# Idiotisms and Proverbs explained — English as She Is Spoke > Chapter companion for English as She Is Spoke by Pedro Carolino. ## What happens This chapter presents a collection of Portuguese idioms and proverbs translated literally into English, resulting in humorous and often nonsensical phrases that highlight linguistic absurdity and cultural misunderstanding. ## Themes in this chapter ### Linguistic Absurdity The literal translations of Portuguese proverbs into English create absurd and humorous phrases, such as 'To craunch the marmoset' and 'To buy cat in pocket'. ### Folklore and Proverbs The chapter is entirely composed of proverbs and idiomatic expressions, showcasing traditional folk wisdom through distorted translations. ## Character check-ins ### Swiss Referenced in the proverb 'Nothing some money, nothing of Swiss'. ### Cuttler Referenced in the proverb 'Which like Bertram, love hir dog' (Bertram is a variant of Cuttler). ## Key lines > The necessity don’t know the low. Necessity knows no law. _A common proverb meaning that people will break rules when desperate._ > Few, few the bird make her nest. Little by little, the bird builds its nest. _Emphasizes patience and gradual effort._ > He is not valuable to breat that he eat. He is not worth the bread he eats. _Said of a useless or lazy person._ > In the country of blinds, the one eyed men are kings. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. _A person with modest abilities can excel where others have none._ > To build castles in Espagnish. To build castles in Spain (i.e., to daydream). _Equivalent to 'building castles in the air'._ > Cat scalded fear the cold water. A scalded cat fears cold water. _Past negative experiences make one overly cautious._ > With a tongue one go to Roma. With a tongue, one can go to Rome. _Good communication can get you far._ > There is not any ruler without a exception. There is no rule without an exception. _Every rule has exceptions._ > Take out the live coals with the hand of the cat. Pull the chestnuts out of the fire with the cat's paw. _To use someone else to do a dangerous or unpleasant task._ > A horse baared don’t look him the tooth. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. _Don't criticize a gift._ > Take the occasion for the hairs. Take the opportunity by the forelock. _Seize the moment._ > So many go the jar to spring, than at last rest there. So often goes the jar to the well that it finally breaks. _Repeated risk-taking eventually leads to disaster._ > It want to beat the iron during it is hot. Strike while the iron is hot. _Act promptly when the opportunity is favorable._ > He is not so devil as he is black. He is not as black as he is painted. _Things or people are not as bad as they seem._ > It is better be single as a bad company. Better to be alone than in bad company. _Avoid associating with harmful people._ > The stone as roll not heap up not foam. A rolling stone gathers no moss. _Constant movement prevents accumulation (of wealth or responsibilities)._ > He has fond the knuckle of the business. He has found the crux of the matter. _He has identified the key point._ > There is not better sauce who the appetite. Hunger is the best sauce. _When hungry, any food tastes good._ > The pains come at horse and turn one’s self at foot. Misfortunes come on horseback and leave on foot. _Troubles arrive quickly but depart slowly._ > He is beggar as a church rat. As poor as a church mouse. _Extremely poor._ > Friendship of a child is water into a basket. A child's friendship is like water in a basket. _Fleeting and unreliable._ > Tell me whom thou frequent, I will tell you which you are. Tell me who you go with, and I'll tell you who you are. _A person is known by the company they keep._ > After the paunch comes the dance. After the belly comes the dance. _First eat, then enjoy yourself._ > Of the hand to mouth, one lose often the soup. From the hand to the mouth, the soup is often lost. _There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip._ > To look for a needle in a hay bundle. To look for a needle in a haystack. _Searching for something very difficult to find._ > To craunch the marmoset. To crunch the marmoset (i.e., to be in a bad mood). _An idiom meaning to be grumpy or sulky._ > To buy cat in pocket. To buy a pig in a poke. _To purchase something without inspecting it._ > To be as a fish into the water. To be like a fish in water. _To be in one's element._ > To make paps for the cats. To make pap for the cats (i.e., to spoil someone). _To pamper or indulge._ > To fatten the foot. To fatten the foot (i.e., to procrastinate). _To delay or put off._ > To come back at their muttons. To return to one's muttons (i.e., to get back to the subject). _To return to the main topic._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/english_as_she_is_spoke_se/chapters/idiotisms-and-proverbs - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/english_as_she_is_spoke_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/english_as_she_is_spoke_se/chapters