Guatemalan Slang - Vol. 1

Textbook Spanish is just the tip of the iceberg. The fun really starts when you get into the slang. The literal translations of these sayings can be hilarious. (To be of bad fleas?)

Luckily, the folks at www.xelawho.com have posted a handy guide to Guatemalan slang and sayings. I'll be re-posting them here for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy!

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Estar de malas pulgas
LITERAL MEANING: To be of bad fleas.
ACTUAL MEANING: To be in a bad mood.

Buscar pelos en la sopa
LITERAL MEANING: To look for hairs in the soup.
ACTUAL MEANING: To look for faults in things even if they’re fine.

Consultar con la almohada
LITERAL MEANING: Consult with the pillow.
ACTUAL MEANING: To think about it overnight, or “sleep on it”.

Dar una jaboneada
LITERAL MEANING: To give (someone) a soaping.
ACTUAL MEANING: To reprimand someone verbally.

Darse su paquete
LITERAL MEANING: To give the packet.
ACTUAL MEANING: To show off.

Dejar con los colochos hechos
LITERAL MEANING: Leave (someone) with their curls made.
ACTUAL MEANING: To stand someone up or leave them waiting.

Worst Defense Mechanism Ever

And the award goes to...

You Can't Keep a Good Spice Down

There are some spices that you just can't keep down. You can keep kicking 'em and biting 'em and boxing 'em right in the ears, but they just keep on getting up and spicing right back at you. Spicing like they've never spiced before. One such spice? Old Spice, my friends. Old Spice.
You know what it really is? It's that the NEW spices are so blasted cocky. Like you're not good enough to wear them unless you've got one of them stupid little horses stitched on your shirt. Give me a break.

I say that a spice just isn't worth having unless you can wear it proudly in both the board room and the cow pen. That's what I say. The last thing you want when you’re in some fancy-pants meeting is to have your banker or what-have-you think "Yeah, he's been mighty impressive in this meeting, but that namby-pamby stink he's wearing gives me the distinct impression that he has no idea how to turn your average bull into your average steer. And dadblameit, he needs that sort of gumption if he’s ever going to make it in this business."

My Granddad wore Old Spice. My Dad wears Old Spice. And though I can’t prove this, I have a sneaking suspicion that Chuck Norris wears Old Spice. I figure if it’s good enough for the men in my family, and good enough for maybe even Chuck Norris…. Then, by gum, it’s good enough for me.

So this Christmas, I said to heck with the two front teeth. All I wanted for this Christmas… is Old Spice. And Mommiedearest pulled through in the clutch.

Old Spice has been down for years now. Down but not out. It’s been plotting, building strategery. Getting even tougher. Branding cattle. Rasslin tornaders.

People, the revolution is on my neck, and it… smells… good. Give me 6 months. I am bringing this back. Old Spice will rise again.