Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Banana hanger

I really don't know what I would do without the Internet.

I guess I would (a) still be blogging in my head and (b) have about 12 years' worth of unsent emails in my outbox.

Oh, also: I would be completely paralyzed.

My Spanish is pretty good and if I don't know how to say something in Spanish, it's very often because I don't know exactly what it is in English.

Most auto parts, for example, fall into this category.

But banana hangers do not.

If I think about it, I know what a banana hanger is. But I don't really know how to say it in Spanish.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I can think of half a dozen ways it could be said. But I don't want to end up writing something like "banana hooker" or "plantain preservation and ripening device." So I decided to send a friend here an email, along with a picture of a banana hanger and the question, "What would you call the thing in this photo?"

This all comes up because I am working on a gift catalog, writing copy for the items and translating their names.

Banana hanger isn't the half of it.

Take the "Jolly Gingerbread Man Spoon Rest."

That is to say, the "Spoon Support of the Happy Man of Ginger."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, so don't leave us hanging (no pun intended) . . . what the heck IS the Spanish translation of 'banana hanger'??? Inquiring minds need to know, Dan.

Matt said...

how about 'una percha bananarera'? or 'un gancho platanoso'? of course, you could also simply describe it as 'un boludez' or if you're looking to sell in it Chile, 'una wea' (or 'una hueva' if you must insist on speaking properly).

Esteban said...

What?! Banana Hanger? Are you writing a new blog, Dan?

BTW, nice profile photo. Will go great in the jacket of your first book [title: "Apple Chucker"(?) I don't know, what comes after Fruit Slinger and Banana Hanger???]

Lor said...

I want to know who invented the banana hanger? What made them think of it? I have one though. It does hang on to my bananas really well though.

Dan said...

My friend Eli, after laughing her ass off at the picture of the banana hanger and calling it "bizarre" and "incredible," suggested either "soporte de bananas" or "bananero de madera." I went with the former.

And whoever thought of it, I can only hope they're living high off the royalties.

You like the new art shot, Esteban? The old one was so . . . fruit slinger. This one is more sassy, restless expat.