give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes

French translation: laisser tomber les miettes en échange du gâteau

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes
French translation:laisser tomber les miettes en échange du gâteau
Entered by: L.Lepetit

10:59 Jun 8, 2018
English to French translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes
Bonjour,
il s'agit d'un texte, langage assez familier, sur ce que représente une bonne négociation salariale.
Voici le passage :

It’s not just about the money.
The side with the bigger list of terms wins.
Because then you can give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes.
Things to be negotiated: vacation time, medical leaves, bonuses, what requirements are in place for promotions, what’s the non-compete, employee ownership (in some cases), potential profit participation, moving expenses, etc.

Merci à tous.
Laetitia
L.Lepetit
France
Local time: 23:40
laisser tomber les miettes en échange du gâteau
Explanation:
"It’s not just about the money." : be ready to give stg on your salary to get larger benefits : "vacation time, medical leaves, bonuses, what requirements are in place for promotions,"
Selected response from:

FX Fraipont (X)
Belgium
Local time: 23:40
Grading comment
Merci cela reprend effectivement l'aidée précédente.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4laisser tomber les miettes en échange du gâteau
FX Fraipont (X)
4 +3vous pouvez laisser tomber les p'tits sous pour des gros euros
Pierre POUSSIN
4 +2obtenir beaucoup plus
Cyril B.
4les arbres des avantages sociaux cachent la forêt des rémunérations
Marcombes (X)
4offrir un paquet de petite monnaie en échange d'un gros billet
Anne-Marie Laliberté (X)
4 -1laisser tomber plein de demandes mineures en échange de quelque demandes importantes
Daryo
3sacrifier la petite monnaie pour gagner des biftons
ph-b (X)
3 -1lâcher du lest pour l'argent
Valérie KARAM
4 -2vous pouvez renoncer aux avantages annexes (aux salaires) pour obtenir des augmentations salariales
Francois Boye


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
lâcher du lest pour l'argent


Explanation:
Demander une plus petite augmentation de salaire quand il y a compensation en avantages d'autre nature.

Valérie KARAM
France
Local time: 23:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Daryo: It’s not just about the money. + where do see "petite augmentation de salaire"?? The point is to aim high, but not only in terms of money!
12 hrs
  -> Isn't a nickel more than a dime ? I would think he's saying that you might not get the big money (nickels) but if you can have other advantages, why not lower your demands and accept less money (dimes) ? Edit: Yep, I got my numbers wrong, you're right.

neutral  FX Fraipont (X): nickel = 5 cents dime = 10 cents - https://www.immihelp.com/newcomer/usa-currency-coins.html
1 day 21 hrs
  -> Oui, je pensais que c'était le contraire. M'y mistake.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
vous pouvez laisser tomber les p'tits sous pour des gros euros


Explanation:
ou "dollars" ou "livres" ou...ça dépend de la monnaie du pays en question!

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 23:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 200

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
43 mins
  -> Merci!

agree  GILLES MEUNIER
1 hr
  -> Thanks!

neutral  Francois Boye: It's not just about money, said the TXT!
2 hrs
  -> Il s'agit d'une négociation salariale! Donc...

neutral  Daryo: 1 dime = 2 nickels - it's not such huge difference in value as in + in fact, the point is not in money ...
11 hrs
  -> Do yo happen to know what "p'tits sous" means? With due repect...

agree  ph-b (X): sans les gros et les p'tits, (si j'ose dire) : ... laisser tomber les sous pour les euros ?
23 hrs
  -> Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
vous pouvez renoncer aux avantages annexes (aux salaires) pour obtenir des augmentations salariales


Explanation:
https://www.entreprises.cci-paris-idf.fr/web/rh/les-elements...


