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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: Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille

This French expression can help bring the conversation back down to reality.

Published: 7 May 2024 11:38 CEST
French Expression of the Day: Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille

Why do I need to know avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille?

Because every so often we all have outlandish things to say.

What does it mean?

Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille – roughly pronounced ah-veck day see ohn met-tray Par-ee ahn boo-tie – translates as ‘with ifs we could put Paris in a bottle’. 

As you might’ve guessed, this French expression is not a literal one. In reality, avec des si… is more of a proverb than something you would say in everyday conversation, though don’t be surprised if an older French person uses it to temper your expectations.

People have been speaking this French phrase since at least the 18th century, and it is meant to be a warning against unnecessary or irrelevant speculation and doubt. 

The expression basically means if the impossible were possible (e.g. putting the entire city of Paris into a bottle), then reality would be different, but there is no point in worrying or fantasising about unrealistic things.

A similar English expression might be “if ‘its’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day”.

You might use this French expression if your friend has a habit of imagining the worst case scenario all the time.

Someone might also add it after describing an unlikely hypothetical situation – for example ‘if I were president…’ or ‘if I were the wealthiest person in the world…’

Use it like this

Si je dirigeais le monde, je mettrais fin à la faim dans le monde, mais avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille. – If I ruled the world, then I’d end global hunger, but no point in fantasising about the impossible.

Si j’étais maire de Paris, j’exigerais que tous les habitants nettoient les déjections de leurs chiens, mais bon. Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille. – If I was the mayor of Paris, I’d make everyone clean up after their dogs, but whatever. That’s a pipe dream.

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