Thinking about the immortality of the crab
Thinking about the immortality of the crab (Spanish: Pensando en la inmortalidad del cangrejo) is a Spanish idiom about daydreaming. The phrase is usually a humorous way of saying that one was not sitting idly, but engaged constructively in contemplation or letting one's mind wander.
The phrase is usually used to express that an individual was daydreaming, "When I have nothing to do I think about the immortality of the crab" (Cuando no tengo nada que hacer, pienso en la inmortalidad del cangrejo). It is also used to wake someone from a daydream; "are you thinking about the immortality of the crab?" (¿Estás pensando en la inmortalidad del cangrejo?)
In poetry[]
¿En qué piensas? |
"What are you thinking about?" |
—Anonimo, Los mexicanos pintados por sí mismos | —Anonymous, Mexican Self-portraits (1855)[1] |
Inmortalidad del cangrejo |
The immortality of the crab |
—José Emilio Pacheco[1] |
Inmortalidad del cangrejo |
The immortality of the crab |
—Miguel de Unamuno[2] |
In literature[]
Dominican Poet and writer Edgar Smith wrote a novel in Spanish called La inmortalidad del cangrejo, about a man who, tired of suffering in life, decides to kill himself, but, after three failed attempts, starts to wonder if he can die at all.[3] The novel was critically acclaimed in Hispanic circles.[4] It was officially released in January, 2015, in the Dominican Republic,[5] then it was presented in June, in the US at an event at the Hamilton Grange library in Manhattan.[6]
In film[]
- Sena/Quina, la inmortalidad del cangrejo – 2005 film by Paolo Agazzi[7]
Variants[]
The idiom is about daydreaming.[8] Similar phrases are used in various languages.
- Czech: přemýšlet o nesmrtelnosti chrousta – an idiom that talks about the immortality of the may bug
- Finnish: istun ja mietin syntyjä syviä – an idiom that talks about sitting and wondering about the world's early origins
- Portuguese: pensando na morte da bezerra – an idiom that talks about "thinking about the calf's demise"
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Pacheco, José Emilio (1987), McWhirter, George; Hoeksema, Thomas (eds.), "Inmortalidad del cangrejo", Selected Poems, New Directions Publishing, p. 163, ISBN 978-0811210218
- ^ "La inmortalidad del cangrejo". Jorge Golowasch. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ Smith, Edgar (March 5, 2015). La Inmortalidad del Cangrejo. ISBN 978-0989719339.
- ^ Gautreau de Windt, Eduardo (February 3, 2015). "El dolor de vivir contrapuesto al dolor de la posible inmortalidad, según Edgar Smith" (in Spanish).
- ^ "Edgar Smith Presenta obras literarios en la Biblioteca Rep. Dom" (in Spanish). Fox Magazine RD. February 3, 2015.
- ^ Montolio, Gladys (August 15, 2015). "Presentacion de Libros y Conversatorio con Edgar Smith". Organizacion Lacuhe (in Spanish). Hamilton Grange library.
- ^ Sena/Quina, la inmortalidad del cangrejo at IMDb
- ^ "La inmortalidad del cangrejo". WordReference.com Language Forums. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
External links[]
- "Spanish Proverbs". Archived from the original on July 18, 2001.
- Spanish-language idioms
- Metaphors referring to animals
- Crabs in culture