Carte blanche is complete freedom of action. What is the meaning of this word?

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

The use of foreign words and expressions has already firmly entered our lives. In modern society, statements are increasingly common that are not always possible to interpret without special knowledge. One such expression is "carte blanche". What is this concept, in what cases is its use appropriate, what is its origin?

Disclosure of the concept

So, let's define the meaning of the word "carte blanche". If we turn to the dictionaries of the Russian language (encyclopedic, financial, Ozhegov, Efremova), then the interpretations are quite similar.

According to most sources, carte blanche is a blank form signed by an authorized person, giving another person the advantage of filling this document with text. To give carte blanche in a figurative sense - to give someone unlimited possibilities, complete freedom of action.

This term refers to the unlimited possibilities that the principal has the ability to transfer to a trusted person who can perform business operations on his behalf. In a broader sense, such an expression is the concept of absolute freedom orunlimited right to perform any action at one's own discretion.

For the expression "carte blanche", according to one of the versions, the meaning is an empty check that can be filled by its owner.

History of the origin of the expression

According to the translation from French, carte blanche (blank form).

There is a version that the expression appeared in France a long time ago, and as if this form was handed over to certain representatives of the French nobility as a symbol of the exclusive trust of the king, representing a blank sheet of document with the signature and personal seal of the sovereign. By filling out such a paper with his own hand, its owner had the opportunity to do and receive almost everything he wanted, in the name of His Majesty.

Carte blanche is literally a white or empty card. According to another version, carte blanche (translated from French) is the so-called white credit card. These cards are issued by large stores, allowing customers with such credit cards to pay for all their own purchases made at this outlet only at the end of the month. According to another version, carte blanche is a signed bank check without indicating the amount.

Daily use

In Russian, they most often say "give carte blanche", which means to allow one to act at one's own discretion, to provide unlimited possibilities, complete independence of action. The use of this expression is possible both in everydaylife, and in business circles.

For example, if you say that someone is given carte blanche, this would mean giving a specific person absolute freedom of action.

Correct and incorrect usage

It should be noted that it is often permissible to hear that someone is given full carte blanche. The word "full" in this case is unnecessary to use, since carte blanche already means unlimited powers. Therefore, with the expression "provide carte blanche" it is erroneous and unacceptable to use the adjectives "full", "absolute" and their synonyms.

An example of the correct use of the phrase: "The director gave me carte blanche to develop a new project."

Example of misuse: "The manager gave me full carte blanche to implement a new project."

By the way, it is worth noting that in French this expression is used in the feminine form, but in Russian it is used in the masculine form. The spelling of these words is also different: in Russian it is written with a hyphen, and in French it is written separately.