2

How would be conveyed in French 'no bullshit' in a title of a document/book as for example:

https://minireference.com/

No bullshit guide to learn Mathematics

100% bullshit-free textbooks on high school math, vectors, calculus, mechanics, and linear algebra.

I am thinking about

Apprendre les maths sans de conneries

but I am feeling this is not the proper sentence.

2 Answers 2

7

*Sans de conneries is not correct: there is no partitive article after "sans", so for the grammar, it should be sans conneries.

Yet, sans conneries is not a clear phrase in French, and I feel that the word connerie is stronger and more vulgar than the English bullshit, and does not always convey the same meaning (it derives from the word con , which evokes the female genitalia, and is clearly an insult. A connerie is something very stupid (something con) said or done by someone, who could themselves turn out to be a con then).

If one was talking, a phrasing could be sans dire de conneries, but that is inadequate for a written document.

If by no bullshit, you mean that the guide gets straight to the point and does not distract readers with digressions, sidenotes, irrelevant input etc., you could use sans blabla in the title, which keeps a colloquial tone. See an example here.

More standard phrases are (aller) droit au but or, a bit more elegant, sans fioritures.

1
  • 3
    +1, it might be difficult to compare exactly "how vulgar" two words from different languages/cultures are. The word "bullshit" is usually censored on public radio in the US, for example, whereas Le Dîner de Cons was a mainstream French movie.
    – hunter
    Commented Nov 1, 2020 at 16:42
0

My two cents:

  • Guide d'apprentissage des mathématiques sans détours ;
  • Guide d'apprentissage des mathématiques sans fioritures (Already mentioned by user Greg) ;

  • Guide d'apprentissage des mathématiques sans blabla (idem)

  • Guide sans bullshit pour apprendre les mathématiques (I am kidding:-)!)

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.