sich zum Brot machen

11:06 Mar 30, 2017
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
German term or phrase: sich zum Brot machen
I'm checking some subtitles for a police drama.

One of the policemen was married to a former prostitute, and another officer says "machst dich doch zum Brot vor deinen Kollegen, wenn du so jemanden heiratest.."

The original translator wrote "Colleagues will hose you for a wife like that." but the subtitles have to be in British English, and that's not a phrase we would use here.

Does it mean something along the lines of being a laughing stock? Or more serious than that? I don't fully understand the meaning of "to hose" here, let alone the German phrase.
Joanne Parker
Local time: 10:29


Summary of answers provided
5to make one the subject of ridicule.
acritely
4they'll think your're a right doofus
Michael Martin, MA
3laughing stock
gangels (X)
Summary of reference entries provided
dummes Brot
Johanna Timm, PhD

Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
they'll think your're a right doofus


Explanation:
or complete/real doofus.

No one will have trouble understanding that one...

Gotta love this line:
"She's a doofus for marrying him, but god, I love emeralds.." http://althouse.blogspot.com/2006/09/there-may-come-time-whe...



Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 06:29
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 14
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
laughing stock


Explanation:
fool, simpleton, dolt, dunce, blockhead, nincompoop, ninny, numskull, ignoramus, booby, sap, dunderhead, droll, merry-andrew, others I can't think of right now

gangels (X)
Local time: 04:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 16
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

32 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
to make one the subject of ridicule.


Explanation:
It is about getting teased by others. To become material for their taunting, ie 'eat you up'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 days (2017-05-02 00:02:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

to make oneself* the subject of ridicule.

Example sentence(s):
  • Solcher Blödsinn wird dich zum Brot deiner Kollegen machen.
  • This idiocy will make you the subject of ridicule amongst your colleagues.
acritely
United States
Local time: 05:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Reference comments


6 hrs
Reference: dummes Brot

Reference information:
https://www.welt.de/kultur/article5836884/Wie-konnte-das-Bro...

Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 20
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search