Martha shares some Argentine idioms, including one that translates as “What a handrail!” for “What a bad smell!” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Argentine Handrail Idiom”
Grant, I’m looking at this list of idioms that you were talking about,
And it’s got some great Argentinian ones that I’ve always liked,
One of which translates as, I don’t have hair on my tongue.
I don’t have hair on my tongue.
Right.
What could that possibly mean?
It means you’re a straight talker, that you’re not a liar.
No tengo pelos en la lengua.
Very good.
I love that.
And here’s another one that I wasn’t familiar with.
Que baranda.
It means what a handrail.
Is it somebody who’s dirty?
Well, sort of.
It means what an awful smell.
Que baranda.
Think of how skeevy a handrail really is.
Yeah, yeah.
When it’s still a little greasy and warm from the last hand that passed.
And you’re like, !
A cold handrail is better than a warm handrail.
That’s right.
Miniature.
Now that should be an idiom.
You know, that’s really good.
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