 431; Porte de Versailles 482 porter l’estocade à qqn. 149 porter pale, se faire 149 porteurs de valises 302 la portion congrue 149 Port-​Royal  302 Port Royal 431 poser ses valises 149 La Possibilité d’une île 243–​44 post mortem 536 post scriptum 536 ‘Le pot de terre et le pot de fer’ 244 potron-​minet, dès  169 Pottier, Eugène 32 Les poubelles de l’histoire 107 poudre aux yeux, jeter de la 169 poudre d’escampette, prendre la 149, 169 poujadisme 303 poulailler, le 149 ‘La Poule aux œufs d’or’ 244 pour: ‘Pour grands que soient les rois, ils sont ce que nous sommes.’ 107; Pour qui sonne le glas 245; Pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés. 107 ‘Pourquoi faire simple quand on peut faire compliqué?’ 43 ‘Pourquoi tu tousses, Tonton?’ 43 ‘pourri dans le royaume de ... Il y a quelque chose de’ 245 ‘Pourvu que ça dure!’ 107 pousser du col, se 149 pousser le bouchon trop loin 149 le pouvoir 107

un pré carré 150 prêcher dans le désert 381 Les Précieuses ridicules 245 préfectoral. Le corps 410–​11 préfecture 411 Le premier flic de France 469 Le premier magistrat de France 469 Prévert, Jacques 23, 416, 418 prime time 515 primo 536 primus inter pares 536 La Princesse de Clèves 245–​46 ‘Le printemps sera chaud, chaud, chaud’ 107 Le Prix de Rome 431 Procruste 345 pro domo 536 Professeur Tournesol 43, 51 ‘Prolonger le métro jusqu’à la mer’ 43 promesse: promesse de Gascon, une 150; La Promesse de l’Aube 246; Les promesses n’engagent que ceux qui y croient 108 prométhéen 345 promettre monts et merveilles 150 promis, juré, craché 44 prophète dans son pays (nul n’est) 381 prophète de malheur 381–​82 ‘Prosper, youp-​la-​boum’  44 Proust, Marcel 199–​200, 229, 248, 368, 430, 473 Prytanée national militaire de La Flèche 411 ‘pschitt! Ce n’est pas qu’elles se dégonflent, c’est qu’elles font’ 108, 445 PSG (Paris Saint-​Germain) 579 PS (Parti socialiste) 5, 98, 238, 251, 329, 362, 376, 448, 450, 457, 459, 476, 574, 579 puce à l’oreille, mettre la 169 pucelle d’Orléans 303, 481, 488 pupille de la nation 431–​32 purgare 246 purgatoire 382 putsch 545 puzzle 515 PV (procès verbal) 579 Pygmalion 345–​46 Pyrrhus (une victoire à la) 346 pythie de Delphes 346 QCM (questionnaire/​questions à choix multiples) 579

642 Index QG (quartier général) 580 QI (quotient intellectuel) 580 QPC (question prioritaire de constitutionnalité) 580 Quai: Le Quai de Conti 469, 472; Quai des brumes see ‘T’ as de beaux yeux, tu sais!; Le Quai des Orfèvres 470; Quai d’Orsay 470 quand: ‘Quand blanchit la campagne’ see ‘Demain, dès l’aube ... ’ ‘Quand je m’examine ... ’ 108; ‘Quand j’entends le mot culture ... ’ 108; ‘quand la bise fut venue’ 247; ‘Quand la Chine s’éveillera, le monde tremblera.’ 108; Quand le bâtiment va, tout va. 109; ‘Quand on n’a que l’amour’ 44; ‘quand tu nous tiens! X’ 247; ‘Quand vous serez bien vieille’ 247 ‘Un quarteron de généraux’ 109 Quartier latin 483 Quasimodo 247–​48 Quatrième pouvoir 432 Quattrocento 543 Quebec 117, 589–​607 ‘Que d’eau, que d’eau!’ 109, 185 ‘Quelque chose de Tennessee’ 44 Queneau, Raymond 218–​19, 416 ‘Que reste-​t-​il de nos amours?’ 44 Questionnaire de Proust 248 quid 537 quidam 537 quille! C’est la 44–​45 quiproquo 536 quitus 537 quod erat demonstrandum (QED) 537 Quo non ascendit 537 quota 537 Rabelais, François/​rabelaisien 78, 111, 170, 198, 220, 237–​38, 242, 248, 468 racket 515 Raddad, Omar 104 Rainbow Warrior 454 Les Raisins de la colère 248–​49 ‘Ralliez-​vous à mon panache blanc ... ’ 109 Rantanplan see Lucky Luke un rappel à l’ordre 150 RAS (rien à signaler) 580 Rassemblement National 32, 249, 256, 282, 318, 346, 377, 581

