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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French phrase of the day: Blanc-seing

You should only give this to someone you really trust.

Published: 21 October 2021 13:31 CEST
French phrase of the day is 'blanc-seing'.
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know blanc-seing?

Because it’s difficult to decipher when you first come across it, but once you know what it means, it’s easy enough to use.

What does it mean?

Blanc in this context means “blank”, and seing is an outdated term for “signature” which is rarely used today outside of this specific phrase.

Put them together and you get a blank document that’s been signed, similar to the idea of a blank cheque in English. The document in question doesn’t have to be a cheque, though, so it’s about giving someone the power to do as they please, it doesn’t just refer to money.

Once you’ve signed it the other party can write in whatever terms they wish and you have no choice but to go along with it. It’s pretty much the same as the term carte blanche, which can be used in English or in French, and also means “blank sheet”.

The term is most often used in the phrase donner un blanc-seing à quelqu’un – to give someone free rein.

It’s most commonly used in politics, where it often acts as a criticism. During recent debates over giving the government the power to extend the Covid health pass at any point until July 2022, MPs denounced a blanc-seing given to the government to implement restrictions without consulting parliament.

Although it usually means “white”, the word blanc often stands in for the English word “blank”, as in the term page blanche (blank page), or the expression j’ai un blanc (I’m blanking).

The presence of the g in the second half of the term is misleading. While it can be tempting to pronounce it like the English word “seeing”, the g is in fact silent meaning there is only one syllable – it’s pronounced the same as sein (breast). Since French speakers don’t pronounce the c in blanc either, the whole thing becomes bloh-sah.

Use it like this

J’ai donné un blanc-seing à mon architecte d’intérieur – I gave my interior decorator free rein

Les Français ont voté pour Emmanuel Macron mais ils n’ont pas voulu lui donner un blanc-seing pour réformer le Code du travail  – The French voted for Emmanuel Macron but they didn’t want to give him carte blanche to reform French labour law

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For members

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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