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Hemo. Prom. Xeri.
de carencia
Jul 5, 2011 18:53
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

al pie de los caballos

Spanish to English Art/Literary Media / Multimedia note at bottom of medical
from an article about Kate Moss's high profile wedding:

Pero a esas horas era ya un secreto a voces que la modelo iba a ir vestida por su íntimo amigo John Galliano, el diseñador británico que se encuentra hoy al pie de los caballos, respondiendo ante un tribunal de las acusaciones de racismo anti-judío y confesando sus problemas con el alcohol y el estrés de la creación. Imposible olvidar que la propia Moss estaba también hace no tanto tiempo al pie de los caballos, viendo cómo sus patrocinadores la abandonaban debido a sus problemas con la cocaína. Ella salió a flote y, al vestir Galliano, espera que también él logre superar sus problemas.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 in ill favour // out of favour // shunned by decent society
4 between a rock and a hard place / in the unenviable position of
4 fell from grace
4 currently out of favour/a pariah/outcast (as he shot himself in the foot)
4 disgraced
3 in the eye of the storm
3 in the dog house

Discussion

moken Jul 6, 2011:
Check the DRAE Entry under "pie":
estar alguien a los pies de los caballos.
1. loc. verb. Estar muy abatido y despreciado.
ormiston (asker) Jul 6, 2011:
any explanation of the Spanish 'caballo' idea? if possible, from the horse's mouth!
moken Jul 5, 2011:
Register: moderately informal It's a common set phrase in Spanish which is not unusual in journalism. It means "to be in a very difficult situation", though it's most commonly used when you are in that situation though someone else's doing, and will generally involve coming under public scrutiny. The most direct equivalent I can think of in English is to be fed/thrown to the lions, which I am sure you'll understand, but I don't think it works well here. Imo, you'd need an idiom that would simultaneously imply being "in big trouble" and "under public scrutiny". I hope if this explains your query.
ormiston (asker) Jul 5, 2011:
what sort of tone/register is being used? Any ideas what the metaphor originally meant?

Proposed translations

+3
6 mins
Selected

in ill favour // out of favour // shunned by decent society

This seems to be the idea.

Suerte.
Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard : Yes, there's lots of ways of saying this.
1 hr
Thank you, Phil.
agree Maria Kisic : even blacklisted, ostracized...
8 hrs
Thank you, Maria.
agree franglish
11 hrs
Thank you, Franglish.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I also considered 'to fall from grace' so thanks to everyone"
16 mins

between a rock and a hard place / in the unenviable position of

The two things that occur to me when I think of John Galliano's situation . . .
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : These both sound too sympathetic - his problems are self inflicted.
56 mins
Interesting comment, Phil. I took a dry approach but in no way thought it sounded sympathetic. The fellow is, indeed, a wretch.
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11 mins

fell from grace

Another option!

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-05 20:09:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

you could also add 'publicly': 'publicly fell from grace'
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1 hr

currently out of favour/a pariah/outcast (as he shot himself in the foot)

a few options

or just "currently suffering loss of status/prestige"

"pariah" might be a bit strong here although he is a bit of an outcast at the moment

estar alguien a los pies de los caballos.

1. loc. verb. Estar muy abatido y despreciado.


www.significadode.org/pie.htm - Cached
estar alguien a los pies de los caballos. 1. loc. verb. Estar muy abatido y despreciado. estar alguien al pie del cañón. 1. loc. verb. coloq. ...
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1 hr
Spanish term (edited): al pie de los caballos

disgraced


I think 'disgraced' alone will do it. More than 7,000 "direct" hits for "John Galliano, the disgraced British fashion designer".

He ought to be ashamed of himself, if you ask me! Tut tut :)



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-05 20:28:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...John Galliano, the disgraced British fashion designer who is currently in court on charges of anti-Jewish racism...
Example sentence:

...John Galliano, el diseñador británico que se encuentra hoy al pie de los caballos

...John Galliano, the disgraced British fashion designer...

Reference:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=&q=%22John+Galliano%2C+the+disgraced+British+fashion+designer%22&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enES297

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7 mins

in the eye of the storm

Hi Ormiston,

Normally, I'd say be thrown/fed to the lions is a more direct equivalent, but in this case you'd almost have to say that Galliano's fed himself to the lions.

I think in the eye of the storm could be an adequate expression in this particular case.

Rgds,

Álvaro

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2011-07-05 23:06:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Along with the meaning Phil's pointed out, I also found the following definitions on http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/storm

the eye of the storm
the center of a disagreement The man in the eye of the storm is accused of selling secrets to the enemy.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of the eye of the storm (the middle of a mass of severe weather)
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003. Reproduced with permission.

be in the eye of the storm
to be very much involved in an argument or problem that affects a lot of people International aid agencies were in the eye of the storm when war broke out in the country.
Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd ed. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006. Reproduced with permission.

Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : No - this means a brief period of calm, which is the very opposite of what the Spanish says.
1 hr
Aha, I stand corrected then. Thanks Phil. Seems this is used with very opposite meanings though. I just added a reference above.
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

in the dog house

pilloried
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