Rassemblement pour la République (RPR) 76, 444, 449 Rastignac 249 ‘Le Rat de ville, et le Rat des champs’ 249 râteliers, manger à tous les 150 ‘rate qui se dilate. J’ai la’ 45 RATP (Régie autonome des transports parisiens) 580 Ravaillac, François 293, 303 Lou Ravi 45 Raynaud, Fernand 9, 15, 42, 43 razzia 544 Realpolitik 545 À la recherche du temps perdu 199–​200, 229, 473 recordman/​woman  515 recto 537 reçu cinq sur cinq, message 150 redresser la barre 150 réduire la voilure 150 referendum 537 Reggiani, Serge 32 région 411 Reims 483 relooker 515 remake 515 Renard, Jules 43 Renaud, Line 596 Renaudot. Le Prix 432 Renault 186, 344, 465 ‘Rendre à César’ see ‘César. Rendre à’ rendre sa copie 150 repartir comme en 14 170 Les Républicains (LR) 76, 295, 332, 350, 362, 574 ‘République, c’est moi. La. Ma personne est sacrée, je suis parlementaire.’ 109–​10 République-​Bastille  45 RER (Réseau express régional) 580 res publica 537 Les Restos du Cœur 24, 45 résurrection 382 un retour de bâton 150 Retz (le cardinal de) 303–​4 Revel, Jean-​François  87 revenge porn 515 ‘révolte? Est-​ce une’ 110 révolution de 1848 304 RGPD (Règlement général sur la protection des données) 581 RG (Renseignements généraux) 580–​81

Index 643 Ricard 47 Richelieu, Cardinal 85, 274, 288, 395, 591 RIC (Référendum d’initiative citoyenne) 581 Ridicule 176 ‘Rien ne se crée, rien ne se perd, tout se transforme.’ 110 Rien ne va plus, les jeux sont faits. 110 Rimbaud, Arthur 76, 204, 251, 418, 461, 469, 475 ring 515 Riqueti, Honoré Gabriel, comte de Mirabeau 79 rire sous cape 150 Rivarol, Antoine de 82 Rivière, Jacqueline 12 RN (Rassemblement national) 32, 249, 256, 282, 318, 346, 377, 581 road-​movie  516 roaming 516 Les robes noires 470 Robespierre, Maximilien 87, 110, 281, 283, 286, 300, 304, 306, 308, 487 Rocard, Michel 102, 402 Le Rocher 470 roche Tarpéienne 346–​47 rock’n’roll 516 roi(s): Le roi serrurier 488; Rois fainéants 305; Rois maudits 305; Roi Soleil see Louis XIV Roland de la Platière, Madame 97 Roland Garros 432 ‘Rolex à 50 ans, c’est que l’on a raté sa vie. Si l’on n’a pas de’ 110 Romains, Jules 208, 224, 227 ‘Rome, l’unique objet de mon ressentiment!’ 249–​50 rond de serviette, avoir son 151 ronds-​de-​cuir see Courteline/​ courtelinesque; Messieurs les ronds-​de-​cuir ronger son frein 151 Ronsard, Pierre de 232, 242–​43, 247 Les rosbifs 488 roses, découvrir le pot aux 170 Rosinante 250 Rossi, Tino 40 La Rotonde 432–​33 Rouget, Joseph Claude 34 rouler qqn. dans la farine 151 roulé sa bosse, il a 151 Roumanoff, Anne 39

