[Nagot Gick Fel]

Originally posted by magnate:
Devil's advocate?

Not quite. You can play the Devil's advocate and still admit it - then 'avocat du diable' would be used in French, which is a litteral translation without any pejorative meaning. When you say about someone, he is 'de mauvaise foi', it's a rather negative judgement: you mean he acts insincerely, and is trying to misguide others (as well as himself, sometimes). Eg, usenet trolls are often 'de mauvaise foi'.

Or could it be that 'Devils' advocate' is used in both cases in English?

[Edit: it seems Babelfish translates 'de mauvaise foi' as 'insincerely']

[ April 29, 2004, 18:36: Message edited by: Nagot Gick Fel ]