Why do I need to know Motus et bouche cousue?
Because you might be told something in confidence – and this phrase is the clue.
What does it mean?
Motus et bouche cousue – pronounced mow-toos eh boosh coozoo – literally translates as 'Hush! And sew-up your mouth', which is a pretty clear metaphorical instruction to zip it.
As Tintin fans will know, is the motto of intelligence service operatives Thomson and Thompson.
It’s more than a mere request for silence. It is a tautological pact of trust and a call for discretion that dates back to at least the 15th century.
The idea of ‘bouche cousue’ – the sewing of lips together to render speech impossible – dates back that far, while the word ‘motus’ has been a playful latinisation of the word mot and used as a contraction of the phrase pas un mot (not a word) since the same time.
The separate terms for much the same thing started being used together because their rhythm and metre works is a pleasing one – read it out loud – and are now pretty much inseparable. Rather like Thomson and Thompson (or Dupond et Dupont, as they’re known in France).
Use it like this
J’ai préparé une surprise pour ton père. Mais chut! Motus et bouche cousue ! I’ve got a surprise in store for your dad. But shhh! Not a word!
