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The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2011-07-11 13:54:18 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
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English to Spanish translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings | | English term or phrase: to get hold of the wrong end of the stick | | A very widely used phrase in English having the meaning that someone has misunderstood what has been said or proposed |
| estebandosKudoZ activityQuestions: 3 (none open) Answers: 0
| Local time: 17:40
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| | tomar el rábano por las hojas | Explanation:
Some people say "coger" instead of "tomar".
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Note added at 9 mins (2011-07-07 19:13:34 GMT)
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"rábano
tomar alguien el ~ por las hojas.
1. loc. verb. coloq. Equivocarse de medio a medio en la interpretación o ejecución de algo."
http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual?TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO...
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-07 20:27:23 GMT)
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I'm surprised to hear that. It's pretty well known, in my experience, though perhaps a bit old-fashioned. |
| Selected response from:
 Charles Davis
Local time: 17:40
| Grading comment May not be understood in Malaga!! Thanks to all.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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Automatic update in 00:
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8 mins confidence:   peer agreement (net): +1
4 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4 tomar el rábano por las hojas
Explanation:
Some people say "coger" instead of "tomar".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2011-07-07 19:13:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"rábano
tomar alguien el ~ por las hojas.
1. loc. verb. coloq. Equivocarse de medio a medio en la interpretación o ejecución de algo."
http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual?TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO...
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-07-07 20:27:23 GMT)
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I'm surprised to hear that. It's pretty well known, in my experience, though perhaps a bit old-fashioned.
| Charles Davis
Local time: 17:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 24
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| | Grading comment | May not be understood in Malaga!! Thanks to all. |
| Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Charles and Isabel. That's what I thought but none of the native Malagueños I've tried it on have ever heard that phrase, so maybe it hasn't reached down here.
Asker: Well, this is undoubtedly what I was looking for, i.e. an equivalent Spanish phrase. Having said that, I've tried it on some more Spanish folk today without success so, although clearly well known generally, it seems to have passed eastern Malaga by. Grateful thanks to all respondents. Stephen.
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The translation workplace 
