Are sidewalks gay?

Question

The Spanishdict.com dictionary translates sidewalk as la acera. It also has gay connotations.

Why does acera/sidewalk translate into gay?

No judgment here, just a language questions.

Answer 1

In Mexico we use some idiomatic phrases to mean that something or someone is gay. Those phrases are mostly arbitraries:

Ser de la otra acera.

Ser del otro bando.

Comer arroz con popote.

Cachar granizo.

Hacerle agua la canoa.

To be from the other sidewalk.

To be from the other side.

To eat rice with a straw.

To catch hail.

To leak the water in the canoa

Answer 2

This makes sense.

In the UK we have sayings like 'catching the other bus' or 'on the bus going the other way' or 'batting for the other side', all of which mean simply 'gay'.

In Spanish it is also said: "batear del otro lado". Probably a translation from English. - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

I have heard the one about 'batting for the other side' but none of the other expressions - FELIZ77, May 11, 2015

Answer 3

I dont think it has anything to do with the sexuality of the sidewalk- it has to do with being on the other side:

Looking at the entry (I had not heard this usage before) it would seem to be an idiom using the idea that people (on the sidewalk on /from) the other side of the street are “different”.

[http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=ser+de+la+otra+acera][1]

The site above gives these idioms in English that carry the same sense- that of being on the other “side”:

bat for the other team, play for the other team

[1]: http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=ser de la otra acera

The link doesn't work, but you can cut and paste. :) - bosquederoble, May 11, 2015

Answer 4

Ser del otro bando

Answer 5

Ser de la otra acera- means that he is gay

I still don't understand why sidewalk is connected with gay? - Warren-Miller, May 11, 2015

Where did you learn that idiomatic phrase? - LuisCache, May 11, 2015

In a spanish book - porcupine7, May 11, 2015

:-) - LuisCache, May 11, 2015