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avancer ses pions en coulisses

English translation: man(o)euv(e)red/re-arranged his pawns behind the scenes

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:avancer ses pions en coulisses
English translation:man(o)euv(e)red/re-arranged his pawns behind the scenes
Entered by: Guillermo Urbina Valdés

11:12 Nov 20, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Journalism
French term or phrase: avancer ses pions en coulisses
Part of an interview:

La jeunesse estudiantine exigeait un premier secrétaire d’origine locale, et non pas un émissaire de Moscou.

G. A. — Comment Nazarbaev a-t-il réagi ?

V. K. — Il a avancé ses pions en coulisses. Pendant plusieurs années, il a insisté auprès de Gorbatchev pour que Kolbine soit muté ailleurs. Je le tiens de Mikhaïl Gorbatchev en personne.
Guillermo Urbina Valdés
United Kingdom
man(o)euv(e)red/re-arranged his pawns behind the scenes
Explanation:
moved/advanced/(re-)positioned

I think the image of the original can be adopted more-or-less literally here, assuming that it is talking about Nazarbaev placing protégés into useful positions.

Alternatively, another option might be that "he (discreetly) pulled strings".
Selected response from:

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 01:39
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6man(o)euv(e)red/re-arranged his pawns behind the scenes
Colin Rowe
4 +1to quietly build up his position
B D Finch


  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to quietly build up his position


Explanation:
Moved his pawns into position without drawing attention to it. (Probably impossible in a real game of chess. ;) )

B D Finch
France
Local time: 01:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marie Jackson
28 mins
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22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
man(o)euv(e)red/re-arranged his pawns behind the scenes


Explanation:
moved/advanced/(re-)positioned

I think the image of the original can be adopted more-or-less literally here, assuming that it is talking about Nazarbaev placing protégés into useful positions.

Alternatively, another option might be that "he (discreetly) pulled strings".

Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 01:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Natalie Pavey (X): The similar expression "Travailler dans les coulisses" effectively means to pull strings.
1 hr
agree  Daryo
2 hrs
agree  Anne R
4 hrs
agree  Wolf Draeger: I'd avoid the connotative pawns; perhaps pieces, or "he schemed..."?
6 hrs
agree  Victoria Britten
10 hrs
agree  corina hancianu
1 day 4 hrs
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