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From: kjm@ut-ngp.UUCP (Ken Montgomery)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Sayings
Message-ID: <1183@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 01:29:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.1183
Posted: Sat Jan 12 01:29:29 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 14-Jan-85 03:02:08 EST
References: <1879@burdvax.UUCP>
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Organization: U.Texas Computation Center, Austin, Texas
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>From: wpl@burdvax.UUCP (William Loftus)
>
>Hello
>
>  I few years ago I had a girl friend who learned Cantonese and
>English as she was growing up; neither language was her first language.
>She had two sayings that I never heard before:
>
> 1) That's the thing.
> 2) Close the lights (meaning -- turn off the lights).
>
>Does anyone have a good explanation of where these sayings came from?
>Are they used in any other part of the country or in other countries?

"Close the light(s)" is also used in Spain.  It is mainly a 
colloquialism from Madrid, although it is understood nationwide
due to television.  

Curses can get very creative also:

"Y tu padre en camison" (and your father in a nightgown)
(or whichever item of underwear one would prefer)

"Es usted un enano" (you are a dwarf)
(this one is particularly useful in heavy traffic)

There are, of course, numerous scatological words, and even more
numerous references to sexual organs/practices/preferences.

Are there any more native speakers of Spanish out there with whom
to share sayings?  South America must have some great ones!!! 

--
The above viewpoints are those of the author,
and are unrelated to those of anyone else.

Posting for:

A. Albert Hernandez

I remain,

Ken Montgomery  "Shredder-of-hapless-smurfs"
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