Nonsense, gibberish
and other Gallicisms

Dominique Mataillet

There are words as ordinary as can be that, one day, for reasons unknown, become omnipresent in public discourse. For example, "back to school," "neighborhoods," and "identity" are among them. Others, such as resilience, hubris, disruption, or ultracrepidarianism, coming from who knows where and sometimes used in unorthodox ways, enjoy the same popularity.
It is these timely words that the author of this work enjoys spotting before dissecting them to better understand their origin, evolution, and usage.
Whatever the terms and expressions discussed, the texts gathered in this work aim to explore today's France, its political and social tensions, the challenges, especially environmental ones, it faces, but also the richness of its culture and the vitality of its regions. Throughout the pages, debates around the French language, its current relevance, permanence, and diversity are ever-present.