Jacks

[Tomisimo]

These are jacks:

But I can't find them in the dictionary. What are these called in Spanish?

Thanks

[Jamie]

I went to translate.google.com/translate_t and searched for jacks and the word came out as jotas.

I hope I helped you!

[Marsopa]

Se llaman matatenas en Mexico.

[Rusty]

Find one answer here. I'm not absolutely certain this is the same game. The original jacks, according to someone from Spain, were bones. Here is a picture of the game as currently sold (according to the same person).

Someone from Tampico, Mexico called the game matatenas. Dijo él: Avientas las matatenas y luego lanzas una pelota hacia arriba y mientras está en el aire recoges las matatenas (primero de una en una, después de dos en dos y así sucesivamente). Tienes que hacerlo antes de que la pelota caiga en tu mano de nuevo.

The jotas mentioned by Jamie are the Jacks in a deck of cards.

[Alfonso]

What a great research, Rusty!
For your explanation I guess this is what in Spain is called juego de tabas, as it's shown in the picture you offer us.
I heard of it from my grandparents who used to play with sheep articulation bones. They didn't use a ball, but another taba / bone which they threw up in the air. Meanwhile they took as many bones as possible with the same hand.
It was hard times and, for games, children had to take advantage of whatever they had at hand.

[Iris]

My Mum used to play tabas with bones after the Spanish war. When my children were little they bought plastic ones with funny faces on them called gogos. I'm sure there's still a box full of them somewhere.

[poli]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

What a great research, Rusty!
For your explanation I guess this is what in Spain is called juego de tabas, as it's shown in the picture you offer us.
I heard of it from my grandparents who used to play with sheep articulation bones. They didn't use a ball, but another taba / bone which they throwed threw up in the air. Meanwhile they took as many bones as possible with the same hand.
It was hard times and the games children had got took advantage of anything they had at the reach of a hand.

It was hard times and, for games, children had to take advantage of whatever they had at hand.

[Alfonso]

This is a gorgeous correction, Poli. Thanks a lot!

I see to have something at hand is a clear and neat expression which can be translated as tener algo al alcance de la mano.

[Rusty]

I forgot to include this link:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matatenas

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

This is a gorgeous correction, Poli. Thanks a lot!

I see to have something at hand is a clear and neat expression which can be translated as tener algo al alcance de la mano.

Yes, that's right. In a similar vein, do you know what the expression to have something on hand means?

Thanks for the great research all. I think matatenas is the right word. Tabas looks like it's a bit different, based on the picture Rusty posted.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

Yes, that's right. In a similar vein, do you know what the expression to have something on hand means?

Thanks for the great research all. I think matatenas is the right word. Tabas looks like it's a bit different, based on the picture Rusty posted.

I guess to have something on hand means to be doing something. Am I right? Can you say to have something on hands?

Matatenas should be in other countries but Spain. Here it was a very common game after the Civil War and they are called tabas. I even have played tabas with my grandmother. And they were real bones she kept from the sheep meat she bought at the butcher's.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

I guess to have something on hand means to be doing something. Am I right? Can you say to have something on hands?

To have something on hand means tener algo en existencia o tener algo disponible. It's very similar to to have something in stock (at a store etc.).

at the butchery's.

... at the butcher's.

[Alfonso]

To have something on hand, to have something on stock
Thanks a lot, David.

I was thinking on the Spanish expression: tener algo entre manos which means to be doing something. Can you say a better translation for it?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

I was thinking on the Spanish expression: tener algo entre manos which means to be doing something. Can you say a better translation for it?

To be doing something is a good translation. You might also try to be up to something.

[poli]

Yes, if you have something on hand means you have it in stock. If you have something at hand it means you have it readily available at arms reach. Also, there is the term: the situation at hand. This means the current situation (usually when there is a crisis). For example: When Hurricane Karina blew New Orleans down, President Bush was unaware of the situation at hand.

[gatitoverde]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

To have something on hand, to have something on stock
Thanks a lot, David.

I was thinking on the Spanish expression: tener algo entre manos which means to be doing something. Can you say a better translation for it?

Sir, I'm sucking up idioms from you like an Escalade sucking up our childrens' future.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by gatitoverde

Sir, I'm sucking up idioms from you like an Escalade sucking up our childrens' future.

I'm sorry I can't understand exactly what you mean. Why Escalade, with initial capital letter?

[gatitoverde]

Un Escalade es un tipo de camión grande o SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) muy caro hecho por Cadillac. Los raperos se lo refieren mucho en sus canciones. Es un símbolo de la riqueza, y por lo tanto, mucha gente aquí los tiene sin ninguna razón, ni montañas en sus inmediaciones, ni muchos niños que trasladar a varios lugares. Y gastan o "suck up" mucha gasolina, el cual será un problema para nuestros niños.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by gatitoverde

Sir, I'm sucking up idioms from you like an Escalade sucking up our childrens' future.

I enjoyed that original metaphor or simile (whichever it is).