Chapter 18

Slang and familiar words and expressions

Ma montre en argent est chez ma tante, car c’est la dèche en ce moment, je n’ai pas un

radis.

It’s quite a strange phenomenon. Slang enjoys a status in France that English slang does not enjoy in England. French slang has a legitimacy that cuts across social class boundaries in a way I feel English slang does not. Consequently, it is far more present in the French press than an English-speaking person would suppose. Only those meanings that are used in the press are mentioned; thus ‘allumer’ will only be translated by ‘to criticize severely’ and not ‘to sexually arouse’. Several terms may be found in Chapter 4 ‘The top 100 polysemic words’

Frequency is shown by asterisks and the grosser terms are qualified as such. In any case, students would be well advised to exercise caution when using any of the terms below. Depending on the social context in which they find themselves, the use of a slang term could be a real faux-pas. The golden rule should be ‘when in doubt, don’t’. Many familiar expressions involve animals and to avoid repetition, these will be found in the chapter Menagerie at: www.routledge.com/9780367376758. I need to underline that the terms below are those that one may encounter in the press; it is not intended to be a comprehensive list of French slang. This was not the object of the study.

The student will find three sections below:

• The top 100 slang words one needs to know, arranged alphabetically. To avoid repetition, some of these high frequency terms have been listed in the section where the terms have been arranged by category: money, police, food etc. They are marked with 3 asterisks. • A list of miscellaneous, high-frequency terms in alphabetical order. • Slang and familiar terms arranged by category

(1) The top 100

alpaguer vt. (to nab, to collar) arg. arroser vt. (to bribe with money or gifts) bahut nm. (school) balai nm. (year when speaking of age) barboter vt. (to nick, to steal) bavure nf. (serious fault often committed by the police) bazar nm. (mess, shambles) beauf nm. (brother-in-law) bidon adj. (baloney, false, rigged) bidonner vt. (to rig, to falsify) blé nm. (money, dough) bol nm. (luck) bordel nm. (lit. a whorehouse but here, a mess or havoc) vulg. boulette nf. (boob, a clanger) boulot nm. (work, graft) bourde nf. (boob, clanger) breloque nf. (medal, gong) brosse à reluire, manier la nf. (to suck up to, to butter up sb.) caser vtr. (to find a job or a husband for sb.) casquer vi. (to pay, to cough up) casserole nf. (scandal that haunts the guilty party) connerie nf. (stupid act). crâne d’œuf nm. (egghead) culs-bénits nmpl. (Bible thumpers, holy Joes) dare-dare adv. (quickly, at the double) dauber vt. (to denigrate, to badmouth) dégraissage nm. (downsizing, slimming down of the staff)

déguster vi. (to suffer) drague nf. (chatting up) draguer vt. (to chat up a woman, to cruise) engueulade nf. (roasting) faux-cul/jeton nm. (two-faced bastard) fayot nm. (crawler) fayotage nm. (crawling) fayoter vi. (to crawl, often to one’s superiors) fiston nm. (son, sonny ; sonny Jim) foutre s’en (not to give a tinker’s cuss, not to give a shit) vulg. flingue nm. (shooter) flinguer (to shoot down fig.) fromage nm. (a cushy number) gaffe nf. (blunder, boob) godillot nm. (a yes man) gorille nm. (bodyguard, a heavy) grisbi nm. (dosh) arg. See Chapter 1 ‘touchez’. gueule nf. (face, mug) hochet nm. (medal, gong) péj. huiles nfpl. (top brass) lèche-botte nm. (an arse-licker, a brown nose) magot nm. (stash, hord) magouille nf. (a dishonest scheme) malabar nm. (a big hulk) pagaille nf. (mess, shambles) pantoufler vi. (to leave the service of the State to work in private enterprise at a higher salary) passer l’arme à gauche vi (to go West, to snuff it).

passer à la caisse. vt. (to pay, to pay up) pépin nm. (lit. pip, a hitch, a small problem) piges nfpl. (years when speaking of age) planqué adj. (hidden illegally) planqué nm. (person with a cushy number e.g. in the war) ponte nm. (big cheese, bigwig) pot-de-vin nm. (bribe) pote nm. (chum, pal)

