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me pondrás a mí a la altura de los zapatos

English translation: you will degrade/humiliate me

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:me pondrás a mí a la altura de los zapatos
English translation:you will degrade/humiliate me
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

12:18 Dec 18, 2020
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / In An Autobiography
Spanish term or phrase: me pondrás a mí a la altura de los zapatos
Contexto (husband and wife planning out strategy for his political campaign):

—Espera, Emil; hasta ahora no te has acostumbrado a llamarme come se debe. Prudy, por Dios!

—Bueno, Prudy... ¿Qué iba diciendo? Ah, sí... El día en que vayas subiendo de casa en casa de los señores Diputados o siquiera de Malacañang para eso, entonces te pondrás y me pondrás a mí a la altura de los zapatos, y de nada te servirá el llamarte Denciang o Prudy...

My inclination is to translate the phrase as "willl put me at a great disadvantage". Anything better?

Gracias,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 15:54
you will degrade/humiliate me
Explanation:
Or rather both of us, according to the original text in Spanish.
This is another twist of a common expression used always as a comparison: ¨no llegarle a alguien a la suela de los zapatos¨ which translates as ¨not been able to hold a candle¨ to someone.
There is no comparison here, but as I understand it the meaning is to lower their standard in relation to their pairs or to how it should be.
Selected response from:

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4you will degrade/humiliate me
Cecilia Gowar
3 +1put me down
Juan (JP) Campaya
4you'll cast me aside like an old glove
Shilpa Baliga
3 -1you will bring me under heel
Francois Boye


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
you will degrade/humiliate me


Explanation:
Or rather both of us, according to the original text in Spanish.
This is another twist of a common expression used always as a comparison: ¨no llegarle a alguien a la suela de los zapatos¨ which translates as ¨not been able to hold a candle¨ to someone.
There is no comparison here, but as I understand it the meaning is to lower their standard in relation to their pairs or to how it should be.


Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 227

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Toni Castano: Degrade.
17 mins
  -> ¡Thanks Toni!
agree  Andy Watkinson: Also, quedar alguien a la altura del betún - which was the original expression
55 mins
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
4 hrs
agree  Thayenga
2 days 4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
put me down


Explanation:
Another option, more related to be humiliated. Since it's political warfare, maybe it applies as well.

Hope it helps you!

Example sentence(s):
  • Her piano teacher was forever putting her down.

    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-thesaurus/put-someone-down
Juan (JP) Campaya
Argentina
Local time: 16:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: might also work
4 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
you will bring me under heel


Explanation:
To use a word close to shoes

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 15:54
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Yvonne Gallagher: expression is "bring someone TO heel" but doesn't work here anyway
1 hr
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
you'll cast me aside like an old glove


Explanation:
I think this keeps the register of the original and is an authentic idiomatic expression in English.

Shilpa Baliga
Local time: 21:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
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