The use of foreign words and expressions has already firmly entered our lives. In modern society, statements that are not always possible to interpret without special knowledge are increasingly found. One such expression is carte blanche. What is this concept, in what cases is its use appropriate, what is its origin?
Concept disclosure
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 the other person the advantage of filling out this document with text. Give carte blanche in figurative meaning - to give someone unlimited possibilities, perfect freedom of action.
This term means unlimited possibilities that the principal has the opportunity to transfer to the trusted person that he can carry out business operations on his behalf. In a broader sense, such an expression is the concept of absolute freedom or unlimited right to perform any actions at one’s own discretion.
For the expression "carte blanche", the value according to one version is an empty check, which can be filled in by its holder.
The history of the origin of the expression
According to the translation from French, carte blanche is “blank form”.
There is a version that the expression appeared in France a long time ago, and as if this form was handed to certain representatives of the French nobility as a symbol of the king’s exceptional trust, representing a blank sheet of the 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 complete and receive almost everything he wanted in the name of His Majesty.
Carte blanche is literally a white or blank card. According to another version, carte blanche (translated from French) is a so-called white credit card. These cards are issued by large stores, allowing customers who have such credit cards to pay for all their purchases made at this outlet exclusively at the end of the month. Another version of carte blanche is a signed bank check without indicating the amount.
Use in everyday life
In the Russian language they often say “give carte blanche”, which means allowing you to act at your own discretion, provide unlimited possibilities, perfect independence of actions. The use of this expression is possible both in everyday life 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.
Right and wrong use
It should be noted that it is often permissible to hear that someone is given full carte blanche. The word "complete" in this case is unnecessary to use, since carte blanche already has in mind unlimited authority. 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 for the development of a new project."
Example of misuse: "The manager gave me a full carte blanche for the introduction of a new project."
By the way, it is worth noting that in French this expression is used in the form of the feminine, but in Russian it is used in the form of masculine. The spelling of these words is also different: in Russian it is written through a hyphen, and in French - separately.