A sandwich short of a picnic

[xchic]

It means not quite all there mentally - a bit daft, silly, stupid.

I'm looking for other similar sayings in English, and also any equivalent sayings in Spanish.

Thanks in advance.

[pjt33]

BNC includes the following:

a couple of currants short of a teacake
a few bricks short of a full load
a few co-ordinates short of a bearing
two bricks short of a wall
a few bricks short of a stable

It seems to be a productive snowclone - anyone can make up something which fits the pattern and uses nouns appropriate to the subject they're writing about, and expect to be understood.

[María José]

There are no equivalent expressions in Spanish. You would translate 'he's a few .... short of a ...' by using adjectives such as:
Es un poco corto
Es un poco espeso (like the English thick)
I have just remembered another expression:
No tiene muchas luces

All of the above are quite derogatory, like their English counterparts.

[xchic]

Originally Posted by pjt33

BNC includes the following:

a couple of currants short of a teacake
a few bricks short of a full load
a few co-ordinates short of a bearing
two bricks short of a wall
a few bricks short of a stable

It seems to be a productive snowclone - anyone can make up something which fits the pattern and uses nouns appropriate to the subject they're writing about, and expect to be understood.

thanks

My mind has gone blank on this - I thought of several when I was talking to a student & the sandwich one came up. I said there were lots of them & we'd talk about them in the next lesson.


Cue blank mind

[María José]

Originally Posted by xchic

thanks

My mind has gone blank on this - I thought of several when I was talking to a student & the sandwich one came up. I said there were lots of them & we'd talk about them in the next lesson.


Cue blank mind

I've been teaching English for 20 odd years and the same thing still happens to me.
What I often do is ask them to think of examples themselves, or like you, pick up the topic again in the next lesson. Even set it as an assignment for the next day: 'Let's see how many examples you can find on the net, guys'.
We are just human, but so much more entertaining, lovable and imaginative than a perfectly knowledgeable teacher-robot would be. Or so I tell myself...

[xchic]

Originally Posted by María José

I've been teaching English for 20 odd years and the same thing still happens to me.
What I often do is ask them to think of examples themselves, or like you, pick up the topic again in the next lesson. Even set it as an assignment for the next day: 'Let's see how many examples you can find on the net, guys'.
We are just human, but so much more entertaining, lovable and imaginative than a perfectly knowledgeable teacher-robot would be. Or so I tell myself...

I actually asked him to see if he could find any himself, and some Spanish ones too.

I didn't want to go to the next lesson with him empty-handed though.

I'm quite happy to admit when I don't know things - and will reach for a dictionary/reference book if need be. I've been teaching this particular guy for a couple of years now & we do have a bit of a laugh. It makes work so much easier if we're all enjoying ourselves.

[poli]

other examples : a few screws loose (usually crazy not stupid)
not the brightest light in the marquis
light in the piazza

[María José]

Originally Posted by xchic

I actually asked him to see if he could find any himself, and some Spanish ones too.

I didn't want to go to the next lesson with him empty-handed though.

I'm quite happy to admit when I don't know things - and will reach for a dictionary/reference book if need be. I've been teaching this particular guy for a couple of years now & we do have a bit of a laugh. It makes work so much easier if we're all enjoying ourselves.

Definitely. I think I'm very lucky to be a teacher. It's such an enjoyable job.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by xchic

It means not quite all there mentally - a bit daft, silly, stupid.

I'm looking for other similar sayings in English, and also any equivalent sayings in Spanish.

Thanks in advance.

In the US, some years ago, "A fry short of a happy meal"

[Elaina]

Lights on but nobody's home.

short-changed

[hermit]

Not playing with a full deck...

A couple cards short of a hand

[xchic]

Thank you all very much

[laepelba]

I found these on a website (some are duplicates of ones already offered):

a sandwich short of a picnic
a few beers short of a six-pack
one brick short of a load
a few fish short of a hatstand
not playing with a full deck [of cards]
to have bats in the belfrey
to have kangeroo loose in the top paddock
as crazy as a sack full of ferrets
out to lunch
as nutty as a fruit cake
as mad as a hatter
the lift doesn't go to the top floor (my personal favorite!)
the lights are on, but nobody's home
to have a screw loose
not the sharpest knife in the drawer
not hitting on all six cylinders

[bobjenkins]

To lose one´s marbles

Bob´s lost his marbles

a few fish short of a hatstand No entiendo eso

[Rusty]

@Bob: That means you haven't lost your marbles.



The same kind of question was asked back in March 2008. One site I posted in that thread contains over 200 such sayings. Give 'em a look.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I like " LE falta un hervor"

[Ambarina]

Le falta una garcillada.