Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Frühstücksdirektor
English translation:
figurehead
Added to glossary by
Kim Metzger
Mar 29, 2003 15:20
21 yrs ago
German term
United States
Frühstücksdirektor
German to English
Bus/Financial
Marketing
marketing
A letter from a consultant advertising for his services:
"Ich arbeite für meine Mandanten also keineswegs als eine Art „Frühstücksdirektor“, der hier und da die Honneurs macht – sondern leiste ausschließlich stetige, zielorientierte Arbeit."
The customer writes the following in his e-mail about the use of Frühstücksdirektor:
Mit dem "Frühstücksdirektor" will ich ja ausdrücken, daß es meiner Meinung nach etliche Kollegen gibt, die für Ihr Geld m.E. einfach zu wenig tun, sich offiziell pompös gebärden, aber keine zählbaren Ergebnisse vorweisen.
Is there any equivalent expression in English that captures the essence of what he's trying to say here?
"Ich arbeite für meine Mandanten also keineswegs als eine Art „Frühstücksdirektor“, der hier und da die Honneurs macht – sondern leiste ausschließlich stetige, zielorientierte Arbeit."
The customer writes the following in his e-mail about the use of Frühstücksdirektor:
Mit dem "Frühstücksdirektor" will ich ja ausdrücken, daß es meiner Meinung nach etliche Kollegen gibt, die für Ihr Geld m.E. einfach zu wenig tun, sich offiziell pompös gebärden, aber keine zählbaren Ergebnisse vorweisen.
Is there any equivalent expression in English that captures the essence of what he's trying to say here?
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
9 mins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
215
Selected
figurehead executive
Rebecca, take a look at the previous KudoZ question. This is one of the possibilities.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Dear Kim, Christiane, Sueg, EZBless and Ron - may the powers that be protect all translators from customers of this sort. The man drove me up a wall on this term - he called me three times on Sunday and turned down at least 10 different written suggestions and even more verbal suggestions on my part (including all suggestions from Proz) one after the other - only to then lecture me on the "filigrane deutsche Sprache" and how English simply couldn't capture its essense. In the end he decide to go with "a representative for my clients in name only" - accompanied by loud protest as to how this just didn't really express what he wanted to say - I wasn't about to waste my time with more fruitless effort, however.
I think all of your answers come very close, personally I would have simply chosen "figurehead" in this context - but heaven knows I am only a native English speaker and unable to comprehend the essense of the "filigrane deutsche Sprache.""
+1
3 hrs
Dr. phil. Christiane Bohnert
United States
United States
Native in German
United States
Research, Style, Accuracy
Native in: German (Variants: Swiss, Germany)
Works in: English to German
entertainment director
Rebecca, a "Frühstücksdirektor" is really a person chosen because of his/her name (Graf von..., Prinz von und zu..., etc.) who receives a highsounding company title but is really only there to impress the customers, taking them out to meals, etc. Hence, my suggestion
"entertainment director". Perhaps you can work from there.
"entertainment director". Perhaps you can work from there.
3 hrs
Ellen Zittinger
Native in German
&
English
Educator/Realtor/Securities Rep/Agent
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: English to German, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
bloated presentations by an embellisher
methods a good sales con artist would use to pocket money without delivery of all that which was elaborated upon as either as exaggerated or bloated presentatios
19 hrs
Susan Geiblinger
Austria
Austria
Native in English
Works in field
Austria
Not satisfied until you are
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English to German, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Showmaster
Thinking about show,sham, putting on a show.Think it would fit well here.
1 day 8 hrs
hospitality host (or hostess)
I think the author is trying to point out that he doesn't just fill people's water glass or make sure they get a fancy business lunch or night out, but that he really provides them a bonafide service-he doesn't just "wine-and-dine" them
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