Rouquier, Laurent 28 Rousseau, Jean-​Jacques 201, 217, 221, 250, 284, 297, 409 Route de la soie 305 Rouxel, Jacques 47 Royal, Ségolène 387, 454, 486, 487, 590 royalties 516 RSA (revenu de solidarité active) 581 RTL (Radio Télévision Luxembourg) 28, 581 RTT (réduction du temps de travail) 581 Le ruban rouge 470 Rubempré, Lucien de 250–​51 Rubicon (franchir le) 347 rubis sur l’ongle, payer 170 ruer dans les brancards 151 Rugy, François de 214, 380 Rungis 433 rushes 516 Ruy Blas 26 sabre: sabre au clair 151; le sabre et le goupillon 151 un sac de nœuds 151 SAC (Service d’action civique) 454, 582 safari 554 Sagan, Françoise 21, 206 Les Sages de la Rue Montpensier 470 saint(e): Saint-​Barthélemy 305–​6; saint-​cyrien 412; Saint-​Denis 433; La Sainte-​Alliance 306–​7; Sainte-​ Anne 433; Sainte-​Geneviève. L’École see Ginette; Sainte-​Mère-​Église 484; Saint-​Exupéry, Antoine de 77, 216, 262; Saint-​Germain-​des-​Prés 483; Saint-​Glinglin, à la 151; Saint-​ Guillaume 412; Saint-​Guillaume. L’École de la rue 470; Saint-​Jean-​ Baptiste 596; Saint-​Just, Louis Antoine de 79, 87, 283, 286, 306; Saint-​Louis-​de-​Gonzague (Franklin) 412, 423; Saint-​Louis see Louis IX; Saint-​Michel. Bld 483–​84; saint se vouer, il ne sait plus à quel 151; Saints-​Pères 484; saint-​sulpicien(ne) 433; Saint-​Vincent de Paul 433 Une Saison en enfer 251 ‘Salauds de pauvres!’ 111 La sale guerre 470 les salles obscures 470 Salomon (jugement de) 382–​83 Salut les copains 46

644 Index Salvador, Henri 55 sandwich 516 sang contaminé 454–​55 ‘Du sang et des larmes’ 111 ‘Les sanglots longs’ 251 sans: ‘Sans autre forme de procès’ 251–​52; sans crier gare 151; sans-​ culottes 307; ‘Sans la liberté de blâmer il n’est point d’éloge flatteur.’ 111, 612 La Santé 434 le Sapeur Camember 46 sapin, sentir le 152 Sapritch, Alice 26 la sardine qui boucha le vieux port 46 Sardou, Victorien 33 Sarkozy, Nicolas 41, 81, 88, 95, 110, 114, 200, 246, 294, 324, 369, 378, 384, 421, 424, 440 SARL (société à responsabilité limitée) 582 Sarraut, Albert 25 Sartre, Jean-​Paul 88, 90, 218, 416, 418, 480, 483, 612 SA (société anonyme) 581 satisfecit 537 satyres 347 rue des Saussaies 484 ‘Sautez, dansez, embrassez qui vous voudrez’ 46 ‘Savez-​vous planter des choux . . .?’ 46–​47 Savonarole, Jérôme 307 SAV (service après-​vente) 582 scenario 544 scène: comme à la ville, à la 152; tenir les devants de la 152 ‘schmilblick. Faire avancer le’ 47 Les Schroumpfs 47 ‘Science sans conscience n’est que ruine de l’âme.’ 111 Sciences Po 412, 470, 484 scoop 516 Scotto, Vincent 44, 45 scoumoune 548 SDF (sans domicile fixe) 582 ‘Sea, Sex and Sun’ 47 Second Empire 12, 27, 299, 307, 421 secundo 538 Sedan, battle of 50, 299, 307–​8 Ségalen, Anne 40 Séguéla, Jacques 110 Le Seigneur des anneaux 252 Seine-​Saint-​Denis (93)  484

self 517; self control 517; self-​made man/​woman 517; self-​service  517 selfie 517 sellette, être sur la 152 ‘selon que vous serez puissant ... ’ 252 sème le vent, récolte la tempête (qui) 383 Sempé, Jean-​Jacques  41 Le Sénat 77–​78, 404, 413 Seneca the younger 89 senior 538 le Sentier 484 sentir à plein nez 152 sentir le vent du boulet 152 Les sept cercles de l’enfer 252–​53 le septième art 471 Septimanie 484 sérail 554; élevé dans le 170 serial killer 517 serpent 383; ‘serpents qui sifflent sur nos têtes? Pour qui sont ces’ 253 Service d’action civique (SAC) 437, 454 servir la soupe à qqn. 152 servitude volontaire 253 Sésame 254 Sétif. Le massacre de 455 sex-​appeal  517 sexy 517 SFR (Société française de radiotéléphonie) 582 Sganarelle 254 Shadoks 43, 47 Shakespeare, William 205, 218, 222, 231, 245, 465 Sherman, Allan 19 Sherpa 554–​55 Shoah 555 shocking! 517 shopping (faire du) 517–​18 short listé(e) 518 show 518; showbiz 518; the show must go on 518 sic 538 Sicaires 383–​84 SICAV (Société d’investissement à capital variable) 582 sieste 555 siffler la fin de la récré/​la partie 152 Silence dans les rangs! 111 sillon, creuser son 152 ‘S’il n’en reste qu’un, je serai celui-​là.’  254–​55 ‘Simone. En voiture’ 111–​12 sine die 538

