French Word of the Day: Zadiste
It might sound like a new school of modern painting, but this term actually refers to a very different art form.
Why do I need to know zadiste?
If you watch the news in France, you’ll hear the term a lot, generally over images of environmental protesters.
What does it mean?
Zadiste - pronounced zadd - eest - is the noun (masculine, so un zadiste) to describe a protester taking some form of direct action - usually squatting - to prevent development plans for a particular area going ahead, usually for environmental reasons.
What’s important, here, is the first syllable: zad is, in fact, the acronym ZAD, which in a planning context can mean Zone d'Aménagement Différé (deferred development zone) - but in protest terms mean Zone à Défendre (zone to defend).
Under the original meaning, which is basically planning jargon, the establishment of a ZAD establishes the right of a local authority to have first dibs on any purchasing a property or parcel of land for future development.
The second definition is routinely used in France, Belgium and Switzerland to designate a politically motivated squat, or protest camp set up in protest over development plans. The protests - and efforts to move-on protesters - can turn violent.
You might hear politicians say something like Je bloquerai l'installation de toute ZAD dans cette zone, ou en France - I will block the installation of any ZAD in this area, or in France - and they are referring to blocking protesters from setting up camp.
The term "zadiste", therefore, refers to the activists who have set up a camp in a ZAD. Zadistes routinely use the first name Camille, in a desire for anonymity.
Use it like this
Les Zadistes ne se contentent pas de faire des manifestations, ils occupent en permanence le site pour empêcher le démarrage des travaux - Zadistes are not satisfied with demonstrations, they permanently occupy a site to prevent work starting
L'installation des premiers zadistes à Notre-Dame-des-Landes a commencé en 2009 - The arrival of the first squatters at Notre-Dame-des-Landes began in 2009
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Why do I need to know zadiste?
If you watch the news in France, you’ll hear the term a lot, generally over images of environmental protesters.
What does it mean?
Zadiste - pronounced zadd - eest - is the noun (masculine, so un zadiste) to describe a protester taking some form of direct action - usually squatting - to prevent development plans for a particular area going ahead, usually for environmental reasons.
What’s important, here, is the first syllable: zad is, in fact, the acronym ZAD, which in a planning context can mean Zone d'Aménagement Différé (deferred development zone) - but in protest terms mean Zone à Défendre (zone to defend).
Under the original meaning, which is basically planning jargon, the establishment of a ZAD establishes the right of a local authority to have first dibs on any purchasing a property or parcel of land for future development.
The second definition is routinely used in France, Belgium and Switzerland to designate a politically motivated squat, or protest camp set up in protest over development plans. The protests - and efforts to move-on protesters - can turn violent.
You might hear politicians say something like Je bloquerai l'installation de toute ZAD dans cette zone, ou en France - I will block the installation of any ZAD in this area, or in France - and they are referring to blocking protesters from setting up camp.
The term "zadiste", therefore, refers to the activists who have set up a camp in a ZAD. Zadistes routinely use the first name Camille, in a desire for anonymity.
Use it like this
Les Zadistes ne se contentent pas de faire des manifestations, ils occupent en permanence le site pour empêcher le démarrage des travaux - Zadistes are not satisfied with demonstrations, they permanently occupy a site to prevent work starting
L'installation des premiers zadistes à Notre-Dame-des-Landes a commencé en 2009 - The arrival of the first squatters at Notre-Dame-des-Landes began in 2009
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