Thinking about the immortality of the crab
Thinking about the immortality of the crab (Spanish: Pensar 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.[1]
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
"What are you thinking about?" "Nothing. On the immortality of the crab."
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¿En qué piensas? —Nada, en la inmortalidad del cangrejo.
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The immortality of the crab Of all the immortalities, I believe in |
Inmortalidad del cangrejo Y de inmortalidades sólo creo |
José Emilio Pacheco[2] | |
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The immortality of the crab
The deepest problem: That if the crab dies |
Inmortalidad del cangrejo
El más profundo problema: Que si el cangrejo se muere |
Miguel de Unamuno[3] |
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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.[4] The novel was critically acclaimed in Hispanic circles.[5] It was officially released in January, 2015, in the Dominican Republic,[6] then it was presented in June, in the US at an event at the Hamilton Grange library in Manhattan.[7]
In film
- Sena/Quina, la inmortalidad del cangrejo – 2005 film by Paolo Agazzi[8]
Variants
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
- "La inmortalidad del cangrejo". WordReference.com Language Forums. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
- 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 12 November 2013.
- Smith, Edgar (2015-03-05). La Inmortalidad del Cangrejo. ISBN 978-0989719339.
- Gautreau de Windt, Eduardo (2015-02-03). "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. 2015-02-03.
- Montolio, Gladys (2015-08-15). "Presentacion de Libros y Conversatorio con Edgar Smith". Organizacion Lacuhe (in Spanish). Hamilton Grange library.
- Sena/Quina, la inmortalidad del cangrejo on IMDb