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maillon faible

English translation: the weakest link


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:maillon faible
English translation:the weakest link
Entered by: Ziad Marzouka
Options:
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- Include in personal glossary

07:02 Jun 26, 2005
French to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
French term or phrase: maillon faible
Dans 90% des cas le conducteur est responsable de l'accident, il constitue le "maillon faible".

context : safety procedures on an industrial site.

Anyone in France watching the TV show "le maillon faible", well it is the same meaning.

Thanks.
NewCal
New Caledonia
Local time: 23:24
the weakest link
Explanation:
x

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-06-26 07:07:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Maillon_Faible
Selected response from:

Ziad Marzouka
Local time: 14:24
Grading comment
Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8the weakest link
Ziad Marzouka
4 +5weakest link
Tony M
3 +2weak linkProtradit


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
weak link


Explanation:
x

Protradit
Local time: 04:24
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  zaphod: in the chain of events
2 hrs
agree  RHELLER: in this case they seem to be saying that there is only one weak link (weakest would mean that there are several weak links)
21 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
the weakest link


Explanation:
x

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-06-26 07:07:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Maillon_Faible

Ziad Marzouka
Local time: 14:24
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Simultaneous posting strikes again!
2 mins
agree  AbdulHameed Al Hadidi
41 mins
agree  Estelle Demontrond-Box
1 hr
agree  Daphne Theodoraki
2 hrs
agree  SanC
6 hrs
agree  Conor McAuley
7 hrs
agree  Crystal Samples: that's it!
7 hrs
agree  Michele Fauble
12 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
weakest link


Explanation:
Although the literal translation is indeed 'weak link' (and in English we might well say "is a weak link in the chain"), when it is associated with the definite article, as here (and in the TV porogramme in both languages), it translates more comfortably IMO as "the weakest link"

Tony M
France
Local time: 13:24
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: Hello Dusty. Popular usage seems to vary, but of course it's a reference to the proverb: "A chain is as strong as its weakest link." But you can still hear "You're the weak link in the chain."
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Richard! Nice to hear from you again. Yes, indeed, as you say, usage varies a lot... but I think in Asker's context, 'weakest' works best, doesn't it.
agree  Patrick McKeown
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Patrick!
agree  Daphne Theodoraki
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Daphne!
agree  Sarah Walls
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sarah!
agree  Michele Fauble: A chain may have many weak links, but only one weakest link.
12 hrs
  -> Merci, Michele !
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Voters for reclassification
as
PRO / non-PRO		Non-PRO (1): xxxdf49f


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Changes made by editors
Jul 13, 2005 - Changes made by Maria Karra:
Field (specific)General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters => Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Field (write-in)linguistics => (none)
Jul 13, 2005 - Changes made by Maria Karra:
Term asked\"maillon faible\" => maillon faible
Field (specific)Linguistics => General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters


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