Say what?

English, like most languages, has a multitude of idiomatic expressions. Fortunately, some of them express a similar idea to Spanish expressions. However, there are often slight differences in the wording. What Spanish expressions are equivalent of the English expressions below?

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

It's like comparing apples and oranges.

A picture's worth a thousand words.

Stop pulling my leg!

Don't beat around the bush! Get to the point.

I've had it up to here. (indicating forehead with the side of your open hand)

Who's on First?

The comedy duo Abbott and Costello were very famous in the States in the 1940s-1960s. One of their most popular routines was one called "Who's on First?". It is based on a series of misunderstandings between Abbott and Costello due to the players on a baseball team having some very strange names: Who,

Why not have a listen to the original "Who's on First?" and then compare with an updated version with a conversation between George W. Bush and Condaleeza Rice about world leaders. (You can read along, following the transcript to the original or the Bush-Rice version.)

Haven't had enough football yet?

There is still lots to read about the World Cup tournament, and especially the final. You'll remember that we talked about headbutting just the other week, and look, Zidane gave you an excellent illustration of what the word means.

It's interesting how rumours (AmEng rumors) spread. A couple Italian papers are quoting the Guardian, an English paper, as saying that it was Materazzi calling Zidane a terrorist that provoked the headbutt that got him sent off. The Guardian itself says nothing of the kind, however. The most they said was that 'He had surely been provoked - there were suggestions last night that Materazzi had called him "a terrorist".' This hardly seems definitive evidence, I think.

What's your opinion of the events?

Rugby players and their handbags

Australia and New Zealand take their rugby seriously. And the All Blacks (the New Zealand team) are not at all happy about an Australian television advert (AmEng ad) depicting the Kiwi (New Zealand) players carrying women's handbags. This news story offers you a sample of a New Zealand accent from an All Blacks fan who's pretty confident they'll beat the Aussies.

The following story features the hot-dog eating contest we talked about in the previous post.

Happy Fourth of July

The hot dog eating contest at Nathan's at Coney Island in New York City is a 4th of July tradition. Japan's Takeru Kobayashi had won the contest an amazing four times, and repeated his victory this year with 53 3/4 dogs in just 12 minutes! I don't know about you, but the idea of eating so many hotdogs makes me feel kind of ill.

Other New York 4th of July tradition is the Macy's fireworks display on the East River. The synchronized show with four barges setting off the same display at the same time, all timed to go with music on the radio, is absolutely amazing.

What's your favourite (AmEng favorite) Spanish holiday tradition?