Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
El pez por su boca muere.
English translation:
What you say/your words may come back to haunt you/ What goes around comes around
Added to glossary by
Laura Hercha
May 4, 2011 05:29
13 yrs ago
14 viewers *
Spanish term
United States
Translations that Make Sense!!
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
El pez por su boca muere.
Spanish to English
Other
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Motivational book for women
A common saying among Hispanics that means that they are caught in their own sayings...Any equivalent
in English?
in English?
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
4 hrs
Selected
What you say/your words may come back to haunt you/ What goes around comes around
or: "Watch What You Say because it May Come Back to Haunt You"
www.shortsaleexpeditor.com/.../watch-what-you-say-‘cause-it-may-come-back-to-haunt-you/ - En cachéWhat you say on Facebook may come back to haunt you | erblawg
15 Feb 2011 ... Most Americans are vaguely aware of the US system of discovery, which allows litigants to seek information from one another and even third ...; Promoting Positive Workplace relations Through Conversation In the workplace, ... What's more, your criticism of others may come back to haunt you. ...
books.google.es/books?isbn=0324587996...; DEACTIVATIONS - Can comments past come back to haunt you? ... This is the first I have heard of this, but I can't say I doubt it considering the .... Indeed you do, my friend! Just don't know how long I can keep it up! ...
www.sodahead.com/...come-back-to-haunt-you/question-1107189... -
www.erblawg.com/what-you-say-on-facebook-may-come-back-to-h... What goes around comes around. The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle. A person's actions, whether good or ...
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/what_goes_around_comes_around - En caché;
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Note added at 4 hrs (2011-05-04 10:05:57 GMT)
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If it's a question of provocation, of someone trying to get another person to say something she might not otherwise say, the advice would be "don't bite the hook" (which is what the Spanish "pez" is largely about).
www.shortsaleexpeditor.com/.../watch-what-you-say-‘cause-it-may-come-back-to-haunt-you/ - En cachéWhat you say on Facebook may come back to haunt you | erblawg
15 Feb 2011 ... Most Americans are vaguely aware of the US system of discovery, which allows litigants to seek information from one another and even third ...; Promoting Positive Workplace relations Through Conversation In the workplace, ... What's more, your criticism of others may come back to haunt you. ...
books.google.es/books?isbn=0324587996...; DEACTIVATIONS - Can comments past come back to haunt you? ... This is the first I have heard of this, but I can't say I doubt it considering the .... Indeed you do, my friend! Just don't know how long I can keep it up! ...
www.sodahead.com/...come-back-to-haunt-you/question-1107189... -
www.erblawg.com/what-you-say-on-facebook-may-come-back-to-h... What goes around comes around. The status eventually returns to its original value after completing some sort of cycle. A person's actions, whether good or ...
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/what_goes_around_comes_around - En caché;
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Note added at 4 hrs (2011-05-04 10:05:57 GMT)
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If it's a question of provocation, of someone trying to get another person to say something she might not otherwise say, the advice would be "don't bite the hook" (which is what the Spanish "pez" is largely about).
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: ""Your words may come back to haunt you..."is exactly what I was looking for!"
+1
7 mins
Maria Mastruzzo
Australia
Australia
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Australia
My experience, your advantage
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Loose lips sink ships
A suggestion.
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/loose lips sink...
Idiom: Loose lips sink ships
Idiom Definitions for 'Loose lips sink ships'
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To have loose lips means to have a big mouth, susceptible to talking about everything and everyone. Sinking ships refers to anything from small acquaintances to long and hearty relationships (with friends or a significant other). So when one says loose lips sink ships, one is basically saying if you can't shut up you are going to end hurting people, usually psychologically or emotionally.
Loose lips sink ships comes from World War I and/or WWII, when sailors on leave from their ships might talk about what ship they sailed on or where it had come from, or where it was going. If they talked too much (had 'loose lips') they might accidentally provide the enemy with anecdotal information that might later cause their ship to be tracked, and bombed and sunk, hence 'Loose lips sink ships.' Later, it came to mean any excessive talk might sabotage a project.
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/loose lips sink...
Idiom: Loose lips sink ships
Idiom Definitions for 'Loose lips sink ships'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To have loose lips means to have a big mouth, susceptible to talking about everything and everyone. Sinking ships refers to anything from small acquaintances to long and hearty relationships (with friends or a significant other). So when one says loose lips sink ships, one is basically saying if you can't shut up you are going to end hurting people, usually psychologically or emotionally.
Loose lips sink ships comes from World War I and/or WWII, when sailors on leave from their ships might talk about what ship they sailed on or where it had come from, or where it was going. If they talked too much (had 'loose lips') they might accidentally provide the enemy with anecdotal information that might later cause their ship to be tracked, and bombed and sunk, hence 'Loose lips sink ships.' Later, it came to mean any excessive talk might sabotage a project.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marian Vieyra
: I like this one.
1 hr
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Thank you very much, Marian :)
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| disagree |
Muriel Vasconcellos
: Not the same; I grew up with that expression during WWII: it means that our loose talk can hurt others, whereas the Spanish means we hurt ourselves.
3 hrs
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I don't think the Spanish means only to hurt ourselves.
