Idioms

[squirmelia]

Are you winking at the darkness, gathering sweet potatoes or less than seven, more than eight?

kulang sa pito labis sa walo - very crazy or idiotic. (Literally, less than seven, more than eight.)
kumindat sa dilim - to be disappointed (Literally, wink at darkness.)
mangamote - to gather sweet potatoes, or to reveal one's stupidity.

Comments

mangamote

[pond876.livejournal.com]

I dispute that logic! Sweet potatoes (and by extension, those that gather them), are pretty awesome ^_^

Re: mangamote

[fivemack.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's a variant on 'it doesn't take much brain to sneak up on a potato'

Re: mangamote

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

I just asked someone who actually speaks Tagalog. :) She said that it is kind of like if you don't study and pass your exams, you will end up having to just gather sweet potatoes.

Re: mangamote

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

It also said something like "reveal dull-mindedness, for example, in exams." So perhaps if you fail exams, you will end up having to work as a sweet potato farmer? Hmm.

[twisted-times.livejournal.com]

That just sounds as mad as a bag of badgers...

[ixamxfe-y.livejournal.com]

I've done/been all three.