Chienlit is a traditional French term typically translated as masquerade or carnival/chaos, but in 1968 it was brought to notoriety by General Charles de Gaulle in an angry speech during the student protests in Paris during May 1968, when he used the vernacular term as a scatological pun "La réforme oui, la chie-en-lit non" meaning shit in the bed. It was used first in a private meeting discussing the demand for direct participation in business and government by students and workers. This was reported by Georges Gorse[1] and 'moderated' by the French media to 'masquerade/chaos'. De Gaulle then repeated it in a TV broadcast for high impact. The term is now common parlance in French political commentary, used both critically and ironically referring back to De Gaulle. A General is an officer of high military rank. ... Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ) (22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970), in France commonly referred to as Général de Gaulle, was a French military leader and statesman. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... A May 1968 poster: Be young and shut up, with stereotypical silhouette of General de Gaulle. ... Look up Vernacular in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Scatology, or coprology, in medicine, biology and paleontology, is the study of feces. ... It has been suggested that dajare be merged into this article or section. ...

Chienlit was then mis-translated by the Manchester Guardian and the English press corps as chien lit - dog bed, alluding to a dishevelled, malodorous, flea pit. The Guardian was also the name of a U.S. television series. ...

The blurred etymological origin of chie en lit/chienlit was the medieval carnival/masquerade when peasants and artisans had one day per year to celebrate, to abandon all work and chores, abandon contemporary mores and conventions, become king for a day, and even the lord of the manor could join the fun by 'ritual humiliation' such as being lead through the streets like a servant, or slave, or dog. Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... The carnival is a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus and public street party, generally during the carnival season. ... Look up Masquerade in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

May 1968 was marked in France by a student revolt that escalated to both riot and worker strikes, when all established values of France were being challenged. It began on March 22 in the University of Nanterre when members of the Vietnam Committee, were arrested for their opposition to to the war. Events, thoughts and demands had spread physically and intellectually beyond Nanterre and Vietnam, and included the demand for students and workers to be directly represented on the boards of companies and to participate in government. In a subsequent discussion about holding a referendum on 'worker/student participation', Charles de Gaul commented "reform yes, but 'chie-en-lit, no". This first usage was in private and was reported to the press by Georges Gorse[2], the minister of Information, but it was subsequently reused by de Gaul in a televised speech on circa May 30th. A May 1968 poster: Be young and shut up, with stereotypical silhouette of General de Gaulle. ... Portrait of General Charles de Gaulle. ...

The term chienlit was used by Émile Zola in both L'Assommoir and Nana. Émile Zola Émile Zola (2 April 1840 – 29 September 1902) was an influential French novelist, the most important example of the literary school of naturalism, and a major figure in the political liberalization of France. ... LAssommoir (1877) is the seventh novel in Emile Zolas twenty-volume series Les Rougon-Macquart. ... Nana book cover Nana is a novel by the French naturalist author Emile Zola. ...

See also

• Movement of 22 March which initiated May 1968
• Anarchism in France