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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

Estar de adorno

English translation: Am I just for show?

00:25 Apr 17, 2017
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Estar de adorno
Spanish term or phrase: Estar de adorno
Me encuentro con este término en el siguiente contexto:

Por qué no me avisa? Yo estoy aquí de adorno? Estoy aquí de adorno? Soy el patrón, o no?

Aguardo su ayuda.

Desde ya muchas gracias.
Azul Benito
Argentina
Local time: 02:52
English translation:Am I just for show?
Explanation:
I would say this is the English "cousin" of the Spanish expression, the idea being that the person or thing is intended to be seen, but is not actually used or does not do anything. Plenty of examples on the Internet:

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q="just for show" "de a...

Selected response from:

Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:52
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +6Am I just for show?
Simon Bruni
4 +2Am I just a figurehead, or what?
Robert Forstag
4 +1Am I just here for the fun of it?
David Hollywood
4Who am I? A chair-warmer?
Francois Boye
3 +1What do you think I am? Part of the furniture?
AllegroTrans
3What am I, chopped liver?
lorenab23
3To be a nobody / What am I, a nobody?
JohnMcDove
Summary of reference entries provided
Estar de adorno
neilmac

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Am I just here for the fun of it?


Explanation:
I would say

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Note added at 6 mins (2017-04-17 00:32:13 GMT)
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Por qué no me avisa? Yo estoy aquí de adorno? Estoy aquí de adorno? Soy el patrón, o no?

Why don't you let me know? Am I just here for the fun of it? I'm the boss or what?

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Note added at 9 mins (2017-04-17 00:34:55 GMT)
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or: Why don't you keep me in the picture? Am I just window dressing? I'm the boss here or does anybody say otherwise?

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Note added at 11 mins (2017-04-17 00:37:14 GMT)
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there are so many ways to say this and I'm sure you'll get many more ideas

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Note added at 13 mins (2017-04-17 00:39:53 GMT)
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this is one of these questions that give us so many options that we can get our translator juices really flowing

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Note added at 15 mins (2017-04-17 00:41:18 GMT)
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Soy el patrón ... I call the shots

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Note added at 15 mins (2017-04-17 00:41:46 GMT)
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= I'm the boss

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Note added at 19 mins (2017-04-17 00:45:21 GMT)
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vamos a ver que pasa :)

David Hollywood
Local time: 02:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 190

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  12316323 (X): Or, "(Do) you think I'm just here for the fun of it?" The second question could simply be "Do you?"
1 hr
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
What am I, chopped liver?


Explanation:
Maybe?

What am I, chopped liver?
A semi-serious expression of frustration, anger, or indignation at having been overlooked and/or regarded as inferior
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/What Am I, Chopped Liver...

lorenab23
United States
Local time: 22:52
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 27

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JohnMcDove: Very good option... :-)
5 hrs
  -> Un abrazo Johncito :-)
disagree  12316323 (X): No, it doesn't work here. This phrase is used to contrast yourself with someone else who was chosen for something, and you were passed over. (So s/he's so great, and...) what am I, chopped liver?
4 days
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42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Who am I? A chair-warmer?


Explanation:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/chair--warmer

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 01:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
To be a nobody / What am I, a nobody?


Explanation:
To be here just for the ride.

To be a plugged nickel.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/plugged-nickel?s=t

What do you think am I, the low man on the totem pole?

I like "el último mono" in Spanish... even a literal translation, "do you think I am a decorative feature around here?" (in my Spaniard mentality) I would think it could work...




JohnMcDove
United States
Local time: 22:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 21
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +6
Am I just for show?


Explanation:
I would say this is the English "cousin" of the Spanish expression, the idea being that the person or thing is intended to be seen, but is not actually used or does not do anything. Plenty of examples on the Internet:

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q="just for show" "de a...




    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20show
Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 182

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  franglish
1 hr
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
2 hrs
agree  James A. Walsh
6 hrs
agree  neilmac: To "be just for show" is what sprang to mind here....
11 hrs
agree  JohnMcDove
14 hrs
agree  Claudia Luque Bedregal
2 days 8 hrs
neutral  12316323 (X): The asker doesn't specify what audience she's translating this for (UK/UK), but I wouldn't use this in this context in the US. For me, "just for show" is more appropriate for a trophy wife or someone who's mere arm candy. Not in an angry retort like this.
4 days
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Yo estoy aquí de adorno?
Am I just a figurehead, or what?


Explanation:
I really don't think that anything literal will work here.

The complaint here is about not being paid due respect rather than any literal forgetting, and I think that this would be a natural way of expressing it.

Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 01:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 318

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carol Gullidge
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Carol.
agree  JohnMcDove
14 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
What do you think I am? Part of the furniture?


Explanation:
Another sugg.

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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2017-04-20 23:44:41 GMT)
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or part of the decorations

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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2017-04-20 23:44:55 GMT)
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or one of the ornaments

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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2017-04-20 23:45:45 GMT)
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or just a pretty face

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  patinba
10 hrs
  -> thank you
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Reference comments


18 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Estar de adorno

Reference information:
A common synonymous phrase in Spain is "estar de florero", often applied when for example, politicians or entrepreneurs ensure there is at least one woman in the "photo" of the occasion, in a kind of lipservice to equality.

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Note added at 18 hrs (2017-04-17 18:40:07 GMT)
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Estar de florero -> to be just for show or decoration

Example sentence(s):
  • Los compañeros a mis espaldas decían que yo estaba de florero y me ignoraban igual que ella.

    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/spanish-english/estar-de-florero
neilmac
Spain
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 207

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  JohnMcDove: Muy buena... And yes, "pro", no question about it.
2 hrs
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