Proc’ nm. (le procureur de la République, the public prosecutor) prunes nfpl. (years when speaking of age, parking tickets) salades nfpl (lies, porkies) salée adj. (steep, for a bill) toubib nm. (doctor) See Chapter 13 ‘toubib’ trouille nf. (fear) truc nm. (a widget, a whatsit, a thingumajig) tuile nf. (a piece of bad luck) vacherie nf. (nastiness, a dirty trick) virer vt. (to dismiss, to kick out) zinc nm. (aeroplane)

(2) Miscellaneous terms

bâcler vt. ** (to botch the work) bail nm. ** (a long time !) balader vt.***. (to lead sb. up the garden path etc.) barbus nmpl. ** (muslim fundamentalists)

barrer se v.pron. * (to scarper, to beat it) bassiner vt. ** (to bore, to plague) berzingue, à tout, loc. adv. *** (like the clappers) beurre nm. compter pour du** (to count for nothing) bibi nm.** (yours truly, muggins) bidouiller vt. ** (to fiddle, to tinker with) bidule nm. ** (a widget, a thingumyjig) binette nf.*** (face, mug) bisbille nf. *(petty quarrel, tiff) blairer vt. * ( ‘je ne peux pas le blairer’ I can’t stand the sight of him) bled nm.** ( place, dump, hole) See Chapter 14 ‘bled’. bouillon de onze heures nm.* (a poisoned drink, a lethal potion) boîte nf. *** (commercial or industrial company, possibly a nigh-club) bosser vi. *** (to graft) bouquin nm. *** (book) bourrer, se v. pronom.** (se bourrer les poches to fill one’s pockets) branleur nm. ** (a , a slacker) vulg. caisse nf.* (car) canasson nm. *(an old horse, a nag) carabiné adj. * (j’ai une grippe carabinée, I’ve got a stinking dose of flu) casquette nf. **(rôle or function) casse-gueule adj. *** (dangerous) casse-pieds adj. ** (a pain in the neck/arse) casser du sucre sur le dos vt.** (to badmouth sb. behind his/her back) casser sa pipe loc.verb.** (to croak, to kick the bucket) cerises nfpl. ** (years of age) charrette nf. ** (a group of people made redundant)

chopper, se faire v.pron.* (to get nabbed)

choper vt. ** (to catch sb. or a chill) ciboulot nm.* (head, en avoir dans le ciboulot = to have brains) cinoche nm. ** (cinema, movies) cirage de pompes nm. *** (boot-licking) claque nf. *** (avoir sa claque = ‘I’ve had it up to here) clébard nm. ** (dog, pooch) clope nm. ** (fag) clou nm. ** (ne pas valoir un clou. not to be worth anything) contredanse nf. *** (parking ticket/fine) costard nm.** (suit) coup de gueule nm. *** (pousser un coup de gueule to hit the roof) coup de pompe nm.* (to suddenly feel knackered) coup fourré nm. *** (a dirty trick) coup tordu n.m. ** (a dirty trick) crédit municipal nm. ** (municipal pawnbroker) croquer vi.** (to take one’s share dishonestly) arg. croûte nf. ** (third-rate painting) cucu la praline adj. * (simple, foolish) culotté adj. *** (to have a nerve) dada nm. *** (a gee-gee i.e. ‘a horse, or a pet idea) déballage nm. *** (spilling the beans) débarquer vi.** (to arrive unannounced or not to be aware of a given situation Il débarque!) débarquer vt. *** (to fire, to get rid of.) déconner vi. ** (to fool around) décrocher la timbale/pompon vt. ** (to win the big prize) dégagez imp. *** (clear off, beat it!)

dégonflé nm. *** (to have cold feet) dégringolade nf. *** (collapse e.g. in share prices) dur de la feuille adj.* (deaf, hard of hearing) emmerdes nfpl. *** (problems, trouble, hassles) emmerdeur nm. *** (pain in the arse) encaisser vi. * (to take blows courageously) enculé nm.* (prick, ) vulg. engueuler vt. *** (to ball sb. out, to give sb. a roasting)

épingler vtr. *** (to nab sb) fagoter vt. *** (mal fagoté means badly dressed) fainéant nm. and adj.*** (loafer, idler) faire rouler, se v. pron. *** (to be taken for a ride) feignant nm. *** (loafer, idler) feuille de chou nf. *** (rag, newspaper) fils de pute nm. ** (son of a bitch, SOB) vulg. flanqué *** (accompanied by one person on either side) flopée nf. *** (a bunch of, tons of) fourguer vt. **** (to unload, palm off, flog) foutage de gueule nm. *** (kidding, piss-taking) foutre en l’air loc. ** (to screw up, to bugger up) foutre le camp vt.* (to bugger off, to scarper) foutre, rien à *** (not to give a shit.) fraise nf. * (pour ma fraise means ‘for me’, ‘for muggins’) fricoter vi.* (to be involved in some shady business) fripes nf.* (togs, old clothes) gabelou nm.* (originally a salt-tax collector…la gabelle. Now a pejorative term for a customs officer) gamberger vi.** (to think hard, to brood) arg.

