pico y pala

[jacks_room]

"Habría que colgar a todos. O mejor dicho: a pico y pala. A pico y pala los ponía yo."

They would have to all be hung. Or to put it another way ___________.I would __________ them

Theonly thing I could think of it use and abuse? Ideally I need a phrase where the words fit together well .

Many Thanks

 

[aztlaniano]

Some context is needed.
If they are people: They would all have to be hanged.
I suppose pico y pala refers to burying them.

 

[BocaJuniors]

Pico: pickaxe, http://www.donosti.com.mx/custom/pico.jpg
Pala: shovel, http://search.it.online.fr/covers/wp-content/joseph-beuys-pala-spade-1983.jpg

Traditional tools used in the old days to dig a hole in order to bury someone.

 

[riscman]

Is it possible that the sentence refers to retirement?
Hanging up his tools because he has finished with them - or rather laying them down because they are a bit heavy to hang up.

 

[Magazine]

Is it possible that the sentence refers to retirement?
.

Hi risc, this sentence is used in Spain.

a pico y pala: a poner a trabajar en un trabajo duro

This sentence is based on the fact that people who dig holes, who work with a spade and shovel, do really hard work.

​

Habría que colgar a todos. O mejor dicho: a pico y pala. A pico y pala los ponía yo.

I would hang them all! Or much better: do some had work! I would make them dig holes/do real hard work!

I guess this guy is talking about politicians

I am aware that the last part is probably not correct. There might be some expression used for this

 

[BocaJuniors]

"Habría que colgar a todos. O mejor dicho: a pico y pala. A pico y pala los ponía yo."​

For what I understand, "hanging" in this phrase means "killing someone" using that method. Then, the speaker suggests to bury them ("a pico y pala"), using the old fashioned method of pickaxe and shovel. That is my interpretation at this point, it's difficult to be accurate since there is no more context. Unless the phrase is used as a metaphor in other countries, I don't know. Wait for other opinions, BJ.

 

[Magazine]

Hi boca, it is obvious that this expression is only used in Spain from what I can see

 

[BocaJuniors]

Hi boca, it is obvious that this expression is only used in Spain from what I can see

Yeah, I believe so, your explanation makes perfect sense Los gajes del idioma eh?

 

[aztlaniano]

I would hang them all! Or much better: do some hard work! I would make them dig holes/do real hard work!
I am aware that the last part is probably not correct. There might be some expression used for this

La frase que buscas es esta:
I would put them to work digging ditches.
Y suena bien, pero ¿no sería mejor aún que cavasen sus propias fosas?

 

[Magazine]

La frase que buscas es esta:
I would put them to work digging ditches.

Eso es

Y suena bien, pero ¿no sería mejor aún que cavasen sus propias fosas?

No, no tiene nada que ver con muertes o muertos. Solo con trabajar duro.

 

[riscman]

Hi Magazine - thanks for putting me straight

"I'd hang the lot, or better still put them down the mines!"

 

[Áristos]

Coincido con mi compatriota.
Aquí se refiere a trabajos forzados (hard labour). En vez de ejecutarlos, se lo piensa mejor y cree que es más conveniente obligarlos a realizar trabajos forzados en prisión

Saludos.

 

[Magazine]

Hola Áristos, no tenemos contexto pero estoy casi seguro de que habla de políticos. Típica frase mil veces usada

La frase, junto con la idea de risc , me parece perfecta.

 

[Áristos]

Sí, los políticos suelen aparecer en esa frase jajajaja
También se dice "¡A picar piedra los ponía yo!"

También se usa mucho con los criminales, sobre todo ahora con el tema de la chica esta Marta del Castillo y otros similares. La gente piensa que la pena de muerte es poco castigo para semejantes hijos de p***, y prefieren que sufran en la cárcel y "currando" (laborando, laburando, chambeando,etc.).

Me uno a la propuesta (aunque habría que cambiar las leyes españolas).

Un saludo, Magazine y todos los demás, amigazo incluido

 

[aztlaniano]

Aquí se refiere a trabajos forzados (hard labour). En vez de ejecutarlos, se lo piensa mejor y cree que es más conveniente obligarlos a realizar trabajos forzados en prisión.

En este caso la frase más apta (junto a "put them down the mines", de riscman) sería: breaking rocks, como en la canción I fought the law (and the law won):

Breakin rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won (twice)
I needed money cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won

Según Wikipedia, esta canción, grabada por The Clash entre otros muchos, fue empleada por el Ejército de EEUU como arma ofensiva contra Noriega en el sitio a la Nunciatura en Panamá en 1989.

 

[SpiceMan]

Hi boca, it is obvious that this expression is only used in Spain from what I can see

No, yo entiendo perfectamente que lo que quiere es que se mueran, o mejor, meterlos presos con trabajos forzados...

... y lo más cerca de España que estuve en mi vida es Sudáfrica y sólo en tránsito .

 

[amarti3183]

Hi. I think the intent of the phrase (Re: "Habría que colgar a todos. O mejor dicho: a pico y pala. A pico y pala los ponía yo.") is this:

"I'd send them all to the gallows. Or better yet: to forced labor! I'd make them pick rock in a chain gang!"

If you want to stick more literally to the phrasing...

"They should all hang to death. Or better yet. A chain gang. I'd stick them in a chain gang."

 

[Mate]

Hi. I think the intent of the phrase (Re: "Habría que colgar a todos. O mejor dicho: a pico y pala. A pico y pala los ponía yo.") is this:

"I'd send them all to the gallows. Or better yet: to forced labor! I'd make them pick rock in a chain gang!"

If you want to stick more literally to the phrasing...

"They should all hang to death. Or better yet. A chain gang. I'd stick them in a chain gang."

Hey, are you sure you're from Spain?

 

[amarti3183]

Thanks. Just 18 years in the States.

 

[Mate]

Thanks. Just 18 years in the States.

It shows!

 

[robjh22]

Wait. If the speaker really wants them hanged, as in hanged to death, he's not going to say "better yet, make them work."

How about "better yet, bury them alive"?

 

[Mate]

Wait. If the speaker really wants them hanged, as in hanged to death, he's not going to say "better yet, make them work."

How about "better yet, bury them alive"?

Well, no. It's kind of cynical. The speaker is saying that better to put them to death is to put them to work.

Because in fact it is the worst thing that can happen to them.