French Expression of the Day: Serpent de mer
This French expression does not just describe the Loch Ness monster.
Why do I need to know serpent de mer?
Because this creature surfaces in the French press from time to time.
What does it mean?
Serpent de mer - roughly sehr-pahn duh mare - translates as “sea serpent” or “sea monster” in English.
If you're talking about real sea snakes that would be serpent marin - serpent de mer refers to a mythical creature.
But while sea monsters are a staple of children’s stories, they also make their way into the French press relatively often.
The non-literal meaning of serpent de mer is a recurring subject or a difficult problem that is often discussed but rarely resolved - it's most often used in politics.
For example the possibility of introducing uniforms into French schools might be called a ‘serpent de mer’ - something politicians invoke frequently that is unlikely to actually happen.
In English we might say ‘old hat’ or 'old chestnut' for topics that keep coming up, but neither quite encapsulates the full meaning of the French serpent de mer.
Use it like this
Le politicien voit le harcèlement scolaire comme un serpent de mer. - The politician sees bullying as a problem that will never really be solved.
Ce sujet n'est qu'un serpent de mer, mais les journalistes en parlent chaque fois que le sujet est abordé. - That subject is just a recurring problem with no end in sight, but journalists write about it every time it comes up.
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Why do I need to know serpent de mer?
Because this creature surfaces in the French press from time to time.
What does it mean?
Serpent de mer - roughly sehr-pahn duh mare - translates as “sea serpent” or “sea monster” in English.
If you're talking about real sea snakes that would be serpent marin - serpent de mer refers to a mythical creature.
But while sea monsters are a staple of children’s stories, they also make their way into the French press relatively often.
The non-literal meaning of serpent de mer is a recurring subject or a difficult problem that is often discussed but rarely resolved - it's most often used in politics.
For example the possibility of introducing uniforms into French schools might be called a ‘serpent de mer’ - something politicians invoke frequently that is unlikely to actually happen.
In English we might say ‘old hat’ or 'old chestnut' for topics that keep coming up, but neither quite encapsulates the full meaning of the French serpent de mer.
Use it like this
Le politicien voit le harcèlement scolaire comme un serpent de mer. - The politician sees bullying as a problem that will never really be solved.
Ce sujet n'est qu'un serpent de mer, mais les journalistes en parlent chaque fois que le sujet est abordé. - That subject is just a recurring problem with no end in sight, but journalists write about it every time it comes up.
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