The ditto thing

[Alfonso]

I recieved this, from a lady:

... And I'm glad you don't know [what the ditto thing is]. That means I don't have to be awfully embarrassed any more.

Pls, what's the ditto thing?

Thanks a lot for your help

[Tomisimo]

"Ditto" es una palabra que se usa para expresar que estás de acuerdo con lo que alguien acaba de decir, y tú dirías lo mismo.

Fulano: -- Un discurso acerca de x tema.
Zutano: -- Ditto.

You respond "ditto" instead of saying "I agree with you 100% and I would have said the same thing".

Also, in the US, there's a radio talkshow host called Rush Limbaugh, and the people who always listen to his program and agree with him are called "dittoheads" because they call in just to say "ditto".

[Iris]

Lots of ladies writing to you, Alfonso...Have you checked the Beautiful words thread? In the film Ghost the guy said ditto to his girlfriend not to have to answer I love you, because that embarrassed him. But I'm sure the lady who wrote to you was just kidding...
Esto es lo que se llama tirar piedras contra el tejado de uno...

[Iris]

It translates as idem. Do you understand your mysterious lady now?

[Alfonso]

Thanks a lot, David, for your information.
Iris... Pls, behave yourself. That lady is not anymore the epitome of innocence. I think she never was.

[Tomisimo]

Question- do you use idem. in speech or only in writing, and is it an abbreviation of a Latin word or something?

Another thing very similar to this is when you use 2 vertical lines (or a quote mark) to indicate a repetition of the word from above it. Do you use this in Spanish?

Vegetable oil
Olive      "
Canola     "

Which would be the same as writing:

Vegetable oil
Olive oil
Canola oil

[Rusty]

The two vertical lines, known as the ditto mark in English, is una comilla in Spanish. The word ídem is, I would think, seldom used in conversation. They would most likely say lo mismo, instead.

[Iris]

I think you are right, Rusty.

[Tomisimo]

Thanks Rusty and Iris.