If you want to describe people who have an overly high opinion of themselves, here’s some handy Spanish slang: In Argentina, you might describe such a person as Tarzán de maceta, or “Tarzan of the flowerpot.” You might also call them a Yeti de freeze r, or “Yeti of the freezer.” Another equivalent translates as “Aquaman of the toilet.” Adam Sharp, who collects such linguistic gems, is the author of quirky books about words and trivia, including The Correct Order of Biscuits (Bookshop|Amazon) and Euphemisms That Get on My You-Know-Whats. (Bookshop|Amazon). This is part of a complete episode.
A listener named Lita who grew up in Cuba shares her favorite Spanish idiom for “working hard”: sudando tinta, or literally, “sweating ink.” This is part of a complete episode.
Sarah Jane in Tucson, Arizona, recalls hearing the phrase out where God lost his galoshes for any far-flung, hard-to-reach place. Similar phrases include where God left his overshoes, where Jesus lost his sandals, where Jesus lost his cap, where...
Subscribe to the fantastic A Way with Words newsletter!
Your co-hosts Martha and Grant send occasional fun messages with language headlines, event announcements, interesting linguistic tidbits, and new episode links. It’s a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening with the show.