Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
donde el diablo metió la cola
English translation:
where the devil appeared
Added to glossary by
Edward Tully
Feb 4, 2008 13:49
16 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term
donde el diablo metió la cola
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
A nuestros pies, un desierto de sal guarda secretos de otros tiempos. Atardeceres de ensueño y noches estrelladas son protagonistas en este relieve árido y hostil donde -dicen-, el Diablo metió la cola.
...la rica narrativa oral entorno a un antiguo habitante del lugar que habría dado su alma al Diablo a cambio de convertirse en salamanquero y notable guitarrista. Este personaje, mitad humano, mitad leyenda, ha dado vida a innumerables relatos plagados de misterio que los pobladores de la zona no se cansan de contar una y otra vez. En más de una oportunidad -cuentan los lugareños-, cuando se ausentaba de su rancho, su guitarra tocaba “sola”, como si estuviera poseída.
...la rica narrativa oral entorno a un antiguo habitante del lugar que habría dado su alma al Diablo a cambio de convertirse en salamanquero y notable guitarrista. Este personaje, mitad humano, mitad leyenda, ha dado vida a innumerables relatos plagados de misterio que los pobladores de la zona no se cansan de contar una y otra vez. En más de una oportunidad -cuentan los lugareños-, cuando se ausentaba de su rancho, su guitarra tocaba “sola”, como si estuviera poseída.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Feb 9, 2008 13:44: Edward Tully Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
39 mins
Edward Tully
Native in English
Because your words matter
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) 
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
90
Selected
where the devil appeared
usually this refers to bad luck and nasty surprises, but here I think the meaning is more prosaic...
Crece la polémica por la transmisión de TV por Internet en ...A veces el diablo mete la cola donde menos se espera: Taringa.net fue promocionada sin querer el año pasado en el programa Telenoche (en la emisión del 11 ...
www.enciclomedios.com.ar/node/1808 - 40k - En caché - Páginas similares
Crece la polémica por la transmisión de TV por Internet en ...A veces el diablo mete la cola donde menos se espera: Taringa.net fue promocionada sin querer el año pasado en el programa Telenoche (en la emisión del 11 ...
www.enciclomedios.com.ar/node/1808 - 40k - En caché - Páginas similares
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to all... I adapted a version of this suggestion, but had in fact been wondering whether there was an equivalent expression"
50 mins
Lydia De Jorge
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
Don't just say it, say it right!
Native in: Spanish 
, English
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
94
where the devil left his print/mark
sugg
1 hr
Eneide Moreira
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil
Client loyalty is my best recommendation
Native in: Portuguese
Works in: English to Portuguese, Spanish to Portuguese, Italian to Portuguese, and 2 more.
where the devil has his tail
I also found references to "where the devil carries his tail" :)
Q U A R T E R L Y Q U I Z Quotable Quotes"A girl ought to know where the devil has his tail." (Una donna . . . dee. safer . . . dove il diavofo hala coda.) 5. ''We're not married, you know. ...
oq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/2/4/96.pdf - Páginas Semelhantes - Anotar isso
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-04 15:39:19 GMT)
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and another suggestion could be:
where the devil shows his face...
Marcus Kanes House Of Shadows | "welcome to my nightmare"- [ Traduzir esta página ]"Living inside the shadows of a dream I can't erase...A life so free from evil then the Devil shows his face.." soon the darkness ...
www.freewebs.com/marcuskane666/whatsnew.htm - 24k - Em cache - Páginas Semelhantes - Anotar isso
Q U A R T E R L Y Q U I Z Quotable Quotes"A girl ought to know where the devil has his tail." (Una donna . . . dee. safer . . . dove il diavofo hala coda.) 5. ''We're not married, you know. ...
oq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/2/4/96.pdf - Páginas Semelhantes - Anotar isso
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-04 15:39:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
and another suggestion could be:
where the devil shows his face...
Marcus Kanes House Of Shadows | "welcome to my nightmare"- [ Traduzir esta página ]"Living inside the shadows of a dream I can't erase...A life so free from evil then the Devil shows his face.." soon the darkness ...
www.freewebs.com/marcuskane666/whatsnew.htm - 24k - Em cache - Páginas Semelhantes - Anotar isso
6 hrs
where -- as they say in these parts -- "the devil stuck his tail in" [add explanatory note as below]
I think it's best to quote the Spanish verbatim as I can't find a direct equivalent in English, however the expression is quite common on the Internet and is illustrated here with some humorous cartoons
http://www.grupoelron.org/quees/lulxxxvi_diablo.htm
In the explanatory note you could put:
"An expression meaning that the Devil meddled with a situation with his macabre sense of humour and caused it to go horribly wrong; perhaps the closest in English is 'the Devil threw a spanner in the works'".
http://www.grupoelron.org/quees/lulxxxvi_diablo.htm
In the explanatory note you could put:
"An expression meaning that the Devil meddled with a situation with his macabre sense of humour and caused it to go horribly wrong; perhaps the closest in English is 'the Devil threw a spanner in the works'".
21 hrs
Cecilia Della Croce
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Argentina
the help you need to convey your message
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
where they say the devil got up to his usual tricks
hth
1 day 21 hrs
where the devil is everywhere
I suspect you are looking for a more literal translation but the English translations don't sound very poetic to me.
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