Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
a fare da ago della bilancia
English translation:
which held the balance of power
Added to glossary by
Tom in London
Dec 20, 2009 14:20
14 yrs ago
Italian term
Not a translator
a fare da ago della bilancia
Italian to English
Social Sciences
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
it refers to the german liberal party, which lying at the centre of a three-party system could tilt the balance towards a centre-right or a centre-left coalition basically at its own will.
is there a phrase for that in English?
there's something in the glossary, but it won't do ("to tip the scale"... that's what you do when you decide, but I need to describe the *position* from which you can actually do that)
is there a phrase for that in English?
there's something in the glossary, but it won't do ("to tip the scale"... that's what you do when you decide, but I need to describe the *position* from which you can actually do that)
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Dec 20, 2009 15:31: Russell Jones changed "Term asked" from "(fungere da) ago della bilancia" to "a fare da ago della bilancia"
Dec 21, 2009 18:50: Tom in London Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
6 hrs
Tom in London
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Architecture, design, technical, etc.
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
48
Selected
which held the balance of power
"il sistema tedesco era formato da soli tre partiti - i due maggior con la FDP a fare da ago della bilancia"
"the German system consisted of only three parties - two main parties and the FDP, which held the balance of power"
"the German system consisted of only three parties - two main parties and the FDP, which held the balance of power"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
James (Jim) Davis
: This fits so well, it is difficult to see any feasible alternative.
16 hrs
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thanks Jim !
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
20 mins
Italian term (edited):
(fungere da) ago della bilancia
..... in a position to sway the balance between....
The German liberal party was in such a position as to sway the political balance between the three-party system.
Or, they were simply in a position to tip the scale of balance. You answered the question yourself :D
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Note added at 21 mins (2009-12-20 14:42:10 GMT)
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15:29
"il sistema tedesco era formato da soli tre partiti - i due maggior con la FDP a fare da ago della bilancia"
"The German system was formed of just three parties- the two major ones, and the FDP to act in a position of tipping the scales in either direction."
Or, they were simply in a position to tip the scale of balance. You answered the question yourself :D
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Note added at 21 mins (2009-12-20 14:42:10 GMT)
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15:29
"il sistema tedesco era formato da soli tre partiti - i due maggior con la FDP a fare da ago della bilancia"
"The German system was formed of just three parties- the two major ones, and the FDP to act in a position of tipping the scales in either direction."
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Fiorsam
: sorry, I didn't see your note until after I sent my answer. I leave it as a confirmation of your entry
4 hrs
|
2 hrs
Marco Solinas
Native in Italian
&
English
Accurate, professional translations
Native in: English 
, Italian
Works in: Italian to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
14
swing party
:-)
+3
32 mins
Italian term (edited):
(fungere da) ago della bilancia
bellwether (party)
The bellwether metaphor (see Wikipedia article) is usually applied in politics to constituencies that mirror national trends but the book Recasting bourgeois Europe, quoted in the other link, uses the expression to describe the role of the National Liberal party in pre-WWI Germany.
Google picks up one other instance of "bellwether party", again referring to Germany, in an article called "Fallada for Historians" by an American academic (http://www.jstor.org/pss/1432743) but payment is demanded to download the full text.
HTH
Giles
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-20 15:24:17 GMT)
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Hi Giulio. Bellwethers aren't that passive. Take this blog posting from America:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=...
in which a Democrat chortles over the bellwether state of Colorado changing its allegiance (bear in mind that the post dates from 2004).
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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-12-20 18:11:56 GMT)
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Another expression you could use is "in the catbird seat" (ie "the Liberals were in the catbird seat"). This might satisfy Arrigo if he insists on a more pro-active kind of needle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catbird_seat
I still think "bellwether party" is a good option, though, as do the sources I have quoted.
Google picks up one other instance of "bellwether party", again referring to Germany, in an article called "Fallada for Historians" by an American academic (http://www.jstor.org/pss/1432743) but payment is demanded to download the full text.
HTH
Giles
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-12-20 15:24:17 GMT)
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Hi Giulio. Bellwethers aren't that passive. Take this blog posting from America:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=...
in which a Democrat chortles over the bellwether state of Colorado changing its allegiance (bear in mind that the post dates from 2004).
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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-12-20 18:11:56 GMT)
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Another expression you could use is "in the catbird seat" (ie "the Liberals were in the catbird seat"). This might satisfy Arrigo if he insists on a more pro-active kind of needle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catbird_seat
I still think "bellwether party" is a good option, though, as do the sources I have quoted.
Reference:
Note from asker:
| VERY interesting! Thank you! I never heard that expression. Luckily I can access the full text of the article (only one marginal reference though). It all sounds more passive, more "signalling", than "deciding" though. I'll keep looking into it. Many many thanks |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Audra deFalco (X)
: Yes, very interesting indeed. Never heard of this effect, but you learn something new every day!
16 mins
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Cheers, G.
|
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| agree |
claudiocambon
: and when it's an individual, you can say swing vote (at least in the US), but this is spot on for group entities
58 mins
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| agree |
Umberto Cassano
1 hr
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| disagree |
Daniel Frisano
: sorry, it has nothing to do with the Italian meaning
2 hrs
|
| neutral |
Oliver Lawrence
: I agree with Arrigo, bellwether is something that leads or indicates a trend in the wider political world (eg if Basildon votes Tory then there will be a Tory government), which doesn't seem close enough to the meaning here
4 hrs
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Then what about my other option, Oliver "in the catbird seat"?
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| neutral |
James (Jim) Davis
: With Oliver. Not the same thing. The Irish held the balance of power in the British parliament for many years, but you could hardly call them a bellwether party.
22 hrs
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| agree |
Dr Lofthouse
1 day 51 mins
|
4 hrs
in a position to tip the scale
I think this is exactly what it's meant.
5 hrs
Oliver Lawrence
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Works in field
Italy
Texts with zest by a Chartered Linguist
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK)
Works in: Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
71
kingmaker
i.e. the small party whose support determines which of the larger parties will form the government (and, by extension, whose leader will become the prime minister/president)
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-12-20 19:47:54 GMT)
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or, perhaps better, "the small party whose support determines which of the larger parties will LEAD the government"
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-12-20 19:47:54 GMT)
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or, perhaps better, "the small party whose support determines which of the larger parties will LEAD the government"
17 hrs
cynthiatesser
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
Italy
Knowledge makes the difference
Native in: Italian (Variant: Standard-Italy)
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian
Related KudoZ points
:
4
to hold the scales even
-
Discussion
I found "holding the balance" and "holding the balance of power" - does that sound any good to native speakers?