gars nm. ** (bloke) glander vi. ** (to bum around, to hang around) glandouilleur nm. ** (loafer) goberger (se) v.pron. ** (to indulge oneself) godasse nf. ** (shoe, beatle crusher, clodhopper) gomme nf. ** (mettre la gomme means ‘to accelerate, to put one’s foot down, to step on it’) gonflette nf.* (pumping iron, body building) grande gueule nf.* (big mouth, loudmouth) grappe nf.* (lâcher la grappe à qqn, ‘to get off sb’s back’) grappiller vi. ** (to fiddle, to pick up, to glean) gratin nm. **(the upper crust) grenouille de bénitier nm. ** (a Bible thumper, a holy Joe) grogne nf. *** (simmering discontent) gros bonnet nm. ** (a big shot, a bigwig) gros bras nm. *** (bodyguard) grosse légume nf. *** (big shot) NB ‘légume’ is masculine! gueulante nf. *** (pousser une, ‘to hit the roof’) gueule nf. ** (avoir de la gueule ‘to have something in terms of style’) gueule, faire la ** (to sulk) gueule, en prend plein la nf. *** (to get a mouthful from sb.) gueule nf. ** (se casser la gueule ‘to fall flat on one’s face’, or ‘to come unstuck’) gueuler vi. *** (to yell) gugusse nm. ** (a bloke) hosto nm. *** (hospital) jacter vi. * (to chin wag, to natter) jaser vi. ** (to gossip) jeton nm. * (avoir les jetons ‘to have a wind up’)

kiffer vt.* (to be crazy about, to get a kick out of.) linge (beau) nm. *(members of high society, the upper crust) loucedé, en adv. *** (on the sly). See below Section ‘Larlépem-vous louchébem?’ louche nf. *** (en remettre une louche means ‘to lay it on thick’) lourder vt. ** (to give sb. the boot, to kick out sb.) arg. ma tante nf. ** (municipal pawn shop) machin nm. *** (a thingumyjig, widget) malle, se faire la vpron. (to scarper, to beat it) malotru nm. ** (a lout, a yob) manche nf. *** (faire la manche means ‘to beg’, to pan handle) manitou nm. *** (a big shot, a big noise) marquer à la culotte** (to keep close tabs on sb.) marre adv. *** (en avoir marre means ‘to be fed up to the high teeth’) marrer (se) vpron. **. (to have a good laugh) marron adj. inv. *** (être marron means ‘to be had’) marron adj. inv. *** (unqualified, who practices illegally) mastoc adj. ** (ginormous) mater vtr. ** (to check out, to eye-up e.g. a girl) mauviette nf * (a whimp, a wuss) mec nm. ** (a bloke) médoc nm. ** (medicine, i.e. pills etc.) melon nm (a big head, an Arab, in the plural it designates boobs i.e. breasts) merde nf. ** (shit). micmac nm.* (funny business or confusion) molosse nm.* (big dog) mon œil, interj.* (my foot) mont-de-piété nm.* (pawn shop)

moufter vi. ** (sans moufter means ‘to keep mum’) mouiller vt.. *** (to get sb. mixed up or compromised in an affair) nanar nm. *** (a lousy film) nase adj. **(knackered, bust, crappy, lousy) navet nm. ***(a lousy film) niaque nf.* (fighting spirit) nippes nfpl. *, (togs, clothes, gear) niquer vt. ** (to screw often in the figurative sense) noise nf. ** (chercher des noises à qqn means ‘to pick a quarrel with sb.’) noix, à la. loc. ***. (of poor quality) oh fan* interj. marseillaise (to express relief) os nm. ** (a snag, a hitch) paille, homme de * (‘man of straw’, a front) paille nf. *** (sur la paille means ‘ruined’) panade nf. *** (être dans la panade means ‘to be broke’) paquet nm. ** (mettre le paquet means ‘to pull out all the stops’) payer (se) vpron** (se payer qqn. means ‘to shoot sb. down’ metaphorically) pékin moyen nm. *** (a bloke, a guy) pépère adj.** (un boulot pépère’ means ‘a cushy number’). péquenot nm.* (a yokel, a peasant) péj. pétard, en loc. ** (être en pétard means ‘to be angry’. pétard is also ‘a joint of cannabis’ or ‘ a shooter’) péter les plombs vi. ** (to go ballistic, to blow one’s top) pète-sec adj. **(person with a curt or abrupt manner) pétochard nm. *** (a chicken, sb. who is frightened easily) phosphorer vi.* (to work hard intellectually) piaule nf. ** (a room, a bedsit, digs) piger vi. **(to twig, to get it, to understand)

