This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Government / Politics

to play “I Love Lucy”

English translation: acting like Lucy in the sitcom

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:to play “I Love Lucy”
Selected answer:acting like Lucy in the sitcom
Entered by: SeiTT

11:29 Oct 29, 2017
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / Working in Politics
English term or phrase: to play “I Love Lucy”
Greetings

Please see:
https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_script...

A discontented aide says to her boss, who she feels is wasting her abilities, “I have an MBA from Syracuse. I graduated summa cum laude and I spent a year at the Sorbonne studying French poetry. I'm done playing I Love Lucy for you.”

Best wishes, and many thanks,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:51
acting like Lucy in the sitcom
Explanation:
a bit of a clown character

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Lucy
Lucy is naïve and ambitious, with an undeserved zeal for stardom and a knack for getting herself and her husband into trouble whenever Lucy yearns to make it in show business. The Ricardos' best friends, Fred and Ethel, are former vaudevillians and this only strengthens Lucy's resolve to prove herself as a performer. Unfortunately, she has few marketable performance skills. She does not seem to be able to carry a tune or play anything other than off-key renditions of songs such as "Glow Worm" on the saxophone, and many of her performances devolve into disaster. However, to say she is completely without talent would be untrue, as on occasion, she is shown to be a good dancer and a competent singer. She is also at least twice offered contracts by television or film companies—first in "The Audition" when she replaces an injured clown in Ricky's act, and later in Hollywood when she dances for a studio benefit using a rubber Ricky dummy as her dancing partner.
The show provided Ball ample opportunity to display her considerable skill at clowning and physical comedy.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2017-10-29 11:38:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

so the discontented aide here believes she has far more to offer than the character "Lucy" and wants to be taken seriously, since she is a Syracuse graduate com laude and has also studied at the Sorbonne. In other words, she does not see herself as some would-be performer

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2017-10-31 11:09:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

for the record, this was not that easy, especially for anyone who doesn't know the programmes mentioned.
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 07:51
Grading comment
Many thanks, excellent!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5acting like Lucy in the sitcom
Yvonne Gallagher
Summary of reference entries provided
It was a US sitcom and a huge hit
writeaway

  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
to play “i love lucy”
acting like Lucy in the sitcom


Explanation:
a bit of a clown character

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Lucy
Lucy is naïve and ambitious, with an undeserved zeal for stardom and a knack for getting herself and her husband into trouble whenever Lucy yearns to make it in show business. The Ricardos' best friends, Fred and Ethel, are former vaudevillians and this only strengthens Lucy's resolve to prove herself as a performer. Unfortunately, she has few marketable performance skills. She does not seem to be able to carry a tune or play anything other than off-key renditions of songs such as "Glow Worm" on the saxophone, and many of her performances devolve into disaster. However, to say she is completely without talent would be untrue, as on occasion, she is shown to be a good dancer and a competent singer. She is also at least twice offered contracts by television or film companies—first in "The Audition" when she replaces an injured clown in Ricky's act, and later in Hollywood when she dances for a studio benefit using a rubber Ricky dummy as her dancing partner.
The show provided Ball ample opportunity to display her considerable skill at clowning and physical comedy.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2017-10-29 11:38:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

so the discontented aide here believes she has far more to offer than the character "Lucy" and wants to be taken seriously, since she is a Syracuse graduate com laude and has also studied at the Sorbonne. In other words, she does not see herself as some would-be performer

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day23 hrs (2017-10-31 11:09:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

for the record, this was not that easy, especially for anyone who doesn't know the programmes mentioned.

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 07:51
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 56
Grading comment
Many thanks, excellent!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans: Yes, I remember!
39 mins
  -> Thanks Chris! Yes, some of us are old enough! I used to love it (cringe-worthy admission??)
agree  Robert Forstag: A fitting paraphrase might be something like: “I am sick and tired of being seen and treated by you as a figure of fun.” // I watched reruns all the time between ages 8 and 14. 😊
1 hr
  -> Thanks Robert. (Admit it! Were you another fan?) Yes, Lucy was a bit of a klutz//:-)
agree  Edith Kelly
4 hrs
  -> GRMA
agree  Charles Davis: Looking at the context in The Good Wife, I think she means having to take part in a ludicrous intrigue like something out of a sitcom. // No, it's Nora, talking to Eli, who wants her go and spy on someone // Only a couple of eps. Must get round to it.
8 hrs
  -> Thanks. Huge difference between Lucy and Alicia Florick (the Good Wife ambitious lawyer expected to be arm candy for her politician husband, a series I loved more recently), but not sure this line is talking about her//right! BTW Did you get to see it?
agree  Ashutosh Mitra
21 hrs
  -> Thanks:-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Reference comments


10 mins peer agreement (net): +4
Reference: It was a US sitcom and a huge hit

Reference information:
In your context, it's referring to a woman forced by her husband to play the role of obedient housewife. Lucy is always trying to do/be more than that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Lucy

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  AllegroTrans
35 mins
agree  Herbmione Granger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZV40f0cXF4
1 hr
agree  Edith Kelly
4 hrs
agree  Rachel Fell
8 hrs
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.

Return to KudoZ list

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:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search