Index 645 sine qua non 538 singe, payer en monnaie de 171 ‘sinon rien. Un X’ 47 Sioux, montrer une prudence de 152 sirènes 347–​48 Sisyphe 348 skipper 555 smala 549 small is beautiful 518 smartphone 518 SMIC (salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance) 582 Smith, Adam 230 snacking 518 SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français) 582–​83 sniper 518 snob 519 soap 519 so british (sic)! 519 Socialist Party 5, 98, 238, 251, 329, 362, 376, 448, 450, 457, 459, 476, 574, 579 Socrate 348 Sodome et Gomorrhe 384 soft 519 ‘Sois belle et tais-​toi’ 48 ‘Soldats, du haut de ces pyramides, quarante siècles vous contemplent.’ 112 les soldats du feu 471 Le solitaire de Port-​Royal 488 Solutré. Roche de 485 sonnantes et trébuchantes, en espèces 171 sonner le glas de qqch. 152 La Sorbonne 413, 477, 483 sortir du bois 153 SOS Racisme 51 soucier comme de l’an 40, s’en 171 souffler le chaud et le froid 153 souffler sur les braises 153 souk 549 soupe, aller à la 153 soupe à la grimace, la 153 Souplex, Raymond 14 souris: les souris dansent 48; Des souris et des hommes 255; ‘La souris verte’ 48 sous: ‘Sous le soleil exactement’ 48; ‘Sous les pavés la plage’ 112; le sous ministre des cocotiers 471; Sous vos applaudissements Mesdames, Messieurs! 48

soutenir comme la corde soutient le pendu 153 ‘Souvenirs, souvenirs’ 49 ‘Souvent femme varie.’ 112 Souzy-​la-​Briche  485 ‘Soyons réalistes, demandons l’impossible!’ 112 le sparadrap du Capitaine Haddock 49 SPA (Société protectrice des animaux) 583 sphinx 349 spiel 545 spin doctor 519 ‘spirituel ou il ne sera pas. Le XXIe siècle sera’ 112 spoiler 519 sponsor/​sponsoring  519 spoonerisms 198 SPT (stress post-​traumatique) 583 squatter 519 SRAS (syndrome respiratoire aigu sévère) 583 SSII (société de services en ingénierie informatique) 583 staff 520 Stakhanoviste 308 standing 520; standing ovation 520 standup 520 Stanton, Charles E. 97 star 520 starting blocks (blocs) 520 start-​up 520; start-​up nation 520 ‘Les statistiques sont comme la mini-​ jupe; cela donne des idées mais cela cache l’essentiel.’ 113 La Statue du Commandeur 255 statu quo 538; statu quo ante 538 Stavisky 455 stigmates 384 stock-​options  520 storytelling 520 streaming 521 street medics 521 stress 521; stress test 521 stricto sensu 538 string 521 striptease/​strip-​tease  521 Sturm und Drang 545 subito 544 success story 521 sucre sur le dos de qqn., casser du 171 SUD (Solidaires, unitaires et démocratiques) 583

