ne pas savoir où se mettre

[Anna K]

Bonjour a tous, je n'arrive pas a trouver de traduction adequate pour l'expression "ne pas savoir ou se mettre" qui se trouve dans une autobiographie (source: "On ne savait pas où se mettre"). Comment puis-je exprimer cela en anglais?
Merci d'avance!

Note de modération : Cette discussion comprend plusieurs discussions précédentes.
Moderator note: This discussion includes several previous discussions.

 

[mgarizona]

One didn't know what to do with oneself?

The proper expression would depend on the context. What caused this uncertainty?

 

[Schmorgluck]

Embarrasment, most of the time. It's mostly employed when you'd say "I'd like the floor to open up and swallow me."

 

[archijacq]

"didn't know where to put himself" is a common occurrence

 

[hal 2001]

Oh là là ! J'étais tellement gêné que je ne savais pas où me mettre. J'ai invité la jeune fille à boire un verre à côté, pour m'excuser.

What does "je ne savais pas où me mettre" mean? "I didn't know where to..."?

 

[Jim in Phila]

In a state of embarrassment, it means I didn't know which way to turn.

 

[Itisi]

It's the same in English: I didn't know where to put myself.

As for 'se mettre' re the initial post :

se mettre à [qch]⇒ v pron (se convertir à [qch], adopter une idée) (activity, idea) take [sth] up vtr phrasal sep
(informal) get into [sth] vtr phrasal insep (activity) start doing [sth] v expr
Elle s'est mise à la course à pied pour entretenir sa forme. Il s'est mis au végétarisme par compassion pour les animaux.
She started running to keep in shape.

But the suggestion at #4 was just right for that particular context.

 

[hal 2001]

Er, what does "I didn't know where to put myself." mean?

 

[analect]

@hal 2001, I don't think I've ever actually heard that phrase before. Given some context, I could probably guess that the writer intends a state of embarrassed confusion, but the phrase is not in use to my knowledge in US English.

[...]

 

[Itisi]

not know where to put (oneself)
To feel particularly awkward, uncomfortable, or embarrassed. My father-in-law's speech was so cringeworthy that I didn't know where to put myself.

not know where to put yourself
feel deeply embarrassed. informal
1986 Robert Sproat Stunning the Punters He was begging and pleading with me…with tears rolling down his cheeks so I didn't know where to put myself.

not know where to put yourself
informal
feel very embarrassed:
And then he started to sing. Well, I didn't know where to put myself.

 

[hal 2001]

Thanks, itisi. I'm surprised none of my French dictionaries give "to feel embarassed" as a meaning for "ne pas savoir où se mettre".