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a brick short of a load

Spanish translation: le falta un tornillo (Argentina, España, Cuba); le faltan cinco minutos de horno (o de cocción) (Argentina); le falta un jugador


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:a brick short of a load
Spanish translation:le falta un tornillo (Argentina, España, Cuba); le faltan cinco minutos de horno (o de cocción) (Argentina); le falta un jugador
Entered by: Michael Powers (PhD)
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

13:12 Dec 11, 2005
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / eat (have) someone for breakfast
English term or phrase: a brick short of a load
I have decided to compile a somewhat thorough English-Spanish glossary, a long-standing goal I have had for many years but never actually done. In approximately 10% of the cases, I am recurring to you, my colleagues on Proz, to ask you to help me get appropriate translations into Spanish of a number of idioms.

I want to assure everyone that ALL TRANSLATIONS WILL BE SHARED on the open forum we have in Proz. The way I guarantee this is by choosing “one answer” to which I incorporate many of the other answers, and then I click to save the question and answer on the open Proz forum.

Selection criteria: 1) extensive usage throughout the Spanish-speaking world. I am counting on your help, and since usually colleagues simply agree without adding where they know the translated term to be used, I am not able to specify this in the answers. This is not a commercial enterprise, but rather an informal exercise for the benefit of all of us. 2) Many times there are really creative idioms that are used which, although not used necessarily through the Spanish-speaking world, would be readily understood by all. I am particularly happy to include these in the open forum so that we can all enjoy them in our use, whether literally, or perhaps with an adaptation to the degree that each translator deems appropriate for that particular target population.
Please, when you agree with an answer, mention the countries in which you know such idiom to be used, if not already mentioned by another colleague. Since this project is so time-consuming and endless, and since, like you, I have such a heavy load of translations and interpreting jobs to do and cannot spend umpteen million hours on it, I must count on your help. And although simply listing countries because another translator says so is in no way scientific, at least it is an interesting start.

Finally, I know context is everything. Quite often I will give the meaning(s) in which I am interested, and I will attempt to include a sample. Some sources, such as the Random House Dictionary, already have an example, so there is no need for me to do this, since time is of essence.

Thank you for your help.

Of course, this is an informal way of stating that someone is stupid or lacks the full complemelnt of wits.

This is humerous in English and I would like a creative way of being humerous in this sense in Spanish also, while maintaining the overall sense of stupidity.

Example:

With a lot of synonyms here.


SO...

Bush is off his trolly?

One brick short of a load?

Lost in space?

Out to lunch?

Fell out of his tree?

Off his rocker?

One sandwich short of a picnic?

One fry short of a Happy Meal?

Bonkers?

The lights are on but nobdy's home?

Porch light's burned out?

Cheese fell off his cracker a long time ago?

One wave short of a flood?

The lights are on and EVERYBODY's home?

Lost it?

Gone 'round the bend?

Mind like a steel trap....all rusted shut?

Looney-tunes?







Who knew?
Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 11:37
le falta un tornillo
Explanation:
widely used in Argentina
Selected response from:

Chelin
Local time: 12:37
Grading comment
muchísimas gracias

Mike :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3le falta un tornilloChelin
4 +1Le falta un hervor
Victoria Gil Talavera
4 +1le faltan cinco minutos de horno (o de cocción)hecdan
4 +1corto de entendederas
urst
4no las tiene todas consigoChelin
4le falta un jugador
Graciela Guzman


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
corto de entendederas


Explanation:
o corto de luces.

Por ejemplo, en España

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Note added at 10 mins (2005-12-11 13:22:53 GMT)
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Ser más tont@ que Abundio / que Perico de los palotes :)

urst
Germany
Local time: 17:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Miguel Martin: todo aplicable a "Yors!!"
54 mins
  -> desde luego :)
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
le falta un tornillo


Explanation:
widely used in Argentina

Chelin
Local time: 12:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 40
Grading comment
muchísimas gracias

Mike :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  xxxmuitoprazer
6 mins
  -> gracias!

agree  Juan Hernández: In Spain too.
35 mins
  -> gracias!

disagree  Miguel Martin: por falta un tornillo yo entiendo que está loco
49 mins
  -> es la misma idea, no totalmente loco, sólo le falta UN tornillo

agree  Egmont
6 hrs
  -> gracias!

agree  Myrurgia Hernandez: esta se usa mucho en Cuba
8 hrs
  -> gracias!
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
le faltan cinco minutos de horno (o de cocción)


Explanation:
expresión sumamente coloquial y políticamente incorrecta (Arg.)

hecdan
Local time: 12:37
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  urst: o le falta un hervor
35 mins
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
le falta un jugador


Explanation:
The team if incomplete, so it can't play properly.
Other possibilities: "No le llega el agua a la terraza", "Los patitos no le caminan en fila", "Le saltó la térmica", "Está chapita", "Le patina el embrage".
All these refer to people who don't master their behaviour.

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Note added at 27 mins (2005-12-11 13:40:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I forgot to say that these are popular in Argentina

Graciela Guzman
Argentina
Local time: 12:37
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 20
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
no las tiene todas consigo


Explanation:
another option

Chelin
Local time: 12:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 40
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Le falta un hervor


Explanation:
Otra posibilidad, se utiliza en España

Victoria Gil Talavera
Local time: 17:37
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Pilar T. Bayle: es la que más he escuchado :-)
1 hr
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