wag the dog

French translation: noyer le poisson/faire diversion

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:wag the dog
French translation:noyer le poisson/faire diversion
Entered by: Thierry Darlis

01:39 Feb 13, 2015
English to French translations [PRO]
Media / Multimedia
English term or phrase: wag the dog
It is for a video game.
Thierry Darlis
United States
Local time: 11:55
noyer le poisson/faire diversion
Explanation:
This is how they say in French whenever something important has to be kept out of sight or from public scrutiny

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Note added at 17 mins (2015-02-13 01:56:50 GMT)
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Erratum: "WHAT" instead of "how"
Selected response from:

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 11:55
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4remuer le chien
Thomas T. Frost
4secouer le chien
Aymen Ben Ajmia
4 -1noyer le poisson/faire diversion
Francois Boye


Discussion entries: 16





  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
noyer le poisson/faire diversion


Explanation:
This is how they say in French whenever something important has to be kept out of sight or from public scrutiny

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2015-02-13 01:56:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Erratum: "WHAT" instead of "how"

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 11:55
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  jmleger: Je crois que vous vous méprenez sur le sens de l'expression.
1 hr

disagree  Tony M: The EN expression is "the tail wagging the dog", which means a reversal of the normal, logical situation: like an employee telling the boss what to do, etc.
5 hrs

agree  Germaine: Noyer le poisson (ce qui ressemble à Garfield dans les 2 sens du terme) - Dans la mesure où l'on fait bien référence au film américain Wag the dog
1 day 2 hrs
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
remuer le chien


Explanation:
Knowing that this about a Garfield game, and knowing how Garfield usually treats the dog, this must be a literal meaning as a joke.

I would not use "branler", as it has sexual connotations.

Thomas T. Frost
Portugal
Local time: 15:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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2 days 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
secouer le chien


Explanation:
Suggestion.

Aymen Ben Ajmia
France
Local time: 16:55
Native speaker of: French
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