Take Your Pants Off

Age: 20

Text:

“Taking your pants off to fart.”

Context:

The informer learned this phrase from this mother as a piece of advice while they were growing up. Even today they hear this. They grew up in China, and thus the above phrase is simply a translation from Chinese.

Analysis:

Although it is just a rough translation, it means to overcomplicate something quite simple, as one doesn’t need to take their pants off to pass gas. It is a humorous, satirical way to point out an issue, and highlights cultural values of pragmatism and “effortless action” that stem from Daoism. Chinese culture(and East Asian culture in general) strongly emphasizes efficiency, work ethic, and community. By “taking your pants off to fart”, not only are you wasting your energy, your inability to be resourceful wastes the time of the people around you–Confucian values.

Some English equivalents of this idioms include:

  • Making a mountain out of a molehill(dramatizing a tiny, insignificant event.)
  • Using a sledgehammer to crack nuts(using excessive force and effort to achieve a small thing.)

Sana, Sana, Colita de Rana

Age: 20

AGE: 20
Date of performance: Feb 20
Informant Name: AM
Language: Spanish
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English
Residence: Santa Ana

Text:

“Sana, sana, colito de rana. Si no sana hoy, sanara mañana”

Context:

According to the teller, it translates to: “Heal, heal, tail of frog. If you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow.” It is a phrase that parents tell their children whenever they got hurt, essentially wishing them a faster healing. They learned it from their parents, specifically their mother, who would “rub her hand over the cut or scratch” whenever they got minorly injured.

Analysis

Although this quote is one of many variants, they all follow the same strand of silliness and nonsense. When I heard this phrase, I thought it was silly and funny, and wondered why adults would say this to their children. Then I thought that perhaps that was exactly why they said this phrase. It is so nonsensical and lighthearted that the child who got hurt could perhaps laugh and forget their pain for a little. This goes hand in hand with the practice of distracting little kids with a more engaging, eye-catching stimulant to take their attention off of more serious, dire matters. Furthermore, frogs are known for their regenerative abilities, thus signifying the manifestation of quick healing. By saying this phrase, the parents are reassuring their child that no matter what, it will heal.

Tea

Nationality: British
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: United Kingdom
Language: English

“It’s not my cup of tea.”

My informant mentioned that both parents growing up would use this phrase. Their British mother would use it more than their father, who is Irish. The phrase though has always been in their lives. They would use it to explain that they didn’t like something or that it wasn’t for them.

This proverb is an English idiom that means something is not to you’re liking or preference. The English, in my opinion, use this proverb in a polite way to say that they aren’t enjoying/are not interested in something.

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres.

Age: 19
Language: Spanish/English

Text: Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres. (Literal translation: Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.)

Context: The participant, upon getting into and preparing to attend college, described the saying her father taught her that he thought would best help her in her transition. In her new school, her father wanted her to make good decisions to ensure a good future. Since he believes that one’s environment is oftentimes a predictor of one’s success, he wanted to imbue a great sense of importance upon the participant that her friends were included in this environment. According to the participant, he wanted to make sure the friends she made were “like-minded and focused with good study habits”. 

Analysis: A popular Spanish proverb, this saying speaks to one’s character, and the people they choose to surround themselves. Supposedly, it is meant to convey the idea that our personalities and the way we are perceived by others is entirely predicated upon the company that we choose to keep. This sentiment is not unique to Spanish-speaking cultures, as other proverbs across different languages (such as “birds of a feather flock together”) hold similar meanings. This proverb (and subsequently, those in other languages meant to convey the same idea) is most likely intended to encourage people to be particular about those close to them, and make sure that their morals align with their friends’.

Al mejor escribano se le va un borrón.

Age: 59
Language: Spanish/English

Text: Al mejor escribano se le va un borrón. (Literal translation: To the best scribe comes a blot/smudge.)

Context: The participant remembers his father telling him this phrase when he was younger. His father would notice that he was frustrated that his art wasn’t turning out how he hoped it would, or when he was taking a long time to work on small details in projects. The participant believes that his father was trying to teach him that it’s okay to make mistakes and that his work didn’t have to be perfect.  

Analysis: This saying is meant to convey that perfectionism is an unsustainable behavior. Even those who might be incredibly experienced at something are still prone to err. As the proverb suggests – the best, most skilled scribe can still leave smudges and stains on a paper; they are still human, after all.  Although this specific saying is in Spanish, the message conveyed by it is universal in its appearance across cultures and languages. This universality only further proves the point of this proverb – making mistakes is a universal experience, and no one is exempt.