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| agree |
eski
: The "Captain" often goes down with his/her "ship": Besos! eski :))
13 hrs
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Muchas gracias y un saludo grande, eski :)
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+1
12 mins
To be caught out/tripped up by one's own glib tongue
I couldn't find an idiom in English to do with speaking, however if we go off the subject of speaking then there is an idiom, "to be hoist by one's own petard". Maybe you prefer to keep to the subject of speaking.
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Note added at 15 minutos (2011-05-04 05:44:22 GMT)
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an explanation of the Spanish idiom:
"Literally, it translates to “the fish dies by its mouth,” where the fish represents the person being talked about or even addressed directly, and “dying by the mouth” stands for being caught, hooked, snagged. It refers to someone saying too much, or saying more than is good for them. That is, "el pez por su boca muere" means someone has given himself (or herself) away by saying something, or letting out something that they did not mean for others to hear or infer."
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1426628
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Note added at 15 minutos (2011-05-04 05:44:22 GMT)
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an explanation of the Spanish idiom:
"Literally, it translates to “the fish dies by its mouth,” where the fish represents the person being talked about or even addressed directly, and “dying by the mouth” stands for being caught, hooked, snagged. It refers to someone saying too much, or saying more than is good for them. That is, "el pez por su boca muere" means someone has given himself (or herself) away by saying something, or letting out something that they did not mean for others to hear or infer."
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1426628
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
1 hr
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thanks so much Alistair, kind regards! - Deborah
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+2
1 hr
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Spain
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Accredited translators 20 yrs experience
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
66
a word spoken is past recalling / silence is golden / put one's foot in one's mouth / the least said
a word spoken is past recalling / silence is golden / put one's foot in one's mouth / the least said the better / a dog who will bring a bone, will carry one / careless talk costs business
Te he encontrado todas estas acepciones. A ver si te gusta alguna. Saludos
Te he encontrado todas estas acepciones. A ver si te gusta alguna. Saludos
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Robert Forstag
: "Putting one's foot in one's mouth" is a very good option.
33 mins
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Gracias Robert
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| agree |
Yvonne Gallagher
: with Robert
4 hrs
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Gracias gallagy2
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+1
1 hr
Robert Forstag
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
152
You can't unring the bell.
This saying applies to actions other than speech that have undesired consequences, but will be readily understood by native English speakers in a way that some of the other rather quaint suggestions that have been offered would not.
Suerte.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-05-04 07:11:02 GMT)
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Upon reflection, I think this would work better as a translation for "Lo dicho, dicho está." But I will keep it posted anyway for future reference.
Suerte.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-05-04 07:11:02 GMT)
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Upon reflection, I think this would work better as a translation for "Lo dicho, dicho está." But I will keep it posted anyway for future reference.
+3
3 hrs
hoist by his own petard
I think this is the best English equivalent.
"A petard was a device used to throw huge rocks at an enemy. If a person was not careful they could easily be caught by the basket of the petard as it was fired. Hence the saying "Hoist by his own petard"."
"Hay un dicho popular que dice: El Pez muere por su boca. Eso facilmente indica que los seres humanos debemos tener mucho cuidado con las palabras que salen de nuestra boca, no sea que un día veamos que regresan como boomerang. Ejemplo de esto son los siguientes casos:"
Occasionally you see 'hung by his own petard'.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2011-05-04 09:17:06 GMT)
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"Este es un dicho muy común en Bolivia y es en realidad una alegoría al hecho de que el pez muere al tragarse el anzuelo y ser extraído del agua; y la gente, intelectual o no, cava su tumba, algunas con mayor lentitud que otras, por las cosas que dicen."
"A petard was a device used to throw huge rocks at an enemy. If a person was not careful they could easily be caught by the basket of the petard as it was fired. Hence the saying "Hoist by his own petard"."
"Hay un dicho popular que dice: El Pez muere por su boca. Eso facilmente indica que los seres humanos debemos tener mucho cuidado con las palabras que salen de nuestra boca, no sea que un día veamos que regresan como boomerang. Ejemplo de esto son los siguientes casos:"
Occasionally you see 'hung by his own petard'.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2011-05-04 09:17:06 GMT)
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"Este es un dicho muy común en Bolivia y es en realidad una alegoría al hecho de que el pez muere al tragarse el anzuelo y ser extraído del agua; y la gente, intelectual o no, cava su tumba, algunas con mayor lentitud que otras, por las cosas que dicen."
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Yvonne Gallagher
: perfectly valid but not widely used or known by many these days (due to general dumbing-down of language)
2 hrs
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Thanks G. That may be the case.
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| agree |
Linda Grabner
: I also agree with gallegy's comment, but what better way to bring it back than through usage?
16 hrs
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Thanks a lot.
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| agree |
Victoria Frazier
1 day 6 hrs
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Thanks Victoria.
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6 hrs
Lydia De Jorge
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Works 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
:
64
Be careful with your words; you might have to eat them
sugg
10 hrs
Give 'em enough rope and they'll hang themselves
A more dramatic variation, a way of saying that if you let someone go on talking long enough, they'll make a mistake and show/reveal their true colours/nature. The example is plural but you can use it as he/she as well.
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