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cog in a wheel

French translation: n'être qu'une roue dans l'engrenage

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:cog in a wheel
French translation:n'être qu'une roue dans l'engrenage
Entered by: wolfheart

13:46 Jul 10, 2008
English to French translations [Non-PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / expressions
English term or phrase: cog in a wheel
Is there a French expression that delivers the same message as: a cog in a wheel (ie working in a corporation and not feeling like you have any individuality)
VERSLECIEL
n'être qu'une roue dans l'engrenage
Explanation:
par exemple
Selected response from:

wolfheart
United States
Local time: 02:56
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2n'être qu'une roue dans l'engrenage
wolfheart
3N'être qu'un pion sur l'échiquier
Myriam Dupouy
4 -1Se fondre dans la masse
Felicite Robertson


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
n'être qu'une roue dans l'engrenage


Explanation:
par exemple

wolfheart
United States
Local time: 02:56
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in FrenchFrench
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Arnold T.
47 mins
agree  Jean-Claude Gouin
14 hrs
neutral  Felicite Robertson: c'est important une roue dans un engrenage non? sans la roue, tout s'ecroule?
21 hrs
  -> oui, mais ici il ne s'agit pas de faire de la philosophie, mais de rendre une expression en français
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
N'être qu'un pion sur l'échiquier


Explanation:
;o)

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Note added at 33 mins (2008-07-10 14:19:59 GMT)
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Meaning no individuality and no hold on things, but rather under somebody else's influence.

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Note added at 44 mins (2008-07-10 14:31:08 GMT)
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Un grain de sable dans le désert...

Mais avec mon petit grain, on perd peut-être un peu plus l'idée de "cog in the machine", qui implique certes vous êtes là et utile mais que vous n'avez que peu d'importance.

Myriam Dupouy
France
Local time: 08:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 19
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Se fondre dans la masse


Explanation:
None

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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-07-10 15:57:38 GMT)
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This might help: http://www.e-frenchtranslation.com/fr/proverbes_2.htm

Felicite Robertson
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:56
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  wolfheart: exactement le contraire de l'expression
12 hrs
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