• huppakee@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      2 days ago

      Actually i think in English you say you hit the nail on the head, so if you take it literally you can pick any head you like. In Dutch you’d say you hit a nail on it’s head which is much clearer to someone who takes it literally.

      • ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        2 days ago

        Not really, the specification of “the head” would refer to the head of the nail in the context of the idiom, because that’s the only thing in the idiom with a head so it’s the only head it can refer to.

        • huppakee@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          But if you take it literally it can be any head you see right, because you’re not seeing it within the scope of the idiom but the scope of your direct surrounding? Otherwise nvm, i’m not a native speaker so whatever.

          • Zarobi@aussie.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            2 days ago

            No, you’re right. It’s just English being funny and context dependant. You can easily misread things by mistake. That’s how a lot of puns and jokes work