646 Index Suisse, boire en 171 Par suite d’un arrêt de travail 113 summum 538 SUPAERO 413 superstar 521 sur: ‘Sur la plage abandonnée’ 49; ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon ... ’ 49; Sur un arbre perché 255 surplace, faire du 153 SVT (sciences de la vie et de la terre) 583 switcher 521 tabac: faire un 153; passer à 172 Tables de la Loi 384–​85 tablier, rendre son 153 tabou 555 tabula rasa 538 tailler des croupières 172 taliban 549 talion (la loi du) 385 talkie-​walkie  522 talk-​show  521 Talleyrand-​Périgord, Charles Maurice de 80, 84, 92, 94, 101, 114, 116, 306 tambour battant 153, 172 tambour ni trompette, sans 154 tanker 522 tante, chez ma 172 Tante Yvonne 488 Tapie, Bernard 234, 249, 252, 256, 456 tapis: envoyer qqn.au 154; mettre sous le 154 tapisserie, faire 172 tarmac 522 ‘T’ar ta gueule à la récré’ 49–​50 Tartarin/​tartarinade  255 tarte, ce n’est pas de la 154 tarte à la crème, une 154 Les Tarterêts 485 Tartuf(f)e, tartuf(f)erie 207, 213, 256 ‘T’as de beaux yeux, tu sais!’ 50 task-​force  522 Tati, Jacques 28, 339 Taubira, Christiane 185–​86 ‘Tea for Two’ 522 teambuilding 522 teasing 522 Te Deum (laudamus) 539 tee-​shirt  522 TEG (taux effectif global) 584 ‘Le Téléphone pleure’ 50 Télérama 614 telescoping 183

Tel est notre bon plaisir. 113 tempo 544 ‘Le temps des cerises’ 50 ‘Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire’ 256 tennisman 522 Ténot, Frank 46 La tentation de Venise 50 terra incognita 539 terre: ‘La terre, elle ne ment pas’ 113; terre brulée, la politique de la 154; Terre promise 385 Terreur (The Terror) 78, 110, 290, 304, 308–​9 terrorism 4, 11, 200, 204, 206, 210, 335, 347, 416, 451, 575 Terry-​Thomas  27 tertio 539 TER (Transport express régional) 584 testing 523 têtes blondes. Nos chères 471 TF1 (Télévision française 1) 81, 87, 584 TGI (Tribunal de grande instance) 584 TGV (Train à grande vitesse) 584 Thanatos see Éros Thanksgiving 596 thébaïde 349 Thénardier 257; Les Thénardier des Hauts-​de-​Seine  488 Thermidor 304, 306, 308–​9 Thévenoud, Thomas 106–​7 think tank 523 Third Republic 43, 105, 288, 294, 443, 448, 580 Thorez, Maurice 93 Thoughtcrime 257 The Three Impostors 85 thriller 523 Thucydide (le piège de) 349 Thunberg, Greta 247, 374 Tiberi, Jean and Xavière 445 Le Tigre 488 timing 523 Tintin 16, 23, 35, 43, 49, 51 TIP (titre interbancaire de paiement) 584 tirage au sort 350 tire/​tirer: à tire-​larigot 172; tirer la sonnette d’alarme 154; tirer les oreilles, se faire 154; tirer son épingle du jeu 173; ‘tirez les premiers! Messieurs les Anglais’ 113 Titan (un travail/​combat de), titanesque 350 TNT (télévison-​numérique terrestre) 585

Index 647 Tocqueville, Alexandre de 115, 432 TOC (troubles obsessionnels compulsifs) 585 tohu-​bohu 385–​86, 555 ‘Toi aussi mon fils?’ 113 toile de fond, la 154 toison d’or 350 ‘Tolérance? Il y a des maisons pour ça.’ 114 tombeau ouvert, rouler à 154 tomber: tombé de l’armoire, je suis 155; tomber à l’eau 155; tomber dans l’oreille d’un sourd, ne pas 155; tomber dessus comme la vérole sur le bas clergé breton 173 TOM (Territoires d’Outre-​Mer) 585 tonneau, être du même 155 ‘Tonnerre de Brest!’ 51 Tonton 489; Les Tontons flingueurs 16, 25, 51, 83 too much 523 top model 523 top secret 523 le torchon brûle 155 Torquemada 309 totem 555 toubib 549 ‘Touche pas à mon pote’ 51 Touchez pas au grisbi 16, 51 Toujours plus 52 tour: La Tour d’Argent 434; Tour de France 33, 94, 225, 350, 463; tour de passe-​passe 155; tour d’ivoire 257 Touraine, Marisol 221 tourner casaque 155, 173 tous/​tout(e)(s): Tous les matins en me rasant 114; Tous pourris 114; Toute ressemblance ... 52; tout feu tout flame 155; Tout va pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes see Le Meilleur des Mondes; ‘Tout va très bien, Madame la Marquise’ 52; ‘Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre.’ 257 Touvier. Paul and the Chevaliers de Notre-​Dame  456–​57 TPE (très petites entreprises) 585 TPG (trésorier-​payeur général) 585 Tracfin 585 trader 523 Trafalgar (un coup de) 309 trahi que par les siens. On n’est jamais si bien 114

