Memory game The walls have ears

Whoever learns a new language quickly realizes: not only because of the grammar and vocabulary, but also because of the idioms that are deeply rooted in the (language) culture, it is so difficult to master them perfectly. Often, the word-for-word translation of an idiom just doesn't make sense. To get up on someone's roof, to suck something out of one's fingers, to be pussy-whipped? That can't be meant literally! And yet: idioms often summarize a thought more pointedly than comprehensive explanations ever could - provided that the counterpart also knows the saying used.

This memory game with 44 illustrations by Philip Waechter clears up with such and other linguistic Ver(w)errungen and provides the appropriate classification. Many idioms that we use every day as a matter of course have a plausible origin - even if it is not recognizable at first glance. If a player uncovers a matching pair of cards, he can immediately read the explanation and origin in the accompanying book. So one learns, for example, that the phrase "have tomatoes on the eyes" used to mean "sleepy, sleepy look" and referred to the reddened conjunctivae and puffy eye areas after a sleepless night.

The 44 pairs of cards each consist of a word card, on which the idiom is recorded as text, and a picture card, which illustrates the idiom taken literally. A certain amount of associative ability is therefore an advantage. In keeping with the theme of the game - no, we don't want to give you a hard time - the playing cards are truly united under one roof: the cardboard packaging comes in the form of a house with a removable roof, also designed by illustrator and children's book artist Philip Waechter. How appropriate, after all, the manufacturer gave his game the name "The walls have ears", and behind the latter it should now also be dry.

Not suitable for children under 3 years. Risk of suffocation due to small parts that can be swallowed.