pipe nf. ** (casser sa pipe means ‘to kick the bucket’) pipeau *** (c’est du pipeau means ‘rubbish, not serious’) pipi de chat** (cat’s piss) piquer un roupillon loc. * (to have forty winks, to take a nap) piquer vt. ** (to pinch, to nick, to steal) pisse-froid nm. * (a wet blanket) plein-pot adv. (payer plein-pot means ‘to pay in full, with no reduction’) plomber vt. *** (to compromise a project) plumard nm.* (bed, sack, pit UK) plumer vt. (to fleece) poil à loc. adj.* (starkers or ruined) poilade nf. *** (side-splitting laughter) poilant adj.* (hysterical) poiler (se) vpron*. (to laugh one’s head off) pointure nf. ** (sb. exceptional in his or her field) poire nf. *** (prendre en pleine poire to receive violent criticism’, or ‘the mug’ or ‘face’) poireau, faire le** (to kick one’s heels, to cool one’s heels) pomme nf. *** (face or pour ma pomme means ‘for me, for muggins’) pomme nf. * (en prendre plein la pomme means ‘to have a lot of shit thrown in one’s face’) pompes, à côté de ses loc.adj. *** (to be screwed up) pondre vt. *** (pondre un rapport means ‘to churn out or come up with’) populo nm.* (the pleb) porte-flingues nm. *** (henchman or an aggressive supporter of a politician) pot nm. ** (luck) pour du beurre loc. ** (for nothing, to no good purpose) proprio nm. ** (the landlord/lady) prune nf. (pv) *** (a parking ticket)

prunes nf. *** (compter pour des prunes means ‘to count for nothing’) purée nf. * (être dans la purée means ‘to be in financial difficulty’; See dèche, mouise, panade). purée is also an interjection such as ‘heck’ rade nf. ** (en rade means ‘to be stranded’ or ‘to have broken down’) rafiot nm. ** (a tub, a small boat in poor condition) ramdam nm.* (racket, din) ramener sa fraise** (to stick in one’s oar’) ras le bol loc. *** (en avoir ras le bol/la casquette means ‘to be fed up’) rebelote interj. *** (exclamation ‘here we go again’) rescousse nf. ** (help, rescue, aid) rhabiller (se) v. pron. *** (tu peux aller te rhabiller means ‘you can forget it’) riquiqui adj. ** (teeny weeny) rosbifs nmpl. *** (the Brits, the English) rosse nf. ** (a swine, a beast, a cow) savon nm. *** (passer un savon à qqn means ‘to give sb. a roasting/bollocking) savonner la planche loc. *** (to make life difficult for sb.) shit nm. *** (cannabis) arg. sucrer (se) v.pron. *** (to help oneself, to make a profit at other people’s expense) sucrer vt. ** (to confiscate, to take away, to cancel) suer vi.* (faire suer qqn means ‘to get up sb’s nose’) taf nm. *** (graft, work) tamponner (se) v.pron. *** ‘(je m’en tamponne le coquillard, I couldn’t give a shit or a tinker’s cuss) taper le cul par terre, se *** (to have a fit of laughter) tintouin nm. ** (racket, hassle, aggro) tocard nmf. ** (bad quality race horse) torchon nm. ** (a rag, a newspaper) péj. touiller v.tr.* (to stir, to toss e.g green salad)

tout baigne loc. adv. ** (everything in the garden is rosy) traficotage nm. ** (fiddling e.g. the figures) tralala nm. ** (the works, the full monty) tranche nf. (s’en payer une tranche means ‘to have a ball’)

Trifouilly-les-Oies (the back of beyond) tripatouillage nm. (fiddling, or tampering with the figures) tripette nf. ** (ne pas valoir tripette, ‘not to be worth a light’) trouffion nm.* (a squaddie, a simple soldier) turbin nm. * (work, graft) turbiner vi.* (to work, to slog, to slave away) valser vi. **(to chuck) veinard nm. *** (jammy bastard, lucky bastard) vider son sac* (to come out with it, to get it off of one’s chest) vieux schnock nm. ** (an old fart) virée nf. ** (a ride, a drive, a spin) yankees** (the Americans)

(3) Familiar terms per category

By far the most important category is that concerning the police, criminals and their respective activities.