NB: le salaire est encore le revenu le plus important des salariés

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 17:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 84

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  FX Fraipont (X): la source dit exactement le contraire "It’s not just about the money."
7 mins

disagree  Daryo: "you can give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes" is a general negotiating tactic and in fact can be about anything; even in this ST it's not about getting a pay rise.
10 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
laisser tomber les miettes en échange du gâteau


Explanation:
"It’s not just about the money." : be ready to give stg on your salary to get larger benefits : "vacation time, medical leaves, bonuses, what requirements are in place for promotions,"

FX Fraipont (X)
Belgium
Local time: 23:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 1529
Grading comment
Merci cela reprend effectivement l'aidée précédente.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Francois Boye
1 hr

agree  Corinne Jeannet
7 hrs

agree  ph-b (X): ou : d'une part du gâteau ?
23 hrs

agree  Philippe Barré
1 day 19 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
laisser tomber plein de demandes mineures en échange de quelque demandes importantes


Explanation:
[It’s not just about the money.
The side with the bigger list of terms wins.]
Because then you can give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes.
=
Parce qu'alors vous pouvez laisser tomber plein de demandes mineures en échange de quelque demandes importantes



15 years ago, one expert negotiator, Dr. Larry Brilliant (his real name), who later became head of all of Google’s charity work, gave me advice, “Always make sure your list is bigger than theirs so you can give up the nickels in exchange for the dimes.”

https://jamesaltucher.com/2016/08/learned-fbis-best-hostage-...

the point of the method: you make a long list ("make sure your list is bigger than theirs") of not so important demands (the "nickels") so you can trade lots of these not so important demands to make the other side give up just few important demands (the "dimes")


BTW 1 dime = 10 cents vs. 1 nickel = 5 cents - it's not some huge disparity in values!

Nickel
Worth 5 cents. It is made of a nickel and copper blend. It is larger than a penny.
It has Thomas Jefferson on the front and Monticello (Jefferson's colonial plantation) on the back.

Dime
Worth 10 cents. It is made of a nickel and copper blend. It is smaller than a penny or a nickel.
It has Franklin D. Roosevelt on the front and a torch on the back.

https://www.immihelp.com/newcomer/usa-currency-coins.html

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 112

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Pierre POUSSIN: Un rien pompeux pour du langage familier, non?
14 hrs
  -> you have a very "creative" interpretation for words you are using - all I see here is a translation that is simple and clear and explains the key point, and BTW works perfectly well in ANY situation where this kind of negotiating method could be used.

disagree  GILLES MEUNIER: ce n'est pas naturel en français, merci de faire des phrases en français....
2 days 5 hrs
  -> караван иде даље ....
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
les arbres des avantages sociaux cachent la forêt des rémunérations


Explanation:
qui mourraient être plus prometteuses.

iI faut bien évaluer l'important lors d'une bonne négociation salariale, ne pas se laisser aveugler par les promesses sociales et ne pas mésestimer le fait que les avantages sociaux ne sont qu'une partie mineure des enjeux salariaux et masques les véritables préoccupations des salariés et des employeurs.

Marcombes (X)
France
Local time: 23:40
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
sacrifier la petite monnaie pour gagner des biftons


Explanation:
« Il faut savoir/être prêt à sacrifier la petite monnaie pour gagner des biftons. »



ph-b (X)
France
Local time: 23:40
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 20
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
offrir un paquet de petite monnaie en échange d'un gros billet


Explanation:
It’s not just about the money.
The side with the bigger list of terms wins.


Anne-Marie Laliberté (X)
Local time: 17:40
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 28
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
obtenir beaucoup plus


Explanation:
Tout simplement, dans ce contexte... En traduisant à tout prix l'expression imagée, on risque de tomber à plat. Ici, je pense qu'il vaut mieux se cantonner au sens.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 19 hrs (2018-06-10 06:09:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

'céder sur les points moins importants pour obtenir les avantages majeurs'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 19 hrs (2018-06-10 06:27:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

'céder sur les points moins importants pour obtenir les avantages plus jûteux'
'céder sur les broutilles pour obtenir les/des avantages plus jûteux' <- this one! :)


Cyril B.
France
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 151

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ph-b (X): D'accord sur le principe. Je me suis prêté au jeu de la traduction pour le plaisir, mais il serait p.-ê. plus sûr ici de rester prudent : qchose comme « savoir faire des concessions pour obtenir plus », tout en restant proche du ton familier.
23 mins
  -> Merci ph

agree  GILLES MEUNIER
5 hrs
  -> Merci Gilou
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search