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 Moses left his sandals. Brazilians use a similar phrase that translates as “where Judas lost his boots.” Spaniards have a host of similar expressions, including donde Cristo perdió el mechero, or “where Christ lost his lighter,” and the picturesque phrase donde da la vuelta el aire, “where the air turns around.” 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.
In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant explore the ways foreign place names transform on official maps and in local slang. Discover the stories behind names like “Picketwire” and “Key West,” showing how...
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