‘La trahison est souvent question de dates’ 114 un train peut en cacher un autre 52 tramway 523 tranquille comme Baptiste 52 transalpin(e) 471 Transnonain. Le massacre de la rue 457 trash 524 travaille/​ travailler/​travaux: black (travailler au) 492; ‘Travail, famille, patrie’ 114, 309; le travail au noir 155; travailler d’arrache-​pied 155; ‘Travailler plus pour gagner plus’ 114; travaux d’Hercule, les douze 350 traversée du désert 386 Tremblay 596 Trenet, Charles 14, 23, 44, 54 Trente Glorieuses (Les) 310 Le Trésor public 413 tresser des couronnes à qqn. 156 une trêve des confiseurs 173 tricolore 471 Trierweiler, Valérie 101 Tristes Tropiques 258 triumvirat 539 Troie 351 troïka 555 ‘trois petits tours et puis s’en vont’ 52 ‘Trop d’impôts tuent l’impôt.’ 115 Trotsky, Leon 107 Trudeau, Pierre Elliot 596 Truffaut, François 38 Trump, Donald 203, 258, 363, 372, 380 trust 524 tsunami 555 TTC (toutes taxes comprises) 585 tu: Tu l’as dit bouffi 115; Tu ne tueras point 386; ‘Tu quoque mi fili?’ 539; ‘Tu seras un homme, mon fils.’  258 ‘Tuez-​les tous’ see ‘Dieu reconnaîtra les siens’ Turc, une tête de 173 et tutti quanti 544 TVA (taxe à la valeur ajoutée) 586 tycoon 556 Les tyrans ne sont grands que parce que nous sommes à genoux 115 Uberisation 434 Ubu (roi)/​ubuesque  258 Uderzo, Albert 9, 29 UE (Union européenne) 586

648 Index UFC (Union fédérale des consommateurs) 586 ukase/​oukase  556 Ulm see normale supérieure. L’École ultima ratio regum 539 Ulysse 223, 315, 323, 340, 343, 348, 351 understatement 524 UNEDIC (Union nationale interprofessionnelle pour l’emploi dans l’industrie et le commerce) 586 Union sacrée 310 United Nations (UN) 98, 576; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 116 ‘Un pour tous, tous pour un’ 115 ‘Un seul être vous manque et tout est dépeuplé’ 259 Un ‘x,’ un 53 upcycling 524 uppercut 524 Urba 457 urbi et orbi 539 URSSAF (Union de recouvrement des cotisations de sécurité sociale et d’allocations familiales) 586 user-​friendly  524 user ses fonds de culotte sur les bancs de l’école 156 usine à gaz 156 Utopie 259 UV (unité de valeur) 586 ‘Va, cours, vole et nous venge ... ’ 259 VAB (véhicule à l’avant blindé) 587 vache enragée, manger de la 173 vaches grasses/​vaches maigres 386–​87 vade mecum 539 vade retro Satana(s) 387, 539 Vadim, Roger 38 vae victis 540 vagues!, pas de 156 ‘À vaincre sans péril’ 260 Le Val de Grâce 434 Valentina 41 ‘La valeur n’attend pas le nombre des années’ 260 Valeurs actuelles 206, 370–​71, 614, 615 La valise ou le cercueil 115 Valjean see Vidocq Valmy (la bataille de) 310

Valois. Rue de 471 Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas 115, 540 Varennes: Varennes. Rue de 471; Varennes (la fuite à) 310–​11 ‘Vaste programme!’ 116 vau l’eau, aller à 174 veau(x): Veau d’or 387; veau sacré 387; ‘veaux. Les Français sont des’ 116 veiller au grain 174 Vél’ d’Hiv’ 439, 457–​58 Vélib’ 53 Vélodrome 434 vendetta 544 Vendôme. La Place 471 vendre la mèche 156, 174 vent debout contre, être 156 vent en poupe, avoir le 156 Ventura, Lino 25, 27, 51, 83 Ventura, Ray 52 verbatim 540 Vercingétorix 311 Verdun 311 le ver est dans le fruit 156 Vergès, Jacques 224 verges pour se faire battre, donner des 156 ‘Vérité en deçà des Pyrénées, erreur au-​delà.’  116 Verlaine, Paul 251, 417, 418 ‘Un verre, ça va, deux verres, bonjour les dégâts’ 53 Versailles 37–​38, 162, 275, 283, 288, 290, 296, 304, 311–​12, 344, 398, 424, 430, 485, 487 verso 540 Le Vert-​Galant  489 vessies pour des lanternes, prendre des 174 veto 540 La Veuve 472 via 540 Vian, Boris 102, 261, 483 Viansson-​Ponté, Pierre  90–​91 ‘Le vice appuyé sur le bras du crime’ 116 vice versa 540 Vichy 485; Vichy, un passé qui ne passe pas 106; Vichy regime 114, 252, 282, 309, 439, 468 Vidocq, François Eugène 312 La Vie en rose 53

