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The bandit's horse

Posted by José Carlos on January 11, 2005

We have in Brazilian Portuguese a very funny (well funny to my ears, maybe not to yours) expression. It is difficult to translate but I will try to explain. It is used when you are talking either about a worthless person, a person of no importance, a nobody or about yourself when you are feeling like a poor wreck, a poor sneak or have been made to feel like that. We say in each case: He is (like) the dung from the bandit's horse - I am just feeling like the dung from the bandit's horse (or they have treated as if I were the dung from the bandit's horse). I think you may have got it. It is possible that such a expression came from the Western movies scenario, because the idea of a bandit riding on a horse feels so American. I wonder if you use a similar expression in American English. Or if this is purely an invention of Brazilian fans of that movie style.

Jose Carlos

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