Buscar tres pies al gato

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

I think buscando tres pies al gato would be like a malicious auditor looking
for the slightest transgression. Am I wrong?

Exactly right.

Now, is it the same with splitting hairs?

[poli]

Originally Posted by chileno

Exactly right.

Now, is it the same with splitting hairs?

Answering this may be what splitting hairs is all about, but I think splitting hairs refers to something silly and not damaging.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Answering this may be what splitting hairs is all about, but I think splitting hairs refers to something silly and not damaging.

Will you answer my question? I already have the doubt in my mind.

[poli]

Originally Posted by chileno

Will you answer my question? I already have the doubt in my mind.

Buscando tres pies al gato --seems to me that you fishing for something, something to prove your point even what your fishing for may be a trivial bit of evidence.

Splitting hairs is just arguing over trivial matters.

Unless I'm wrong about the Spanish phrase, the meaning is really different.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Buscando tres pies al gato --seems to me that you fishing for something, something to prove your point even what your fishing for may be a trivial bit of evidence.

Splitting hairs is just arguing over trivial matters.

Unless I'm wrong about the Spanish phrase, the meaning is really different.

Really, fishing for something is the correct translation. Thanks!

[poli]

Even better: fishing for something trivial.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Even better: fishing for something trivial.

Nah, just fishing.

Are you fishing now?

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by chileno

Nah, just fishing.

Are you fishing now?

Right, time to get on with my fishing game.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by pjt33

Right, time to get on with my fishing game.

Aha! you like fish, now.

[jwpaine]

I believe the full phrase is something along the lines of "don't go looking for the three feet of the cat because you're likely to encounter the fourth", meaning, more or less, "you're looking for more trouble than you think you're going to find"