Quote:
Originally Posted by poli
(Post 27935)
This is a perfect example of what a mine field Spanish can be when dealing with vulgar works. The "no-no" words vary greatly from one country to another. Sometimes it can provoke fights, but most of the
time laughs. Anyone who has dealt with various Spanish-speaking nationalities has funny stories to tell about these misunderstandings.
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Well, it's very curious how the core of the spanish remains (thanks god!) in a way we all spanish speakers of diferent countries can understand each other, but substantially each country makes spanish richer in the sens of adding particular and peculiar details. I've friends from Ecuador, CHile, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and it could be very special to have us all together speaking, although it has not happened yet :). But dialogs can be very funny some times. words that are rude somewhere are nice for others, even tender...aaaahh!! languages
By the way "queue" is a french word for all three: tail, line and penis, the context would determine the meaning. Just as for 'rabo'.. I think 'rabo' is indeed less delicate than 'cola' but it would not get you into troubles if you use it properly in an adequate context.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar
(Post 28072)
Literally it would be that someone has grown such a long tail, people can step on it. In a more figurative meaning, "alguien tiene cola que le pisen" refers to someone who doesn't lead a very honest life.
"No inviertas con Madoff, tiene cola que le pisen."
Politician saying: "Nunca he aceptado sobornos (bribery). No tengo cola que me pisen."
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I would understand by that "I have nothing to worry about" "My conscience is clean" right? it's the first time I hear this frase, although cuban spanish is enormously rich in this sort of popular oneliners(refranes populares/dicharachos/proverbios)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elaina
(Post 28037)
Interesting conversation about.......cola.......
I was taught by an older person, a few years back that there is a difference between cola and rabo...
cola = a tail that hangs
such as: cola de caballo, cola de perro, cola de gato, etc.
rabo = a tail that has nothing to hang
such as: el rabo del chango (mono), el rabo del (hamster), etc.
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-It can be confusing, as spanish speaker I don't go that deep into this kind of nuance, just use the word :). But I think there is something about this statement. I use rabo and cola indistinctively, without thinking before if it hangs or not. We can say el rabo del caballo o la cola del caballo, o rabo de gato, cola de gato. Analyzing this point, I would rather think that rabo is a long tail (mostly round), and cola a short (very short) one or with other shape (plate p.e.). so I would conclude: monkey, horse, dog, cat, they all have rabos/colas. and then hare, bear, fish, birds, they would have colas. this also matches the association of rabo to the penis, and cola to the butt.
Does this make any sense to you?