(A) police and criminals balance nf. *** (a grass) arg.

balancer vt. *** (to grass on sb.) arg. ballon nm. *** (clink, slammer, cooler) arg. barbouzard nm. *** (relative to dirty tricks committed by under-cover police) barbouze n.f. *** (an agent working under-cover) barbouzeries nfpl. *** (illicit dirty tricks) belle, se faire la vi.*** (to break out of prison) bœuf-carottes nmpl *** (l’Inspection générale des services, the police of the police) cabane nf. ** (clink, slammer, cooler) camé nm.’ (a junky) cavale (en) nf. ** (on the run) arg. cousin nm* (a police informer) cuisiner vt. ** (to grill a suspect) donneuse nf. * (a female grass, police informant) faux nez nm. ** (man of straw, used as a front) filoche nf. ** (a tail, a shadow) flic nm. *** (a cop) flicaille nf. ** (the fuzz) péj. flingue nm. *** (a firearm, a shooter) fliquer vt. ** (to put sb. under electronic surveillance) frais, au. ** (in the cooler) gâchette nf. (gunman) gauler vpron.* (to be nicked/nabbed by the police) gnouf nm.* (jail, prison) arg. indic nm. ** (a grass, a squealer) keuf nm. ** (a cop) lessiveuse nm. *** (a business e.g. a casino where money is laundered) macchabée nm. ** (a corpse, a stiff)

maison Poulaga nf. *** (the police but particularly the police and the French CID) maquereau nm.* (a pimp) maton nm. ** (a prison warden, a screw) arg. mouchard nm. ** (a police informer or an electronic bug) pandore nm. *** (gendarme) passer à table vi.* (to confess, to come clean during a police interrogation, to spill the beans) pétard nm. *** (a firearm, a shooter, a joint) arg. petite frappe nf. * (young hoodlum) pincer vt. (to nick, to nab) poulaille nf. *** (the fuzz, the pigs) poulet nm. *** (cop) arg. rancarder vt. (to inform) arg. ripou nm. *** (a crooked cop) back slang for pourri schnouf nf * (snow, dope, cocaine) table, se mettre à ***. (see above passer à table) taulard nm. *** (a convict, a con, jailbird) arg. taule nf. *** (clink, slammer) arg. taulier/taulière nm./nf.*** (landlord or lady of a hotel of ill repute) tonton nm. * (this usually means uncle (nunky) but in police slang it is a police informer)

tricoche nf. * (the illegal sale of confidential information by a police officer to the advantage of a third party) trou nm. *** (clink, slammer, cooler) arg.

(B) Money

ardoise nf. *** (a slate, a debt) bagatelle nf. *** (a small sum of money, or ironically a big sum)

bifton nm*. (bank note. NB also written ‘biffeton’) billes nfpl*** (money invested. e.g. recupérer ses billes, ‘to get one’s money back’) bonbon, coûter loc. adj. *** (to cost a pretty penny) cacahuètes nfpl ** (peanuts) cash nm. adv. ** *(liquidity, or parler cash, means ‘to speak very frankly’) chérot adj. ** (expensive) claquer de l’argent vt. *** (to spend wastefully) clopinettes nfpl. *** (a very small sum of money, peanuts) cracher au bassinet vt. *** (to cough up) dèche nf. *** (c’est la dèche, ‘we are strapped/ broke) douiller vi. *** (ça va douiller, ‘that’s going to cost an arm and a leg’) douloureuse nf. ** (a very steep bill) fauché adj. *** (skint, broke) flouze nm. *** (dosh, dough) fraîche nf. ** (dosh, dough) fric nm. *** (dosh, dough) friqué adj. ** (rich)

