Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
pensée molle
English translation:
limp thinking, wooly thinking, etc (see question)
Added to glossary by
David Vaughn
Oct 6, 2010 09:25
13 yrs ago
French term
pensée molle
French to English
Social Sciences
Government / Politics
I prefer not to give more context, because my context specifically refers to contemporary political usage of this specific term in general.
MTIA
MTIA
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | limp thinking |
Melissa McMahon
|
| 1 +8 | woolly thinking |
Tony M
|
| 4 +1 | slipshod thinking, slack minds |
Bourth (X)
|
| 3 +1 | weak reasoning |
Catharine Cellier-Smart
|
| 3 | soft thinking |
kashew
|
| 3 | Wishy-washiness or spinelessness |
Maia Tabet
|
Proposed translations
+2
34 mins
Selected
limp thinking
My understanding of the term in French is that it doesn't mean "fuzzy" or unclear thinking, but wishy-washiness, impotence... that kind of "molle".
I think "limp" is the right level of derision. This phrase is used here and there in English, though not as a "buzz word" like the French...
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Note added at 37 mins (2010-10-06 10:02:23 GMT)
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SMcG's comment makes me think of "feeblemindedness", which is indeed an expression in English - could work as a suggested equivalent.
I think "limp" is the right level of derision. This phrase is used here and there in English, though not as a "buzz word" like the French...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2010-10-06 10:02:23 GMT)
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SMcG's comment makes me think of "feeblemindedness", which is indeed an expression in English - could work as a suggested equivalent.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Evans (X)
: not so sure about limp, but I think 'wishy-washy thinking', or even 'mindlessness' might work/
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Alison Sabedoria (X)
6 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for all the replies, most of which could have worked. I went with "limp reasoning", feeling my context allowed me to use a somewhat dubious term, even if it does seem to exist in the google corpus. In afterthought, I think perhaps "thinking" would have been better, but xlations need to be sent off... I rather liked Toni's "out of focus thinking" and "wooly" may be the best all around choice."
+1
10 mins
Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Reunion
Native in English
Works in field
Reunion
The Smart Solution
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: French to English, Creoles & Pidgins (French-based Other) to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
20
weak reasoning
or possibly 'cowardly thinking'
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
SMcG (X)
: yeah weak or untenable, tenuous, implausible, unsatisfactory, poor, inadequate, feeble etc. take your pick (but not not cowardly).
13 mins
|
|
thank you S !
|
+8
15 mins
woolly thinking
I'm not familiar with current political usage of this term, but this was what instinctively came to mind when I read your question. I realize that would perhaps be more likely to be 'floue', but maybe there's some mileage in it?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Bourth (X)
: Baaaa!
4 mins
|
|
Revenons à ces moutons.. no, don't let's! Thanks, Alex!
|
|
| agree |
Evans (X)
: without more context, this covers the idea nicely
8 mins
|
|
Thanks, Gilla!
|
|
| agree |
Carol Gullidge
10 mins
|
|
Thanks, Carol!
|
|
| agree |
Sandra Mouton
: This is discrimination against people with funny surnames! ;-)
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks a lot, Sandra! Well, you'd have to really, wouldn't you? ;-)
|
|
| agree |
Alison Sabedoria (X)
: Does this count as a fuzzy match, then? =)
6 hrs
|
|
Thanks, W/E! Isn't that when two sheep get engaged?
|
|
| agree |
Michel F. Morin
9 hrs
|
|
Merci, Michel !
|
|
| agree |
joehlindsay
10 hrs
|
| agree |
Catherine Gilsenan
2 days 2 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Catherine!
|
+1
17 mins
slipshod thinking, slack minds
However, possibilities abound. If it's used in politics, it's bound to evoke a certain meaning, even if it doesn't actually say that. That's politics.
Laxist thinking. Thoughtless logic. Indulgent reasoning. Laissez-faire thinking. Unbridled thoughtlessness.
Laxist thinking. Thoughtless logic. Indulgent reasoning. Laissez-faire thinking. Unbridled thoughtlessness.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jocelyne S
: Laxist thinking was what I was going to post before I saw you'd already done so.
6 mins
|
23 mins
soft thinking
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Melissa McMahon
: Problem is "pensée molle" is the opposite of the "creative, macro-level, brainstorming" referred to here.../I like "wet"!
7 mins
|
|
Soft-line or wet politics then?
|
16 hrs
Maia Tabet
Native in French
&
English
Works in field
No job too difficult
Native in: English 
, French
Works in: Arabic to English, French to English
Wishy-washiness or spinelessness
Giver the lack of context, it's hard to say whether thinking would be the appropriate term to translate pensée; it could be reasoning, ideas, or just a general level of "wishy-washiness" or "spinelessness", as suggested in my answer.
Discussion
The phrase is widely used in contemporary French politics. It's a buzz term, even the title of a book, I believe. My understanding of the term is that it refers to whatever your opponent says. ;-))
Or the opposite of bringing astute analysis to bear in evaluating a problem or situation.
Is your problem that you simply don't understand what they actually mean by it; or are you sure what it means, but merely looking for the equivalent term in EN?