⚠️ A major false friend: malice ≠ malice
In French, malice evokes mischief, playful cunning, or even lighthearted humor.
👉 In English legal usage, malice refers to a harmful, malevolent, or even criminal intent.
It is therefore an absolute false friend, particularly dangerous in legal and criminal translations.
⚖️ In criminal law: malevolent intent or préméditation
The term malice is central in Anglo-American criminal law, especially in the expression malice aforethought, which refers to a premeditated intent to harm, required for the qualification of certain crimes.
Examples:
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Malice aforethought
→ Préméditation, intention to harm, or fraudulent intent
-
He acted with malice
→ Il a agi avec malveillance
👉 Depending on the context, it may be translated as intention criminelle, animus nocendi, or volonté de nuire.
💻 In technology law: malicious intent in IT
In intellectual property or IT contract law, malice appears in expressions such as:
-
malicious code
→ programme malveillant (e.g., virus, spyware, etc.)
-
malicious attack
→ attaque malveillante
👉 These terms designate deliberately harmful conduct in a digital system.
❌ Not to be confused with malice (FR)
French malice, although negative or cunning, does not imply serious harm. It may even be playful or affectionate.
👉 Translating malice by malice in a legal context is a serious mistranslation.
✅ In summary
| English word |
Proper French wording |
Do not render as |
| malice (criminal law) |
malveillance, intention de nuire |
malice (FR) |
| malice aforethought |
préméditation, criminal intent |
espièglerie (!?) |
| malicious code |
programme malveillant |
code espiègle (!?) |
| malice (FR) |
mischief, playfulness |
malice (EN) |
📌 TransLex’s Advice
Before translating malice, ask yourself:
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Is it used in a criminal, IT, or contractual context?
-
Does it refer to harmful intent, préméditation, or a malicious program?
-
Will the audience understand the potential double meaning in French?
👉 In English legal usage, malice = harmful or criminal intent, never malice (FR).
👉 Translate it as malveillance, fraudulent intent, or programme malveillant, depending on the case.
❓ FAQ: translating the legal term "malice" into French
How is "malice aforethought" rendered in French?
It becomes préméditation, intention de nuire, or intention criminelle, depending on the offence. As the mental element required for certain crimes in Anglo-American law, it cannot be reduced to French malice without losing its legal force.
Does "malice" mean the same thing in IT and contract law?
Not quite: the register shifts to the technical. "Malicious code" is rendered programme malveillant and "malicious attack" attaque malveillante. Here malice describes deliberately harmful conduct inside a digital system, with no criminal-law connotation.
