Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
meinen Urlaub ausnutzen, um mir diese blöde Kuh vor die Nase zu setzen im Büro
English translation:
promote the stupid cow and stick her right under my nose
Added to glossary by
Susan Welsh
Dec 8, 2008 12:53
15 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term
Germany
25 years in film industry
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: German to English, English to German
jemand jemandem vor die Nase setzen
German to English
Bus/Financial
Business/Commerce (general)
"...X wollte meinen Urlaub ausnutzen, um mir diese blöde Kuh vor die Nase zu setzen im Büro."
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Dec 22, 2008 12:35: Susan Welsh Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
1 hr
Susan Welsh
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Psychology, economics, politics
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
Selected
see below for full phrase
What about: "promote this stupid cow and stick her right under my nose"?
I can't think of an English idiom, but it's a shame to strip the humor out of the German idiom. Sometimes literal translations are more fun.
NOSE is probably among the most frequently used words in idioms in many languages (cf. Gogol's short story by that name in Russian). I wouldn't like to get rid of it here.
I can't think of an English idiom, but it's a shame to strip the humor out of the German idiom. Sometimes literal translations are more fun.
NOSE is probably among the most frequently used words in idioms in many languages (cf. Gogol's short story by that name in Russian). I wouldn't like to get rid of it here.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
6 mins
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Native in German
Specializes in field
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
88
to put someone over me
he wanted to avail himself of my absence by putting this .... over me
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Note added at 7 Min. (2008-12-08 13:01:40 GMT)
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they put a new man over him : ihm wurde ein Neuer vor die Nase gesetzt
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Note added at 7 Min. (2008-12-08 13:01:40 GMT)
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they put a new man over him : ihm wurde ein Neuer vor die Nase gesetzt
25 mins
dump someone on someone else
I believe it suggests that (at least at first) the person whose "Nase" it is, is powerless to stop it happening
+3
55 mins
by letting her steal my job
Alternative: by having her steal my job (or duties).
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Edith Kelly
: I have a feeling that this is actually meant here
11 mins
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Thanks, EdithK. That's my feeling, too. But I don't think there's an idiom for it in English. Grüße!
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| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: intended meaning; how to render "blöde Kuh" is another issue :))
20 mins
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Thanks, Ingeborg. "Tussi" is another hard one!
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| neutral |
hazmatgerman (X)
: Im Deutschen ist doch von der Arbeitsplatzwegnahme nicht die Rede, oder?
41 mins
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Urlaub + Büro = Arbeitsplatz IMO!
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| agree |
Charles Rothwell (X)
: I agree with the sense. ("X intended to use my being away on leave to promote this stupid cow to what should have been MY job!")http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6kOs2ewssTwC&pg=RA2-PA691... die Nase setzen English&source=web&ots=zbRBA
1 hr
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Thanks, Charles!
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1 hr
BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Austria
Native in German
Austria
b2b/economics/marketing/market research/
Native in: German
Works in: German to English, French to German, English to German
Related KudoZ points
:
172
to make this person my boss
How about some context?
+2
1 hr
Alison MacG
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Patents and related material specialist
Native in: English (Variants: Scottish, UK, British)
Works in: German to English, French to English, Swedish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
38
to appoint someone over someone's head
Another way of putting it (see the following dictionary of idioms)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Ve-Q4qZ1ycoC&pg=PA216&lpg...
It could mean that this person got the job in preference to the more obvious, but absent, candidate or perhaps, if the person on holiday held a position of some authority, without consulting that person.
over someone's head
a) without a person in the obvious position being considered, esp for promotion: the graduate was promoted over the heads of several of his seniors
b) without consulting a person in the obvious position but referring to a higher authority: in making his complaint he went straight to the director, over the head of his immediate boss
c) beyond a person's comprehension
(Collins)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Ve-Q4qZ1ycoC&pg=PA216&lpg...
It could mean that this person got the job in preference to the more obvious, but absent, candidate or perhaps, if the person on holiday held a position of some authority, without consulting that person.
over someone's head
a) without a person in the obvious position being considered, esp for promotion: the graduate was promoted over the heads of several of his seniors
b) without consulting a person in the obvious position but referring to a higher authority: in making his complaint he went straight to the director, over the head of his immediate boss
c) beyond a person's comprehension
(Collins)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
hazmatgerman (X)
: In Anbetracht der Unklarheit, ob eigene Beförderung oder Mitsprache bei der Beförderung gemeint ist, eine hinreichend unklare Lösung. Die Umgangssprache fehlt dann noch.
22 mins
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| agree |
Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
2 days 22 hrs
|
+4
1 hr
to promote SO ahead of SO (else)
Is how I'd suggest it is translated. The wording might read "to promote this stupid cow ahead of me".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Susan Welsh
: with "promote this stupid cow..." Good to keep the humor of the idiom in there.
11 mins
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| agree |
Rebecca Garber
1 hr
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| agree |
Inge Meinzer
1 day 12 hrs
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| agree |
Harald Moelzer (medical-translator)
3 days 2 hrs
|
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