A Dictionary of the Idiomatic Expression of Spanish America
A two volume compilation of most commonly used idiomatic expressions of Spanish-speaking countries is available for publication. The collection was put together by then president and founder of the Florida Institute of Technology where I went to School. Jerry P. Keuper, Ph.D. translated each spanish expression into the English equivalent, but the volumes were never published. If you or someone you know want to get involved or publish this wonderful and useful collection contact me at: Cesar D. Fermin, Ph.D. Tulane Pathology (504) 584-2521, Fax 504 587-7389.
Examples of the collection (Presently 1300 pages) are listed below:
- Poner las polainas (G) = To flee, run away, escape
- Meternle el dos (de bastos) (M) = To pick pockets using two fingers
- Quererse como dos chanchos (P) = To love each other very much
- Ser un juey dormido (PR) = To be a hypocrite
- Tener malas pulgas (S) = To be bad tempered; to be in a bad mood
- Tener mas palos que una caja de fosforos (V) = To be drunk
- Llevar de rama en rama como Tarzan lleva a Juana (Cu) = To like someone
- Chupar cachimba (B) = To smole a pipe, sucks one's thumb
- Al canto del petiguere (DR) = At daybreak
Country of most popular usage
- B=Bolivia,
- Cu=Cuba,
- DR= The Dominican Republic,
- G=Guatemala,
- M=Mexico,
- P=Peru,
- PR=Puerto Rico,
- S=El Salvador,
- V=Venezuela,
