Wednesday, July 1, 2009

When rain used to be about water

When I lived in America I used to rear people saying "it's raining cats and dogs". I tried to figure out what they meant. Looking through the window was very helpful: heavy rain.

So, why would Americans say "it's raining cat and dogs"? Is there a pursuit relation between the raindrops? There is one between dogs and cats. Also, there is one between raindrops and whatever it is on the ground. But who are cat and dog on this pursuit? I would say raindrops are the dogs and everything on the ground are the cats. Come on, we are pursuit by the raindrops. Wouldn't be more interesting if the expression was "it's raining dogs on cats"? No, let's not change the Language.

Here in Brazil the expression is "it's raining pocket knifes". Probably you are thinking we use shield on raining days instead of umbrellas, aren't you? This expression makes sense because the raindrops fall down fast and stingy. But they don't cut. See how many utilities a raindrop has, like a pocket knife: watering the plants and the soil; streets washing; floods, unfortunately.

No matter where it rains, and how. So, if you don't open your umbrella, get ready to get wet.

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