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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French word of the day: Complotisme

It's not a new phenomenon, but it's on the rise in France (and elsewhere).

Published: 24 June 2021 15:54 CEST
Updated: 1 June 2023 09:35 CEST
French word of the day: Complotisme
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know complotisme?

Because it’s increasingly becoming part of everyday debates.

What does it mean?

With the rise of social media and the increasing polarisation of politics, many countries have had to deal with more and more of their citizens believing in conspiracy theories.

In France, though, there is a single word to describe this phenomenon.

Le complotisme is the act of believing in, and spreading, conspiracy theories. It is particularly useful because people who believe in one conspiracy theory often believe in several. The people who are taken in by these theories are called complotistes (conspiracy theorists).

Conspiracy theories flourished in France during the pandemic, but there are plenty of other theories that pre-date Covid. A 2018 Ifop survey on behalf of the Jean Jaurès Foundation tested around a dozen common conspiracy theories, and found that 79 percent of French people believed in at least one of them.

Even some mainstream politicians are not above engaging in the odd bit of complotisme, especially at election time.

On a lighter note, the Twitter account Complots Faciles (easy plots) is a satirical account taking the mickey out of the grandioise and complicated world of the conspiracy theorist, with their trademark hashtag nous sachons (we know).  

“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but this coffee clearly shows that a cat is going to blow up the world”.

Use it like this

Il faut lutter contre le complotisme – We need to fight against conspiracy theories.

Le ministre a été accusé de complotisme – The minister was accused of believing in conspiracy theories.

Synonyms

Théorie du complot – Conspiracy theory

Infox – Fake news (although the English ‘fake news’ is often used in France as well)

Member comments

  1. This is similar to the Italian word ‘dietrologia’ (literally ‘behind ism’) subscribers to which refuse to believe the reasons offered for the occurrence of specific events, especially in that especially Italian connection between government, crime and terrorism, insisting instead that something or someone else lies ‘behind’ this. This was famously lambasted by the Sicilian writer Sciascia, especially with regard to the case of Aldo Moro, who argued that the government itself actually promoted conspiracy theories to conceal the truth about events.

    A few years ago I was enjoying a late night grappa outside a bar in Roma with my friend Fabio and remarked to him on the idiocy of nearly all conspiracy theories relying as they do on wholly unlikely levels of conspiracy and silence between entirely disparate groups with little or nothing to gain from such things. In turn he said that ‘dietrologia’ was so common in Italy as to have replaced football as the national sport. Thank God, we have cricket in England I replied. But, I conceded, given that post WWII political history in Italy, even up to the present day, was actually in many ways a history of a succession of conspiracies of one kind or another. But the main problem with conspiracy theory, or complotisme or dietrologia is they invariably allow the actual conspirators, the really guilty ones, to get away with it. Example? COVID-19 has had such devastating effects in the UK not because of any conspiracy by elites with Bill Gates and the like but because of the utter incompetence of the government, especially the Prime Minister. Which is why they continue to block any inquiry into their conduct.

    1. Boris Johnson’s government have realised that nobody cares about honour anymore. Nobody ever resigns. In the past their failures and abuses of the system would have led inevitably to either sacking or the honorable option. Nowadays they don’t care that there behaviour is an affront to decency.

    2. Small correction. What I meant to say above was: ‘… given that post WWII political history in Italy, even up to the present day, was actually in many ways a history of a succession of conspiracies of one kind or another then dietrologia could be seen as an entirely rational response. ‘

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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French Expression of the Day: Ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche

This French expression is a good one to teach your unfiltered friend.

Published: 26 April 2024 10:50 CEST
French Expression of the Day: Ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche

Why do I need to know ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche?

Because depending on your sensitivity level, you would either seek out this type of person or try to stay far away from them.

What does it mean?

Ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche – roughly pronounced nuh pahz ah-vwar lah lahng dahn sah poe-sh – translates precisely as ‘to not have the tongue in the pocket’.

This is an old French expression, dating back to the 19th century, and it does not have anything to do with literal tongues in pockets. 

It refers to someone who speaks freely and without any restraint. In English one might say that ‘they do not hold back’ or perhaps ‘calls a spade a spade’ – it means someone who is blunt and says exactly what they are thinking, regardless of whether it might offend or upset people.

A person qui n’a pas la langue dans sa poche might be borderline rude, or impulsive, as they speak without thinking.

While you are most likely to hear this in the negative sense (about a blunt person), you could also use it in the opposite way (avoir la langue dans sa poche) to describe someone who is guarded and speaks carefully.

There are a couple of similar French expressions, though they do not convey exactly the same meaning of speaking carelessly. One option is être un moulin à paroles (‘to be a mill with words’, or to speak a lot and quickly, without taking any pauses). 

Another is une pipelette for someone who talks a lot and enjoys gossiping. 

Use it like this

Ne t’inquiète pas, ma belle-mère n’a pas la langue dans sa poche. Elle dira exactement ce qu’elle pense. – Don’t worry, my mother in law does not hold back. She will say exactly what she is thinking.

Il n’a pas la langue dans sa poche. Il m’a dit carrément que ma robe était moche. – He is brutally honest. He told be outright that my dress was ugly.

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