Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
si tout le monde vous caresse dans le sens du poil
English translation:
if all you ever get are positive strokes
Added to glossary by
Barbara Cochran, MFA
Mar 14, 2017 14:19
7 yrs ago
4 viewers *
French term
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
si tout le monde vous caresse dans le sens du poil
French to English
Art/Literary
Psychology
In A Book About Collective Intelligence
Contexte:
Le propos du MM n’est pas du tout de faire un travail psychologique, ni de se « mettre à poil » devant tout le monde. Intégrer un groupe Mastermind c’est être prêt à la confrontation des idées. Les personnes présentes le sont pour servir leur avenir et non pour s’intéresser au passé comme le font les psys. Dans le Mastermind, on s’intéresse au pour quoi (en deux mots) et pas au pourquoi (orienté vers le passé). Le groupe Mastermind n’est absolument pas une thérapie. C’est un processus d’intervision où la parité est en vigueur et dans lequel le non jugement est une règle fondamentale. Par contre les participants doivent avoir l’esprit suffisamment ouvert pour recevoir, donner et demander du feed-back utile, constructif et parfois bousculant. Comment progresser et modifier des composantes du projet si tout le monde vous caresse dans le sens du poil ?
Merci,
Barbara
Le propos du MM n’est pas du tout de faire un travail psychologique, ni de se « mettre à poil » devant tout le monde. Intégrer un groupe Mastermind c’est être prêt à la confrontation des idées. Les personnes présentes le sont pour servir leur avenir et non pour s’intéresser au passé comme le font les psys. Dans le Mastermind, on s’intéresse au pour quoi (en deux mots) et pas au pourquoi (orienté vers le passé). Le groupe Mastermind n’est absolument pas une thérapie. C’est un processus d’intervision où la parité est en vigueur et dans lequel le non jugement est une règle fondamentale. Par contre les participants doivent avoir l’esprit suffisamment ouvert pour recevoir, donner et demander du feed-back utile, constructif et parfois bousculant. Comment progresser et modifier des composantes du projet si tout le monde vous caresse dans le sens du poil ?
Merci,
Barbara
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Mar 21, 2017 11:43: Barbara Cochran, MFA Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
21 mins
Margaret Morrison
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Cambridge educated business specialist
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
if you only ever get positive strokes
Retains the stroking metaphor. Could reverse I guess to say "if no one ever rubs you up the wrong way" but I think positive strokes is a pretty well known phrase now.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
3 mins
if everybody tries to please you / goes you way / soft-soaps you
IMO
soft-soap Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/soft-soap
Traduire cette page
soft-soap meaning, definition, what is soft-soap: to try to persuade someone to do what you want by saying pleasant things to them. Learn more.
soft-soap Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/soft-soap
Traduire cette page
soft-soap meaning, definition, what is soft-soap: to try to persuade someone to do what you want by saying pleasant things to them. Learn more.
50 mins
if nobody ever contradicts you
Another way of putting it
+1
1 hr
if everybody tries not to rub you [up] the wrong way
this may keep the image
If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me at the Young Vic, SE1 | The Times
www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/firstnightreviews/article471552...
17 Mar 2016 - If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me at the Young Vic, SE1 ... such as this theatricalised, hour-long music gig supported by dance, just rub you the wrong way. Here the actress Jane Horrocks and the choreographer-director Aletta Collins ...
Advanced Everyday English: With Audio CD
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0952835843
Steven Collins - 2011 - English language
With Audio CD Steven Collins. It's all a bit a(at stake-outgoing-off the record-up in the air) at the moment. I'll b(rub you up the wrong way-give you stick-keep you ...
If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me at the Young Vic, SE1 | The Times
www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/firstnightreviews/article471552...
17 Mar 2016 - If You Kiss Me, Kiss Me at the Young Vic, SE1 ... such as this theatricalised, hour-long music gig supported by dance, just rub you the wrong way. Here the actress Jane Horrocks and the choreographer-director Aletta Collins ...
Advanced Everyday English: With Audio CD
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0952835843
Steven Collins - 2011 - English language
With Audio CD Steven Collins. It's all a bit a(at stake-outgoing-off the record-up in the air) at the moment. I'll b(rub you up the wrong way-give you stick-keep you ...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
writeaway
: too far from the original imo
8 mins
|
| neutral |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: This is one of the std translations for this expression. It would work well in a more colloquial context, but the overall tone of the text requires something a little less familiar.
13 mins
|
| agree |
philgoddard
: This is the exact equivalent of the French, which is colloquial. But why not turn it round and say "rub you up the right way"? It gets plenty of hits.
2 hrs
|
+4
42 mins
if everyone only says what you want to hear
Another suggestion. I am aware that the expression means to butter someone up/ to try to get on the right side of someone. I just wondered if this expression would be more appropriate in the context.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-14 15:46:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course you could say "if people only say...." too
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-14 15:46:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course you could say "if people only say...." too
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Yolanda Broad
36 mins
|
|
Thanks Yolanda :-)
|
|
| agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: "People" instead of "everyone"? Otherwise, the tone of this is spot on, in my view. // Sorry, just noticed that you suggested "people" yourself!
49 mins
|
|
Ha! I was about to say that we must have posted at the same time - your agree and my note! So, yes, on reflection "people" is perhaps better. Thanks Nikki :-)
|
|
| neutral |
Jennifer White
: if everyone says only........................./don't think so! "Only" should be placed next to the term it modifies
1 hr
|
|
I think the adverb can be placed as I suggest and as you suggest. /before the term it modifies, I do see the difference. I remain unconvinced that,here, one is better than the other even if one can 'argue' over the nuance of meaning
|
|
| agree |
Victoria Britten
: With "people", indeed.
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks Victoria :-) There seems to be agreement on 'people'!
|
|
| neutral |
philgoddard
: This is a rather colorless translation for a colorful phrase.
2 hrs
|
|
colourful/colourless, I see your point. I still feel that my suggestion is more appropriate to the context. Thanks for your input Phil :-)
|
|
| agree |
B D Finch
: No need for "colour": plain and to the point is fine.
4 hrs
|
|
Many thanks BD :-)
|
2 hrs
logosarada
France
France
Native in French
France
Translator/author of poems and tales
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, Spanish to French, French
to butter someone up
Aller dans le sens de quelqu'un, le flatter, afin d'être dans ses petits papiers
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-03-14 17:05:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
if everyone butters you up
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-03-14 17:05:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
if everyone butters you up
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
B D Finch
: Buttering someone up is generally done in order to get something in return.
2 hrs
|
6 hrs
Francois Boye
United States
United States
Native in French
United States
An economic geek with social skills
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, French to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
if everybody defers/kowtows to you
deference to your authority
Discussion