I’m Not Hanging Noodles on your Ears (National Geographic)

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[Editor’s note: That’s what Russians say when they’re not pulling your leg. This book from National Geographic has this and other intriguing idioms from around the world. It’s beautifully illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Julia Suits. Good for the holiday gift list. Thanks Jag!]

Republished from HangingNoodles.com.

That’s what Russians say when they’re not pulling your leg.

From National Geographic Books by Jag Bhalla

A collection of 1,000 funny and intriguing expressions from around the world.
These odd sayings say a lot about how odd the human mind can be.

NPR “An Enchanting Tour” listen and read here
The Splendid Table on the food chapter listen and read here
PRI “A Banquet of foreign idioms” listen here
Guardian “On the joys of idioms” read here
Guardian quiz read here
“On language addiction (its our most ubiquitous mind altering drug) and the thrill of the novel (semantic ambush)” read here

Example Idioms

Not hanging noodles on your ears: Russian – not kidding

To live like a maggot in bacon: German – live in luxury

Like fingernail and dirt: Spanish, Mexico – well suited

Bang your butt on the ground: French – die laughing

Plucked like a chicken: Yiddish – exhausted

To bite the elbow: Russian – to cry over spilt milk

Smoke from 7 orifices of head: Chinese – to be furious

To become naked: Japanese – to go broke, poor

An ant milker: Arabic – a miser, tight wad

Give it to someone with cheese: Spanish – to deceive

Squeezer of limes: Hindi – self invited guest, idler

To break wind into silk: French – live the life of Riley

To reheat cabbage: Italian – rekindle an old flame

Continue reading and buy at HangingNoodles.com . . .

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