Dictionary of Proverbs - Diccionario de Refranes

In English we often say: "To carry coals to Newcastle.? In Spanish, they say: "Echor agua en el mar," which means to throw water into the sea. The metaphors are different but the meaning is the same: to do something that's absolutely unnecessary. Where we say, "Barking dogs seldom bite," the Spanish speaker is likely to say, "El gato maullador, nunca buen cazador." A meowing cat is never a good hunter. English and Spanish proverbs are only occasionally the same in both languages-but proverbs everywhere speak to the same subjects. Love, hate, money, poverty, men as they are seen by women, and vice versa: these are the universal subjects for memorable sayings in both English and Spanish. Here are approximately 2,500 famous proverbs-some in English, some in Spanish-all with translations and where appropriate, with their approximate equivalents in the opposite language. Many cross-references make looking up related proverbs fast and easy, and many proverbs come with information on their Latin, Italian, French, and other origins. Language students, translators, and interpreters will find this book a handy quick-reference source, and everybody interested in the cultural bridge between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking peoples will find much to fascinate them in these pages.