œil, à l’ loc.adv. *** (free of charge) oseille nf.*** dosh, bread (literally ‘sorrel’) patate nf. ** (10, 000 francs) pelote nf. ** (nest egg) pèze nm. ** (dosh, dough) arg. plein aux as, loc. adj. *** (to be rolling in it) pognon nm. (dosh, dough, gelt) raquer vi. ** (to cough up, to fork out) slip, se retrouver en, loc. adj. ** (to lose one’s shirt, to be ruined) sous nmpl. *** (dosh dough)

thune(s) nfpl *** (dosh, dough) arg. tirelire n.m. *** (piggy-bank)

(C) Defeat and failure bide nm. *** (a flop) boire la tasse *** (suffer financial losses) boire le bouillon ** (suffer financial losses) branlée nf. *** (thrashing, pasting, hammering) vulg. cagade nf.** (monumental failure, above all used in the Marseille region) caramel nm.* (prendre un caramel ‘to suffer a defeat’) carbonisé adj. *** (destroyed after a failure) cata’ nf. *** (catastrophe) déculottée nf. *** (a hammering, a trouncing) foirer vi. *** (to be a cockup) vulg. gadin nm. *** (ramasser un gadin means ‘to fall flat on one’s face’) gamelle nf. *** (prendre une gamelle ‘to fall flat on one’s face’) pâtée nf. *** (thrashing, hammering) pelle nf. ** (prendre une pelle is ‘to come unstuck, to fall flat on one’s face’) planter (se) *** (to flunk, to boob) plouf interj. ** (faire plouf ‘to fail lamentably’) raclée nf. *** (a thrashing, a hammering) râteau nm. *** (se prendre un râteau means ‘to get turned down’, ‘to get a knockback’) rincée nf. ** (total defeat) rouste nf. * (thrashing, hammering) tôle nf. *** (se payer une tôle means ‘to fall flat on one’s face’) veste nf. *** (se prendre une veste means ‘to come unstuck’)

D The body baba nm.* (l’avoir dans le baba means ‘to be had/conned’) babines nfpl*** (s’en lécher les babines ‘to lick one’s chops) bec nm. ** (cakehole) bide nm. *** (belly, gut) binette nf. *** (face, mug) caillou nm.* (head, nut) cul nm. *** (arse). See faux-cul and lèche-cul esgourdes nf. *** (ears, lugholes) gambettes nf. ** (legs, pins) gosier nm. *** (throat, gullet) gueule nf. *** (cakehole or mug) louche nf. *** (hand, mitt, paw) mirettes nfpl. *** (eyes, peepers) paluche nf. ** (hand, mitt, paw) patte nf. ** (hand, mitt, paw) pif nm. ** (nose, conk, hooter, schnozzle) poire nf. * (face, mug) popotin nm. (bum, butt, backside) ratiche nf. * (tooth, gnasher) arg. truffe nf. *(conk, hooter, schnozzle) arg.

E Intelligence and insults

attrape-couillon/nigaud/gogo nm.** (a scam, swindle, hustle) bas du plafond, être adj.* (to be slow on the uptake) blaireau nm. ** (a jerk, a prat) blanc-bec nm. ** (a green-horn) bouché à l’émeri* (as thick as two short planks) bouseux nm. ** (yokel, peasant, hick) péj. bras d’honneur nm. *** (the V sign with the palm facing the person making the sign) brêle nf. (a wanker, a loser) cave nm. *** (sb. who is not part of the underworld) See Chapter 1 ‘Cave’ con nm. adj. *** (asshole, arsehole, stupid, thick) connard nm. *** (a stupid bastard) vulg. couillon nm. adj. ** (asshole, twat) vulg. crétin nm. ** (cretin) cruche nf.* (pillock, plonker) dingue nmf adj. ** (crazy) gober vt. **(swallow hook line and sinker). gogo nm. *** (a sucker, a mug) lourdingue adj. *** (sb who is over the top, lacking in subtlety) nunuche adj. *** (daft, dumb) plaque, il est à côté de la* (he hasn’t got a clue) panneau nm.*** ( tomber dans le panneau ‘to be had’) paumé adj. *** (a loser, a dropout) peigne-cul nm. * (a tosser, a jerk, a boor) pigeon nm. *** (dupe, sucker, mug, patsy) plouc nm. *** (yokel, peasant, hick) péj. timbré adj. ** (bonkers, wacko) zozo nm. *** (jerk pillock)

