Apr 21, 2016 23:50
8 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Argentina
Words and beyond
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American) 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
shoving dirt in my mouth
English to Spanish
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
an expression
This is an article about family businesses, and it´s talking about the relationship between two brothers who are now business partners. One refers to the other in the following terms:
...so I’ve called him out my entire life for whatever—shoving dirt in my mouth, or telling me cologne makes your breath smell better.
Can´t figure out the “shoving dirt in my mouth” bit.
Any ideas?
...so I’ve called him out my entire life for whatever—shoving dirt in my mouth, or telling me cologne makes your breath smell better.
Can´t figure out the “shoving dirt in my mouth” bit.
Any ideas?
Proposed translations
(Spanish)
| 1 +7 | por hacerme tragar tierra |
Robert Forstag
|
| 4 | "soltar / echar veneno por la boca" |
Rosmu
|
Proposed translations
+7
9 mins
Robert Forstag
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
124
Selected
por hacerme tragar tierra
As far as I know, "shoving dirt in one's mouth" is not a common metaphorical expression. I therefore think that the speaker is using the phrase with a literal meaning, perhaps evoking memories of when the brothers were boys and horsed around and fought with one another....
Note from asker:
| You may be right Robert. It just didn´t make sense to me that someone would call upon a brother to make him swallow dirt. Perhaps I just didn´t get the irony. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
23 mins
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Thank you, Patricia.
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| agree |
Robert Carter
: Precisely. I think he's just giving examples of how they can be frank with each other.
24 mins
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Thank you, Robert!
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| agree |
lorenab23
: :-)
1 hr
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Thank you, Lorena. :)
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| agree |
Natalia Pedrosa
7 hrs
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Gracias, Natalia.
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| agree |
Inca Vallès
7 hrs
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Gracias, Inca.
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
7 hrs
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Gracias, John.
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| agree |
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
8 hrs
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Gracias, Bea.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Robert and everyone else who supported Robert´s input. "
11 hrs
"soltar / echar veneno por la boca"
...
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Note added at 11 hrs (2016-04-22 10:52:52 GMT)
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"por mi boca", obviamente.
"soltar/ echar veneno por mi boca"
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Note added at 11 hrs (2016-04-22 10:52:52 GMT)
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"por mi boca", obviamente.
"soltar/ echar veneno por mi boca"
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Robert Forstag
: Es obvio, basado en el contexto, que el significado de la frase es completamente literal y no figurado.
21 mins
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¿Y de dónde deduces que es un significado literal? ¿Conoces a alguien que, literalmente, trague tierra? Reflexiona acerca de tu contradicción.
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Discussion