Talk:weakest link

RFD discussion

Rfd-sense: The part of a system that is most likely to fail or cause problems. Adequately covered by link, where it is even given as an example. Not sure what to do with the other definition. -- Liliana • 14:52, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

But that sense of link refers to literal links. — Ungoliant ^(Falai) 15:14, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

The example may perhaps be misplaced. The first sense refers to any kind of link, even figurative ones like here. -- Liliana • 15:27, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

Keep, in essence I just plain disagree with Liliana-60's reasoning. Mglovesfun (talk) 22:57, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

Keep as idiomatic. The term goes beyond the original meaning of the link (as an element of a chain). A weak member of a team can be the weakest link. --Anatoli ^{(обсудить}/^вклад) 04:59, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

But how does "A connection between places, persons, events, or things." not cover that? -- Liliana • 12:51, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

It's a member of a group, not as a connection, but simply as a member. Chuck Entz (talk) 13:27, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

The second sense is a reference to a specific show called w:The Weakest Link. I doubt that it has any use outside of that, but you would need to rfv it to be sure. Chuck Entz (talk) 05:32, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

I would delete the 2nd sense (no strong opinion on this but we don't keep names of shows here) but keep the first. Russian has an identical and common idiom, which I added as a translation. --Anatoli ^{(обсудить}/^вклад) 05:37, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Delete Completely trasparent use of well-established figurative senses of both components. DCDuring TALK 13:42, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Keep first sense. Definitely idiomatic. "Link" is not synonymous with "part," and, by extension, "chain" is not synonymous with "system"/"greater whole"/etc. Things may be described as the "weakest link" of something even if the something in question doesn't represent a chainlike sequence: "my mom's gambling was the weakest link in my parents' marriage," "low voter turnout is the weakest link in American democracy," etc. Astral (talk) 14:28, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Keep first sense, in consideration of citations like 2006, Taylor Bell, Glory Days Illinois: Legends of Illinois High School Basketball, page 108: "I worked hard at basketball because I didn't want to be the weakest link on the team". I can't find any books that otherwise refer to a player on a team as a "strongest link" or really as a "link" at all. Delete game show sense. bd2412 T 16:00, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Delete per DCDuring. I added what I think is an appropriate definition at link. Examples of usage include: “weakest link,” “strongest link,” “most valuable link” and “every link.” — Ungoliant ^(Falai) 23:11, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Delete per Ungoliant et al.​—msh210℠ (talk) 17:18, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

Keep It's because it's a well-established figurative sense that it should be kept. Completely transparent? To those knowing the phrase. Note that the French translation is maillon faible. Lmaltier (talk) 21:55, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

It’s also transparent to those who read weakest and link. — Ungoliant ^(Falai) 22:31, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

• Kept RFD'd sense, but deleted the TV show definition, which was not RFD'd. --ElisaVan (talk) 15:33, 12 October 2013 (UTC)

Italian translation

@Imetsia: I've added Italian translations (anello più debole, anello debole), but maybe these aren't idiomatic? I'm suspicious of anello più debole in particular. PUC – 12:57, 12 January 2021 (UTC)

I think anello debole is idiomatic (and it has a lemming), so I've added it. But I too am skeptical of anello più debole. Imetsia (talk) 16:24, 12 January 2021 (UTC)

@Imetsia: Thanks! I've removed the other translation - let's not waste time on this. PUC – 16:34, 12 January 2021 (UTC)