F Food bâfrer (se) vpron. ** (to stuff one’s face) barbaque nf. *** (meat, usually of bad quality) becqueter vt. ** (to eat) bidoche nf. *** (meat) bouffe nf. *** (grub) bouffer vi. *** (to gobble up, to wolf down) boustifaille nf. ** (grub) casser la graine vt.* (to have a snack, a bite to eat)

charcutaille** nf. (charcuterie) crever la dalle vt. ** (to be starving) croûte, casser la vt. ** (to have a snack). gaver (se) v.pron. *** (to stuff one’s face, to take excessive advantage at the cost of others) goinfrer (se) v. pron. *** (to stuff one’s face) gueuleton nm. *** (a feast, a blow-out) popote nf. ** (cooking) tambouille nf. *** (food, grub)

G Violent criticism allumer v. *** (to criticize sb. very severely) avoinée nf.*** (a thrashing, a hammering) bretelles, se faire remonter les*** (to be hauled over the coals, to be bawled out) botter le cul vt.* (to give sb. a kick up the arse) bouffer du curé vtr. *** (to be violently anti-clerical) canardages nmpl. ** (sniping) canarder vt. **(to snipe)

casser la baraque vi.** (to bring the house down) cloches à qqn., sonner les vt.* (to ball sb. out) dézingage nm. *** (the verbal shooting down of an opponent) dézinguer vt. *** (to shoot down) enguirlander vt. ** (to read sb. the riot act) flingage nm. *** (shooting down of sb.) flinguer vt. *** (to shoot down sb) fumer qqn. vt. ** (to kill, to bump off) habiller qqn. pour l’hiver vt. (to bad mouth sb., to slag off sb.) incendier qqn. vt.** (to haul sb. over the coals) passer un savon à qqn vt. *** (to give sb. a roasting, to ball sb. out.) sonner les cloches, vt. *** (to ball sb.out) souffler dans les bronches à qqn vt. *** (to ball sb.out, to give sb. hell) volée de bois vert, prendre une *** (to receive a volley of reproaches)

H Alcoholic beverages biberonner vi.* (to tipple, to booze) biture nf. prendre une* (to get plastered/wasted/pissed ) bourré adj. *** (drunk, pissed, legless) boutanche nf. *** (a bottle of wine or spirits) carburer vi. ** (to run on e.g. ‘he runs on vodka’) chargé adj. * (loaded, wrecked, wasted) cravate, s’en jeter un derrière la v (to down a glass of alcohol) cuite prendre une *** (to get wasted, legless) dalle en pente, avoir la* (to be fond of the bottle) gnôle nf. ** (firewater)

lampée nf.* (a big gulp) pastaga nm. ** (a pastis) picoler vi. *** (to booze) pinard nm. *** (wine, vino, plonk) piquette nf. *** (rot gut, poor quality wine) pochard/e nmf. ** (a boozer) poivrot(te) nmf. *** (a boozer, a lush)

I Physical violence baffe nf. *** (a clout, a cuff) bagarre nf. ** (a fight, a bundle, a punch up) baston nm. ** (a fight, a bundle, a punch up) arg. bastonner vt. *** (ça a bastonné ‘there was a punch up’,) arg. boule nf.* un coup de (a headbutt) bourre-pif nm.* (a punch on the nose) buter vt. ** (to kill, to knock off) casser la figure/la gueule vt. *** (to smash sb’s face in) vulg. castagne nf. ** (a fight, a punch up) arg. chignon, se crêper le vpron. réciproque. *** (to have a cat fight) dégommer vt. *** (to kill, to knock off, ) descendre vt.* (to kill, to knock off) dessouder vt.** (to kill, to knock off) arg. gnon nm. *** (a clout, a thump) rififi nm. *** (trouble, aggro) arg. rouste nf. ** (thrashing, hammering) fam. soufflet nm. ** (a slap in the face) tabassage nm.* (a beating up)

tabasser vt. *** (to beat sb up) taloche nf.* (a smack) tomber dessus à bras raccourcis loc.adv.** (to set upon sb.) zigouiller vt.*** (to kill, to bump off)