Index 649 La vie est un long fleuve tranquille 31 ‘vieillard meurt en Afrique, c’est une bibliothèque qui brûle. Quand un’ 116 ‘La vieillesse est un naufrage’ 116–​17 Vierge 388; vierges effarouchées, jouer les 157 vieux/​vieille: Le Vieil Homme et la mer 261; La Vieille Dame du quai (de) Conti 472; vieille lune 156; La vieille maison de la rue de Lille 472; Le Vieux Continent 472; Le vieux lion rugit encore 261; vieux métier du monde. Le plus 472; Le Vieux-​Port 472, 475 Vigny, Alfred de 221, 257 Vigo, Jean 54 VIH (virus d’immunodéficience humaine) 587 Villacoublay 486 La Villa Médicis 434–​35 Villars, Claude Louis Hector de 93 ville: La ville de Bernadette Soubirous 472, 479; La Ville Lumière 472; La ville rose 472; La ville sainte 472 Villers-​Cotterêts (l’ordonnance de) 312 Villon, François 202, 203–​4 ‘Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage.’ 261 violon, acheter au son du canon. Vendre au son du 117 virage sur l’aile, faire un 157 Virenque, Richard 94 virer sa cuti 174 Visiteurs du soir 435 vivats 540 ‘Vive le Québec libre!’ 117 Vivonne, François de 165 voie(s): voie étroite 388; voie royale 388; voies du Seigneur 388–​89 voile (écarter/​lever le) 389 La voix de son maître 117 Le Volatile 473, 489, 610 Vol de nuit 262 une volée de bois vert 157, 174 volet, trié sur le 174–​75 les voleurs de poules 473 ‘Vol noir’ 312–​13 Voltaire 85, 91, 95, 118, 207, 214, 221, 226, 231, 237, 262, 263, 297, 313, 409, 468 ‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’ 53–​54 vox populi, vox dei 540

'Voyages, voyages' 54 voyants sont au vert/​rouge, tous les 157 le vrai-​faux passeport see Le Carrefour du Développement VRP (voyageur, représentant, placier) 587 VTC (véhicule de tourisme avec chauffeur) 587 VTT (vélo tout terrain) 587 vulgate 389 vulgum pecus 541 Waterloo 91, 116, 271, 286, 313, 402; ‘Waterloo, Waterloo, Waterloo, Morne plaine’ 262–​63 week-​end  524 western 524 Who’s Who 524 Wilde, Oscar 37, 430 William the Conqueror 160 Wolfe, James 591, 592, 595, 596 workaholic 524 X en a rêvé, Y l’a fait. 117 L’X see Polytechnique. L’École ‘Y’a d’la joie’ 54 Yalta 313 yes! 525 yeux: ne pas avoir froid aux 175; ‘Les yeux dans les yeux’ 117 Yéyé 24, 46, 49, 54 Yom Kippour 556 ZAC (zone d’aménagement concerté) 587 Zadig 118, 263 ZAD (zone à défendre) 481, 587–​88 Zay, Jean 25 zeitgeist 545 zélote 389 Zemmour, Éric 250–​51, 280, 287, 311, 337, 346 Zen 556 Zéphyr 351 ZEP (zone d’éducation prioritaire) 588 Zéro de conduite 54 Zeus 325, 329, 330–​31, 333, 336, 339, 342, 344, 345, 348, 351 zizanie (semer la) 389–​90

650 Index Zizi Jeanmaire (Renée Marcelle) 36 Zizi see ‘Vous saurez tout sur le zizi’ Zola, Émile 205, 221, 417, 443 zombie 556 zoom 525

‘Zorro est arrivé’ 54–​55 Zouaves 597; Le Zouave de l’Alma 435 ZUP (Zone d’urbanisation prioritaire) 588