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Local France
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Local France
French word of the day: Cadeau empoisonné
Why do I need to know cadeau empoisonné ? Because this expression will help you illustrate your evil side. What does it mean ? The expression is composed of cadeau , which means 'gift', and empoisonné , meaning 'poisoned'. So a cadeau empoisonné is literally a poisoned gift. Obviously, it is not exactly nice. It is a figurative way of saying that you are getting rid of something annoying, boring or difficult by passing it on somebody else - the English would be to hand someone a poisoned chalice. Advertisement But here is the subtlety of cadeau empoisonné - you present the situation as if you were doing a favour to the person, to hide your real intentions. The person to whom you've given the cadeau empoisonné will first be thankful for the responsibility you've entrusted them with, until they realise why you did that. But it will be too late. For example, when French Health minister Agnès Buzyn left her post at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis (because she has to take over from a Paris mayoral candidate with a certain online video ) her replacement Olivier Véran received a big promotion - and an enormous challenge to deal with. He got a real cadeau empoisonné . Through history and mythology there are numerous examples of 'poisoned gifts' - from the Trojan horse to Snow White's apple - but the most famous French story of this is almost certainly untrue. The legend goes that the Medieval French queen Catherine de Medici gave her daughter's future mother-in-law Jeanne Albret, the Huguenot Queen of Navarre, a gift of perfumed leather gloves which were laced with poison, killing the protestant queen. In fact, Jeanne had tuberculosis, which is almost certainly what killed her, and the poisoned glove story was part of a smear campaign against Catherine, who was nicknamed la reine serpent (the serpent queen) by her political enemies. Use it like this Confier toute l'organisation au stagiaire la veille de la réunion était un cadeau empoisonné - Putting all of the organisation in the intern's hands the day before the meeting was a poisoned chalice. J'ai hérité de la maison de ma tante mais il faut faire beaucoup de travaux, c'est un vrai cadeau empoisonné - I inherited of my aunt's house but there is a lot of construction work to do, it's more of a curse than a blessing. Synonyms Refiler la patate chaude à quelqu'un - To pass the hot potato on to someone Refiler le bébé à quelqu'un - to pass the buck to someone
See - Sada Elbalad
17-02-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
France Debates Bill to Ban Hijabs in Sports Competitions
Israa Farhan The French Senate is currently debating a controversial bill that seeks to ban the wearing of hijabs and other religious symbols by female athletes in official sports competitions, according to the French newspaper Le Point. The proposed legislation, which is being reviewed by the Senate's Culture, Education, and Sports Committee, aims to prohibit visible religious symbols in regional, national, and inter-district competitions. In addition to headscarves and burqas, the bill would restrict clothing associated with religious or political beliefs. The bill also includes provisions beyond sports competitions. Article 2 proposes a ban on the use of sports facilities for religious purposes, such as prayer gatherings. Article 3 seeks to prohibit religious attire in public swimming pools and bathing areas. France has already imposed strict secularism policies in public institutions. In 2023, the government banned abayas and long tunics in public schools, with government spokesperson Olivier Véran labeling such attire a "political statement." The proposed sports hijab ban has sparked heated debate, with critics arguing that it discriminates against Muslim women and infringes on religious freedom. Supporters of the bill, however, contend that it upholds France's strict secular principles and ensures neutrality in public spaces. If passed, the legislation would mark another significant restriction on religious expression in France, further reinforcing the country's longstanding commitment to laïcité (state secularism).
