Tiene mucha tela que cortar

Question

If you're a beginner or maybe even an intermediate level learner of Spanish, you may not have heard the phrase "Tiene/tienes/tienen mucha tela que cortar". If you don't know what it means, I will tell you that it has at least two different meanings that I know of, it means one thing in Mexico but completely another in Columbia (or Caribbean Spanish even), and, depending on the subject, the meaning changes.

Here is a headline from a sports news article, EL FEUDO DE JOHN CENA Y SETH ROLLINS TIENE MUCHA TELA QUE CORTAR which is about the feud between these two WWE fighters.

Here is another, "muerte de empresario tiene mucha tela que cortar", which is an article about the death of a businessman.

In the two example above, the phrase "tiene mucha tela que cortar" has the same meaning. But what about this one?

"Tú tienes mucha tela que cortar"

In Mexico, the above phrase means one thing, but in Columbia it means another.

You want to take a stab at what it means in these two different contexts?

Answer 1

I've heard of this idiom in the impersonal form hay mucha tela que cortar.

I don't know how it is used widely, but it's a well-known idiom.

Would the meaning in Chile be about the same as in other parts of South America? Thanks! - Jack-OBrien, Oct 19, 2016

I'm pretty sure it is but with a different wording! - Oshnaj, Oct 19, 2016

Answer 2

I have never heard this expression before---having a lot of tape to cut-- but to me it means that (depending on the context) "There is more to say about that." or "That's just the tip of the iceberg.' or There is still much to be done. Your last sentence meaning, "You have a lot to do.*

¿Vale?

Answer 3

Daniela2041 wrote:

I have never heard this expression before---having a lot of tape to cut-- but to me it means that (depending on the context) "There is more to say about that." or "That's just the tip of the iceberg.' or There is still much to be done. Your last sentence meaning, "You have a lot to do.*

Así es Daniela. For the last sentence though (and only in Mexico that I know of, at least in the northern part), it would be something like "You lack experience" or "You lack the knowledge (for whatever the situation is) (falta de experiencia o te falta mucho por conocer).