bow and scrape

Spanish translation: servir de felpudo (varios); ponerse de tapete (México); agachar el lomo (Argentina) [Proz]

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	bow and scrape
Spanish translation:	servir de felpudo (varios); ponerse de tapete (México); agachar el lomo (Argentina) [Proz]
Entered by:	Michael Powers (PhD)

04:50 Dec 11, 2005

English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

English term or phrase: bow and scrape

I have decided to compile a somewhat thorough English-Spanish glossary, a long-standing goal I have had for many years but never actually done. In approximately 10% of the cases, I am recurring to you, my colleagues on Proz, to ask you to help me get appropriate translations into Spanish of a number of idioms.

I want to assure everyone that ALL TRANSLATIONS WILL BE SHARED on the open forum we have in Proz. The way I guarantee this is by choosing “one answer” to which I incorporate many of the other answers, and then I click to save the question and answer on the open Proz forum.

Selection criteria: 1) extensive usage throughout the Spanish-speaking world. I am counting on your help, and since usually colleagues simply agree without adding where they know the translated term to be used, I am not able to specify this in the answers. This is not a commercial enterprise, but rather an informal exercise for the benefit of all of us. 2) Many times there are really creative idioms that are used which, although not used necessarily through the Spanish-speaking world, would be readily understood by all. I am particularly happy to include these in the open forum so that we can all enjoy them in our use, whether literally, or perhaps with an adaptation to the degree that each translator deems appropriate for that particular target population.
Please, when you agree with an answer, mention the countries in which you know such idiom to be used, if not already mentioned by another colleague. Since this project is so time-consuming and endless, and since, like you, I have such a heavy load of translations and interpreting jobs to do and cannot spend umpteen million hours on it, I must count on your help. And although simply listing countries because another translator says so is in no way scientific, at least it is an interesting start.

Finally, I know context is everything. Quite often I will give the meaning(s) in which I am interested, and I will attempt to include a sample. Some sources, such as the Random House Dictionary, already have an example, so there is no need for me to do this, since time is of essence.

Thank you for your help.

I refer to its meaning to behave in an obsequious way to someone in authority.

Example:

But Lieberman isn't alone in the dereliction of his duty. Every Democrat who rubberstamps unqualified hacks to positions of crucial responsibility is guilty.

Since when has it become the norm that unless a candidate is utterly egregious that the president be given a benefit of doubt that amounts to blindness? Our founders fought a long, bitter and bloody war to rid ourselves of a king. George Washington himself set the standard for presidential modesty.

Today, though, we bow and scrape, tug our forelocks and bend over to say, "Please sir, can I have some more?"

It's about time that there were more citizens--and congressional Democrats--who had the guts to call out as Dr. Ben Marble did the other day, "Go fuck yourself, Mr. Cheney! Go fuck yourself!" When someone gets that message to Bush, loud and clear, we'll know we're on the road back to sanity in this country.

Michael Powers (PhD) KudoZ activity Questions: 1725 (none open) (59 closed without grading) Answers: 22267 United States
Local time: 19:20

ponerse de tapete (México)//servir de felpudo

Explanation:
Hola Mike,
Una frase que se usa coloquialmente en México para indicar el servilismo total y la humildad/sumisión exagerada de alguien hacia otro sobre todo tratándose de alguna autoridad.

En otros países, no tengo la plena seguridad cuáles, dicen "servir de felpudo" para indicar la misma idea.

Buena suerte y saludos del Oso ¶:^)

"bow and scrape
Behave obsequiously or too deferentially, as in In this fashionable store, the salespersons virtually bow and scrape before customers. This term alludes to the old-fashioned custom of bowing so deeply that one's foot draws back and scrapes the ground. A cliché for a century or more, it may be dying out. [Mid-1600s]"
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms

Ejemplos de uso:

"...Estamos cansados de ver como en el nombre del pueblo mexicano se arrastran a favor del gringo o que por lo menos Derbez se ponga a trabajar en lo suyo y no esté tratando de ***ponerse de tapete del imperio***. ..."
http://foros.eluniversal.com.mx/foros_sr_detalle_foro_limit....

"...Y no se trata de ser sumisos o ***ponerse de tapete ante el otro***. Simplemente hay veces que en alguien debe caber la cordura, y qué mejor que seas tú quien calme la tormenta y explique abiertamente sus sentimientos hasta llegar a un acuerdo. ..."
http://www.soloellas.com/mar05/boda/tips_ser_feliz.asp

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-12-11 07:32:50 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

felpudo
4. m. Estera gruesa y afelpada que se usa principalmente en la entrada de las casas a modo de limpiabarros, o para pasillos de mucho tránsito.
DRAE©

Ejemplos de uso:

\"...Los argumentos que esgrime el tribunal que la juzga son que Amina tuvo un niño con otro hombre estando casada con su primer marido, del que no se había separado antes. Tiene gracia viniendo de un país donde la mujer vale menos que una cabra (y que conste que no tengo nada contra las cabras) y cuya única función es tener niños, trabajar como un animal de carga y ***servir de felpudo*** para el cafre que le haya tocado como marido, quien no dudará en violarla cual animal cada vez que le dé la gana. ...\"
http://www.canariasahora.com/opinion/editar_opinion.asp?idop...

\"...Pero parece que no se lo han tomado muy bien y su postura, antaño coincidente con la de los intereses españoles, comienza a ser divergente, y es que son muchos palos en el mismo costado y si ZP está dispuesto a ***servir de felpudo*** a los intereses franceses y alemanes, Polonia parece que no. ...\"
http://elzapatazo.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid...

\"...pero lo que no se puede pedir es que en base a una supuesta amistad haya que ser felpudo de nadie y eso es lo que Aznar hizo, ***ponerse de felpudo***. ...\"
http://robertozucco.bitacoras.com/archivos/2005/11/01/derech...

Selected response from:

Oso (X)

Grading comment

Dejé fuera "mostarse demasiado solícito/obsequioso" y "rendir pleitesía" por el registro es más informal en inglés que estas dos respuestas, si es que no me equivoco. Las respuestas escogidas como acertadas mantienen el registro informal.

Gracias a todos.

Mike :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

mostrase demasiado solícito/obsequioso

Eugenio Llorente

ponerse de tapete (México)//servir de felpudo

Oso (X)

rendir pleitesía

Esteban Shuk

agachar el lomo (Argentina)

Chelin

Answers

2 hrs confidence:

ponerse de tapete (México)//servir de felpudo

Oso (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 136

Grading comment

6 hrs confidence:

mostrase demasiado solícito/obsequioso

Explanation:
Se utiliza en España.
Ref.: Lexibase Pro - Collins Dictionary Eng-Spanish-Eng

Eugenio Llorente
Spain
Local time: 01:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 20

6 hrs confidence:

rendir pleitesía

Explanation:
Pleitesía: muestra reverente de cortesía.

Esteban Shuk
Local time: 18:20
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 12

7 hrs confidence:

agachar el lomo (Argentina)

Explanation:
otra posibilidad

Chelin
Local time: 20:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 40

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bow and scrape

Spanish translation: servir de felpudo (varios); ponerse de tapete (México); agachar el lomo (Argentina) [Proz]

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bow and scrape

Spanish translation: servir de felpudo (varios); ponerse de tapete (México); agachar el lomo (Argentina) [Proz]

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