Thread: Beating a dead horse

Quick question guys:

What is the exact meaning of "beating a dead horse"? I used to think (merely from having deducted it myself... or at least thinking I had) that it was something similar to "talking to the wall", but a couple of days ago I was watching a movie at home and stated to think I was way offfff... The translator turned it into Spanish as somethink like "despertar a los muertos" or something like that. When I thought of the Guns N' Roses song I started to see what it could mean, but I can't get the precise meaning...

flog a dead horse. Try to revive interest in a hopeless issue. For example, Politicians who favor the old single-tax idea are beating a dead horse.

I think it depends on the context: if you beat a dead horse, it is a completely useless action.

La expresión "flogging/beating a dead horse" y se refiere a un esfuerzo inútil, una acción estéril o sin fruto alguno.


A mí me gusta esta traducción:

Machacar en hierro frío - esforzarse inutilmente por educar o corregir a una persona que no es susceptible de ser mejorada

O esta de un amigo argentino:

No hay que gastar pólvora en chimangos” es un dicho popular del folklore argentino que alude a que no deben dedicarse esfuerzos a cosas que no valen la pena. El origen de este refrán está en que esta ave rapaz no es buena para comer, de modo que nadie razonablemente encara su caza.


Una muy española:

Repites más que el ajo.

Dale que te da con lo mismo....

Machacar con eso es arar en el mar

O también y casi tan efectivo:

dar patadas de ahorcado

That's exactly the idea exxcéntrica, beating a dead horse means that you are wasting your time and energy on a completely pointless activity. The expressions you shared are interesting, thanks!

Exxcéntrica is right about the general definition. It is used most often in debates or discussions to state that whatever the person is saying has already been decided and there is no point in continuing discussing it. I cannot, however, provide you with an adequate expression in Spanish...

So would you say it is something similar to "talking to the wall"? According to what Scott says, it seems to be kind of different: when you talk to the wall, your words are not being heard by the people to whom they are being spoken who, on the other hand, does as she or he pleases. To beat a dead horse is pointless but that nuance of talking about an issue that is already over shows the difference clearly!

I know another one!!!
"No le pidas peras al olmo"... but "No gastes pólvora en chimangos" sounds perfect... at least in Argentina.

Regards,

Originally Posted by mem286

I know another one!!!
"No le pidas peras al olmo"... but "No gastes pólvora en chimangos" sounds perfect... at least in Argentina.

Regards,

Yes, I thought so too, as the friend provided an explanation too. S it appears, a chimango is a bird which tastes rather bad. So nobody would hunt it.

It would however not be understood over here.

Oh, I didn't know about the chimango... and we have gone from horses to birds! We are becoming experts in "zooidioms"!

Originally Posted by Gabriel

So would you say it is something similar to "talking to the wall"? According to what Scott says, it seems to be kind of different: when you talk to the wall, your words are not being heard by the people to whom they are being spoken who, on the other hand, does as she or he pleases. To beat a dead horse is pointless but that nuance of talking about an issue that is already over shows the difference clearly!

I think they are similar but not synonymous (if that makes sense...). Another expression for "talking to the wall" might be "wasting your breath". I got to thinking that another interpretation for "beating a dead horse" would be to not dwell on things, "what's done is done", although that is likely not what the original meaning might be. Interesting to think about though!

What are Chimongos?