# It flings the mango? Can I get some Cuban help here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795 "2006-03-10T04:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/21 "2006-03-14T07:01:43Z")
> [@Bomzaway](#): > > We both guessed that in Cuba it might not be an offensive term, and could mean something as harmless as simply “unbelievable”. Which is a common thing in the Spanish language…actually, many languages I suppose. Yeah, if you Google it, you’ll see it used in all sorts of contexts, none of which would suggest that it’s offensive. Maybe that’s just pa’ los venezolanos. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/22 "2006-03-14T15:19:16Z")
> [@Bambi Hassenpfeffer](#): > > to buzz or to hum, or to thrash. How it got to mean “fling” in Cuba, and why flinging a mango is so incredible, are not explained. _Zumbar_ would equate somewhat to “zoom” in the sense of “to fly with a buzzing sound.” In Puerto Rico a hummingbird is called a _zumbador_. The mango is being thrown so swiftly that it hums. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/23 "2006-03-14T18:07:05Z")
It flings the mango on it’s skin or else it gets the hose again. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/24 "2006-03-14T19:07:35Z")
Speaking of [mangos](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060314/ap_on_fe_st/monster_mango;_ylt=Ak4p75EpnlYGtwdOJSUV_W4Z.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA4cmUwbnA1BHNlYwMxNzAy)… ---
**Author:** ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/25 "2006-03-14T19:34:48Z")
One of the file room girls in my office (I think she’s Dominican) does the egg frying noise when she’s cranky or being teased. It’s sort of a weird, sizzling sound in the back of her throat. It’s definitely very loud when she wants it to be. ---
**Author:** ![paytonhidalgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@paytonhidalgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paytonhidalgo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/26 "2022-04-08T17:55:55Z")
Don’t fry eggs at me or no me frias huevos a mi is used as a response when somebody gives you a heavy sigh. So mi abuelo would tell me to clean the dishes, a task I did not want to do, and I would sigh out of annoyance, his response would be, “no me frias huevos a mi.” As for it flings the mango, it’s the same as the American/English saying “that takes the cake.” ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/27 "2022-04-08T18:02:03Z")
When they mention “Handle” instead of mango, I think of “don’t fly off the handle” - which phrase also makes as little sense in English. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/28 "2022-04-08T18:55:47Z")
Thanks and welcome ! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795/29 "2022-04-09T02:04:28Z")
When mangoes fly! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-flings-the-mango-can-i-get-some-cuban-help-here/347795.md?page=1)