https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english/art-literary/611425-elevens.html

elevens

English translation: neck tendons

12:41 Jan 14, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary
English term or phrase: elevens
...silently watching the way her husband's brow furrowed and shortened like an accordian,...the way his "elevens" were up - those two ropes of flesh that appear on a man's gullet (so they said in Jamaica) when his time is drawing to a close.

Though "elevens" is explained as "those two ropes of flesh that appear on a man's gullet", I still fail to get its exact meaning. I'm also puzzled by the part "when his time is drawing to a close".
Zhoudan
Local time: 18:56
Selected answer:neck tendons
Explanation:
This idiom featured in Mel Brooks' "Life Stinks". In that film, the "elevens" were raised cords on the _back_ of the neck that were thought to become more prominent just before a person was about to die.

The second reference is an animated diagram. Good candidates for the elevens at front but also at back of the neck.
Selected response from:

Pippin Michelli
Local time: 05:56
Grading comment
Thanks a lot! You are very helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +3neck tendons
Pippin Michelli
3 +1elevens
David Sirett
2see website below
Louise Mawbey


  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
elevens


Explanation:
'when his time is drawing to a close' = when he is old, near death.


David Sirett
Local time: 11:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 301

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Cole: Agree with that bit.
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
see website below


Explanation:
Seems to be referring to the veins on ones neck which stand out after getting drunk.

I've personally never heard of it though

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-01-14 13:08:49 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A quote from that website

According to Tony Smith, both The Snake Is Out and The Elevens Are Up (1963) refer to veins in the head and neck that become visible when one has had too much to drink. While a small model for the severe The Elevens Are Up was displayed, there was no way for the viewer to apprehend the artist\'s metaphoric reading.


    Reference: http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1248/10_91/109667929/p1/...
Louise Mawbey
Germany
Local time: 11:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
neck tendons


Explanation:
This idiom featured in Mel Brooks' "Life Stinks". In that film, the "elevens" were raised cords on the _back_ of the neck that were thought to become more prominent just before a person was about to die.

The second reference is an animated diagram. Good candidates for the elevens at front but also at back of the neck.


    Reference: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6302261597/qid...
    Reference: http://www.musculographics.com/products/products.html
Pippin Michelli
Local time: 05:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 19
Grading comment
Thanks a lot! You are very helpful.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sally van der Graaff
5 hrs

agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs

agree  Jörgen Slet
12 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also: