Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
arroseur de chrysanthème
English translation:
just there for show/as decoration/just a pretty face/a token figure/window dressing
Added to glossary by
Jocelyne S
Jun 18, 2010 12:50
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term
arroseur de chrysanthème
French to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
The meaning is obvious, but I'm not sure of the best way to render this in EN. I've got a few ideas, but would be happy to hear from others.
Context is a quote from a union representative in an academic paper about workplace governance.
"On entend parfois dire des choses du genre : le représentant de la direction France, c'est plutôt un **arroseur de chrysanthème** qu'autre chose. C’est peut-être un peu exagéré comme formulation, mais c'est vrai que les représentants du personnel sont amenés à se dire que ce n’est pas là que ça se passe."
Best,
Jocelyne
Context is a quote from a union representative in an academic paper about workplace governance.
"On entend parfois dire des choses du genre : le représentant de la direction France, c'est plutôt un **arroseur de chrysanthème** qu'autre chose. C’est peut-être un peu exagéré comme formulation, mais c'est vrai que les représentants du personnel sont amenés à se dire que ce n’est pas là que ça se passe."
Best,
Jocelyne
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+1
3 mins
Selected
just there for show/as decoration
To start the ball rolling, as I'm sure it will.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks to all of you. It's always difficult to award points for such a subjective question. I don't think that there was any death, All Saints' Day or other subliminal meanings beyond the fact that it's quite useless to water chrysanthemums on a regular basis."
+2
20 mins
just a pretty face
or just a figurehead
Both are used in US EN formulations
Both are used in US EN formulations
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Claire Nolan
1 hr
|
Thanks, Clanola
|
|
agree |
Vicky James
: I like "figurehead"- along the lines of Sébastien's "mock" manager
4 hrs
|
Thanks, Vicky
|
25 mins
a mock-manager
Just a suggestion. Hope this helps.
2 hrs
token figure
just an idea of how it might be meant - perhaps serving a simple function, such as that of keeping the chrysanths. from drying out around the Fete des Morts, etc. (if that is done)?
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-06-18 15:20:22 GMT)
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Fête, of course.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-06-18 15:20:22 GMT)
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Fête, of course.
3 hrs
several suggestions....
a penpusher
a straw man
a stuffed shirt
a lightweight
an empty vessel
a stooge
window-dressing
a "nothing" man
the epitome of the Peter Principle (or the PP personified)
a puppet (in the sense that his strings are pulled by others in another country)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-06-18 16:13:56 GMT)
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I forgot - a nobody
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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-06-18 16:17:40 GMT)
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and more
a cipher
a nonentity
a straw man
a stuffed shirt
a lightweight
an empty vessel
a stooge
window-dressing
a "nothing" man
the epitome of the Peter Principle (or the PP personified)
a puppet (in the sense that his strings are pulled by others in another country)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-06-18 16:13:56 GMT)
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I forgot - a nobody
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Note added at 3 hrs (2010-06-18 16:17:40 GMT)
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and more
a cipher
a nonentity
4 hrs
doesn't have his eye on the ball/is out of touch (with reality)
I am tempted to interpret it this way as the following sentence is :
"mais c'est vrai que les représentants du personnel sont amenés à se dire que ce n’est pas là que ça se passe."
"mais c'est vrai que les représentants du personnel sont amenés à se dire que ce n’est pas là que ça se passe."
Discussion
Maybe it means he only shows up infrequently?