the meaning and region it is used
What does "ser como el perro en la hortelan", to be like a dog in a manger mean??? And which region is this used in the most?? Thank you for resonses.
2 Answers
a dog in the manger
someone who keeps something that they do not really want in order to prevent anyone else from having it Stop being such a dog in the manger and let your sister ride your bike if you're not using it.
Spanairds apparently use this.
El refrán " El perro del hortelano, que no come ni deja comer", es de origen antiguo, proviene de la Peninsula Iberica. Es una de las expresiones más usadas por los españoles.
Ser como el perro del hortelano
Huerto: a vegetable garden Hortelano: the keeper of the vegetable garden Understandably, a dog does not eat vegetables but as the keeper's dog, he protects the keeper's garden so does not allow entry into the garden. Thus he not only does not enjoy the fruits of the vegetable garden ( implicitly, has no interest in those fruits ) but precludes anyone else from enjoying them.
Here's another explanation, but in Spanish:
Significado del refrán del perro del hortelano (ni come ni deja comer
I think it is used everywhere Spanish is spoken.
