Today, 18th May, we celebrate the Day of the Argentine Rosette and the May Week officially starts. It is assumed that on this date in 1810, the cockade or rosette was first used by the ladies of Buenos Aires during the events of the May Revolution. Officially, the Argentine Rosette Day was instituted by the National Council of Education in 1935, and its celebration takes place on 18 May. There are many debatable facts about this cockade and its real colours, its relation with the National flag lately created by Manuel Belgrano, etc. but the real thing is that in our country when things or people are old we are likely to say that they are 'mas viejos que la escarapela'. My question is: is there an equivalent to say this phrase in English? 'Es más viejo que la escarapela' probably makes sense only in Argentina where every (every?) schoolboy knows that on the 25th May 1810 the people of Buenos Aires rallied at the main square in front of the Cabildo to claim self-government and autonomy from Spain. It is said that two patriots, French and Berutti (chisperos, punteros politicos or piqueteros, maybe?), started to distribute white-and-blue badges, cockades or rosettes? (choose the most apropriate one) among followers to show identification with the cause. Obviously, this saying refers to something very old and the best equivalent for all Spanish-speaking people to understand is 'es más viejo que Colón'. Now, I repeat, is there an equivalent version in English? Surfing the web I found some good tries...
Older than dirt; older than God; older than God's grandpa; such an old chestnut; older than the hills; as old as the National insignia.
A very interesting entry, Sebastián!!
ReplyDeleteThanx for sharing it! I guess it's excellent material to work with our ss, any level!
stella :-)
Out of the equivalents you mentioned in your entry, the only one I had heard before was: "As old as the hills". If you refer to a person, you can say that he/she is as old as Methuselah (Matusalem).
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