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Le code est un symbole, mais nous n'y faisons pas attention.

Le code est un symbole, mais nous n'y faisons pas attention.
The code is a symbol, but we do not pay attention to it.
From Lesson 236:The pronoun 'y' with verbs (y)·French

Questions & Answers about Le code est un symbole, mais nous n'y faisons pas attention.

What exactly does y replace in this sentence?
It replaces à ce symbole (to this symbol) or au code (to the code). The expression used here is faire attention à (to pay attention to). Since y replaces à plus an inanimate object, it acts as 'to it' in this context.
Why is y placed before the verb instead of after it?
In French, object pronouns like y must go immediately before the conjugated verb they belong to. So instead of putting the object at the end of the sentence like in English, we say nous y faisons attention.
How does the negative ne ... pas wrap around the pronoun y?
The negative words act like a sandwich around the pronoun and the conjugated verb as a single unbreakable unit. The ne (which becomes n' before the vowel sound of y) goes right before the pronoun, and pas goes right after the verb: nous n'y faisons pas attention.
Why isn't there an article like l' or une before attention?
Faire attention is a fixed expression. In many common phrases built with faire or avoir (like avoir faim or faire peur), French simply drops the article before the noun entirely.

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