Fantastic Beasts 2: French Word For Muggle Sounds Much Better Than ‘No-Maj’

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them introduced “no-maj” as the American term for muggle, someone who in the world of Harry Potter lacks any magical ability. As the setting moves beyond the United States in the sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, moviegoers will become acquainted with the French phrase: “non-magique,” which of course translates as “non-magical.” Simple, elegant and to the point.

Director David Yates revealed the term in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, in which he also described what the wizarding world is like in Paris, the location of the second film.”Quite glamorous, it’s quite beautiful,” he said. “There’s a community that lives alongside the muggle community, it’s much freer than in New York, where there’s segregation.”

“Paris is a bit like England, actually, not so hung up about the differences between the two,” he continued. “Magical people can freely move into non-magical communities as long as they’re discreet about their talents …”

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald hits theaters Nov. 16, starring Eddie Redmayne as Newt, Katherine Waterston as Tina, Alison Sudol as Queenie, Dan Fogler as Jacob, Ezra Miller as Credence, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange and Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander with Jude Law portraying a young Albus Dumbledore and Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald.