alyx Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 hey Yesterday, I watched a movie called All the pretty horses I have had some difficulties understanding (quite a deep accent I am not used to) but after a while I got used to it One thing though: I don't understand the meaning of the following sentence: "he has no feathers" said by a corrupt police captain to John Grady talking of a young guy called Blevins, accused of killing someone. John grady seemed confused when he heard this and answered that he would not know. I guess it is an idiom but I really don't understand what that has got to do with the plot although it seems to be a decisive fact for the fate of Blevins who will be gunned down some time later I am not sure this kind of questions has its place in the forum but I don't know anyone able to answer Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipvice Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) no tiene vello Explanation: I have always heard inmates use this term to describe someone who has no body hair or is bald (calvo). Here's a couple of definitions. feathers: body hair. featherless: smooth hairless body. Info from a google search Edited October 25, 2009 by skipvice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thanks The reference to the (spanish speaking) inmates makes sense (for two reasons: the cop is Mexican and he is a cop) but I still fail to see how important that is or maybe it is of no matter and I just focused on it because I didn't get it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nidge Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 ALthough i know nothing about the movie, I could hazard a guess. Perhaps it's in reference to "feather in the cap". Wiki's eplanation is probably better than the one i first planned to give.... Quoted from Wiki The term a feather in your cap is an English idiomatic phrase believed to have derived from the general custom in some cultures, of a warrior adding a new feather to their head-gear for every enemy slain, or in other cases from the custom of establishing the success of a hunter as being the first to bag a game bird by the plucking of the feathers of that prey and placing them in the hat band. The phrase today has altered to a more peaceful allusion, where it is used to refer to any laudable success or achievement by an individual that may help that person in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thanks This, and the above, fit the sentence but the fact is that I don't see how that is relevant to the situation As I said: the cop tells this to another character regarding another guy (which seems to add to his guilt) The character is embarrassed when he is told this (I guess the first explanation is closer to the situation but I sill don't get it) The English idiom you are referring to makes me think of this other idiom: birds of a same feather, e.g two brothers, and might be directly linked to your findings In this case it is an American movie and I guess that we have to look into American idioms Thanks for your efforts and researches Maybe someone, who has seen the movie, might be able to explain I know it is really not an important matter but it has been bothering me for a day already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 any suggestions from an american moviegoer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassienie Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) hey Yesterday, I watched a movie called All the pretty horses I have had some difficulties understanding (quite a deep accent I am not used to) but after a while I got used to it One thing though: I don't understand the meaning of the following sentence: "he has no feathers" said by a corrupt police captain to John Grady talking of a young guy called Blevins, accused of killing someone. John grady seemed confused when he heard this and answered that he would not know. I guess it is an idiom but I really don't understand what that has got to do with the plot although it seems to be a decisive fact for the fate of Blevins who will be gunned down some time later I am not sure this kind of questions has its place in the forum but I don't know anyone able to answer Thanks The term means: someone may give the semblance they are something in which they are not, putting on an act or behaving similar. For example, a duck billed platypus may have a beak and lay eggs like a bird, but it`s not a bird, because ' IT HAS NO FEATHERS'. In other words, an animal may look like a bird, but is not actually a bird, if it 'HAS NO FEATHERS'. Edited October 25, 2009 by sassienie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2396 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Does this have anything to do about Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelomsak Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Being a Canuck and not havinbg a clue what it means I took it to mean He cannot survive he cannot fly he has no feathers. Meaning he is a loser and willnot survive around here. Or he hasnot made friends as in feathers are friends. and is on his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Thank you for the answer Yes: it has something to do with Thailand: I was in Bangkok when I watched the movie I hope you are not upset with the fact that I am trying to understand something unrelated to Thailand and that I am using this forum This is why I have posted in the general topics' section. But if you happen to know where I should post to get more people interested in the ssubject please let me know Knowing this, a2396, do you have any answers (regarding my question) for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2396 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Thank you for the answerYes: it has something to do with Thailand: I was in Bangkok when I watched the movie I hope you are not upset with the fact that I am trying to understand something unrelated to Thailand and that I am using this forum This is why I have posted in the general topics' section. But if you happen to know where I should post to get more people interested in the ssubject please let me know Knowing this, a2396, do you have any answers (regarding my question) for me? I have never heard this term used before. I suppose you might try to email the movie studio or producers or possibly some language forum. It is certainly not a common expression. I don't know how you got past the censors on this. It is an American movie you saw in Thailand?? It has no relationship to Thailand what-so-ever. Of course you can try to post anything here. However, it it is interesting to note how many serious topics or comments get bounced by the censors, due to their apparent concern for political correctness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krading Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 (edited) Post it in the Ladies Forum, they seem to get away with almost anything in there. sorry girls Edited October 26, 2009 by krading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Post it in the Ladies Forum, they seem to get away with almost anything in there. sorry girls No comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabaijai Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Not related to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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