J Sex bagatelle nf.* (love-making) baise-en-ville nm. ** (a small, overnight bag.) baiser vtr.** (to f—k, to lay or to screw.) vulg. bijoux de famille nmpl* (the family jewels) bombe nf. *(a babe, a knockout) cocu adj. *** (cuckold) couilles nfpl. *** (testicules, synonymous with ‘courage’) cul nm. *** (arse, ass, backside, sex) vulg. drague nf. *** (cruising, chatting up) draguer vtr. *** (to cruise, to chat up, to hit on) fille de joie nf.* (prostitute) galipettes nfpl**(bedroom romps) pelle nf. *** (a French ) pincer pour qqn**. En (to be crazy about sb.) pipe nf.* (a fellation, a blow job) poule nf. (chick, judy) poule de luxe (a high-class whore) putain! (‘whore’ or as an exclamation, ‘bloody’)

K Inferiorisation of women

chieuse nf. ** (a pain in the arse) vulg. conne nf. ** (a stupid bitch) vulg. gaffeuse nf. adj. *** (a woman who is always putting her foot in it) gonzesse nf. ** (a chick, a bird, a judy) meuf nf.** (back slang for woman) arg. nana nf. ** (chick, bird, girlfriend) poule nf. ** (whore, hooker, slut, tart) putain n.f. *** (prostitute, often exclamative) vulg. et péj. pute nf. *** (hooker, slut, tart) vulg. et péj. salope nf. ** (a bitch, a slut) vulg. et péj

It has been pointed out that many words that are used in the masculine are neutral but, become pejorative in the feminine e.g. un gagneur is a man who wins, une gagneuse is a prostitute un courtisan is an intriguer, une courtisane is a prostitute un masseur is a physiotherapist, une masseuse is a prostitute un coureur is a man who runs, une coureuse is a man-eater un entraîneur is a trainer, une entraîneuse is a prostitute un homme public is in the limelight, une femme publique is a prostitute un homme facile is easy-going, une femme facile is a woman of easy virtue un homme qui fait le trottoir is a paver, une femme qui fait le trottoir is a prostitute

L Confusion bazar nm. *** (mess, shambles) bordel nm. *** (mess, shambles) arg. bordélique adj. ** (like a whorehouse) arg.

boxon nm. ** (mess, shambles, whorehouse) vulg. choucroute, pédaler dans la** (to be at a total loss) foutoir nm. ** (mess shambles, pig-sty) foutre le bordel ** (to make a mess of, to provoke confusion) merdier nm. ** (a bloody mess, a bloody shambles) vulg. pagaille nf. *** (a mess, a shambles)

M Error bavure nf. *** (blunder or error or abuse often used with police action) boulette nf. *** (boob, blooper) bourde nf. *** (boob, blooper) foirer vi. *** (to be a cock-up/balls up of e.g. an exam) gaffe nf. *** (boob, blooper) gourer, (se)vpron. *** (to boob, to goof up) merder vi. *** (to cock up, to balls up) vulg. plaque, être à côté de la ** (to be wide of the mark, to be barking up the wrong tree)

N Members of the family beauf nm. *** (brother-in-law, the implication is often pejorative) belle-doche nf. *** (mother-in-lawe) péj. fifille nf. ** (daughter) fifils nm. ** (son) fiston nm. *** (sonny, sonny Jim) frérot nm. *** (brother) paternel nm. ** (pater, father)

tonton nm. *** (uncle, nunky)

O Children gamin/e nmf. *** (kid) gosse nnmf. *** (kid) loupiot/te nmf. * (kid) marmot nm.* (kid) marmaille nf. (brood, kids) minot nm. ** (kid used in the Marseille region) môme nmf** (kid, closely associated with Edith Piaf) mouflet nm. (kid) rejeton/ne*** (kid)

P Death clamser vi.* (to croak) lâcher la rampe* (to kick the bucket, to snuff it) manger les pissenlits par la racine (to be pushing up daisies) passer l’arme à gauche (to go west, to kick the bucket, to snuff it)

Larlépem-vous louchébem?

NB I shall simply mention in passing a form of slang peculiar to butchers i.e. louchébem’. This was a jargon born in the slaughterhouse area of La Villette, in Paris, in the nineteenth century. As is usually the case with slang, it prevented the non-initiated from understanding what was being said among the butchers. The mechanism is the following.

The first letter of the word you wish to use is replaced by the letter’l’, then the original first letter of the word is shifted to the end of the word and the suffix é, em, oque uche is added ; thus ‘boucher’ gives us louché, to which is added a letter ‘b’ and a final ‘em’. ‘louchébem’. Although this slang form is disappearing, two words of this slang form remain in use in everyday French, ‘loufoque’ meaning ‘fou’ and ‘loucédé’ meaning ‘en douce’, ‘on the sly’.