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pensée molle

English translation: limp thinking, wooly thinking, etc (see question)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:pensée molle
English translation:limp thinking, wooly thinking, etc (see question)
Entered by: David Vaughn

09:25 Oct 6, 2010
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics
French term or phrase: pensée molle
I prefer not to give more context, because my context specifically refers to contemporary political usage of this specific term in general.

MTIA
David Vaughn
Local time: 10:12
limp thinking
Explanation:
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...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2010-10-06 10:02:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

SMcG's comment makes me think of "feeblemindedness", which is indeed an expression in English - could work as a suggested equivalent.
Selected response from:

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 18:12
Grading 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.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
1 +8woolly thinking
Tony M
4 +1slipshod thinking, slack minds
Bourth (X)
3 +2limp thinking
Melissa McMahon
3 +1weak reasoning
Catharine Cellier-Smart
3soft thinking
kashew
3Wishy-washiness or spinelessness
Maia Tabet


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
weak reasoning


Explanation:
or possibly 'cowardly thinking'

Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Local time: 12:12
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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 !
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +8
woolly thinking


Explanation:
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?

Tony M
France
Local time: 10:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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!
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
slipshod thinking, slack minds


Explanation:
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.

Bourth (X)
Local time: 10:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 73

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jocelyne S: Laxist thinking was what I was going to post before I saw you'd already done so.
6 mins
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23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
soft thinking


Explanation:
http://innovationinmission.blogspot.com/2007/12/hard-thinkin...

kashew
France
Local time: 10:12
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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?
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
limp thinking


Explanation:
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...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2010-10-06 10:02:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

SMcG's comment makes me think of "feeblemindedness", which is indeed an expression in English - could work as a suggested equivalent.

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 18:12
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading 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.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Wishy-washiness or spinelessness


Explanation:
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.

Maia Tabet
Local time: 04:12
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
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