HANDOUT FOR MEXICAN SPANISH – Permission is granted for personal study and use. Any other use requires permission of the author and copyright holder Dennis McKenna. NAJIT 26th Annual Conference, SESSION HELD 5-15-05 IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEXICAN SPANISH AND OTHER SPANISH: a) Archaic Spanish (no longer used in other places) b) Formal language that’s different (“frozen language”) c) Words and other linguistic elements that come from Nahuatl (Uto-Aztecan) d) Words and other linguistic elements that come from other prehispanic cultures e) Anglicisms (Spanglish) f) Slang EXAMPLE OF ARCHAIC SPANISH: Comenzó a acuitar y a pensar en el peligroso trance en que su honestidad se había de ver. Agüitar (MODERN USAGE IN MEXICO) OTHER EXAMPLES: ansina carriola dar batería de oquis fierro haiga luego luego machucar truje vide FORMAL LANGUAGE THAT IS DIFFERENT: enterar -to pay (a tax) extinto (LatAm) -deceased fungir como -to act as turnar -to send, submit tener verificativo -to take place NAHUATL: 1) Words from Nahuatl that have spread to other languages including Spanish 2) Nahuatl words that are used in Spanish in general 3) Nahuatl words that are limited to Mexican Spanish Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna EXAMPLES OF COMMON TERMS FROM NAHUATL IN MEXICAN SPANISH: achichincle apapachar guajolote mitote pachichi/e papalote pizca popote tecolote tlacuache -faithful follower -to cuddle -turkey -noisy scene, party -old, shriveled -kite -harvest -straw -owl -opossum PHRASES INCORPORATING TERMS FROM NAHUATL: Ya le cayó el chahuistle. No quiero regar el tepache. Tiene piernas de chichicuilote. SONORA AND SINALOA: bichi embichar buqui MAYAN: boxito/a -honey chele/chelo/a -blond, blue eyed poch -anxious tuch -navel, belly button tucho -monkey SAY WHAT? Llorona, todo esto es muy difícil para mí. Iré al suami este fin de semana. (Una testigo difícil) Srta. intérprete, no puedo contestar a esa pregunta porque soy jarijiri. SPANGLISH FROM THE SOUTHWEST actualmente (INCORRECT USAGE) ahí te wacho baica bil/biles Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna breicas broda bulcheteando cachar la can carpeta chaneado chance cora daime dar para atrás escrín ganga grocería jaina (gang) liquiar manejador mapeador parientes (INCORRECT USAGE) pompear puchar raite rayar (en la pared) tachar (INCORRECT USAGE) wachar yarda THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT Siempre no voy al concierto. After all I’m not going to the concert. Luego luego llegó la policía. The police arrived right away. Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna MENS REA OR MEN-SA? SE ME HIZO FÁCIL A) I thought it was easy (to steal it). B) I though I could get away with it. C) It made me easy. D) I just did it (on the spur of the moment) SLANG: Caló Youth slang Rhyming slang/alliteration CALÓ: afanar lisa YOUTH SLANG: ahí la bimbo chanfle chavos fresa checar flota niño popis tocada RHYMING SLANG La ley de Herodes: o lo haces o te jodes La ley gringa: el que se apendeja, se chinga Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna ALLITERATION calmantes, Montes (cálmate) nel (no) qué pasón? (qué pasó?) simón (sí) MEDICAL MADNESS agrura -heartburn descompostura -dislocation huehuecho -having goiter tencuo -harelipped unidad de terapia intensiva -intensive care unit la canilla el cerebro el chamorro la cintura la mano el pie LAS CALLES acotamiento banqueta calzada camellón corralón eje vial libramiento periférico (also C.A.) tope Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna EN EL BARRIO la unidad colonia delegación fraccionamiento sector (Hidalgo…) LANA al chas chas feria fierros un lanal marmaja morlacos pachocha LA POBREZA ciudad perdida paracaidista pepenador prángana la vecindad EMIGRANTES la mica la migra pollo pollero Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna ¿CÓMO SE DICE TIENDA? abarrotería changarro, timbiriche, estanquillo, miscelánea, expendio tlapalería tienda de departamentos GENTE CHUECA aguador gandalla palero paquero pastor(ero) trácala transa HOW DO I BUILD VOCABULARY? Admit you don’t know it all Don’t underestimate the speaker Write it down Trust your ears (don’t “overcorrect”) RECOGNIZE PATTERNS cachete cachetiza chupe chupiza golpe golpiza gol goliza madre madriza momia momiza regaño regañiza tranca tranquiza Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna EUFEMISMOS está cabrón está cañón chueco chocolate mierda miércoles ¡la tuya! ¡la tuerta! chingado tiznado, chiflado, fregado, regado AGARRAR LA ONDA estar bruja traer escoba caló caliche casa cantón chido chilo (Sonora) fea federal viejo viernes yo (in Eng. me) melón READ NEW LITERATURE Use a highlighter Try to get the meaning from context Look it up Get a good dictionary SEE NEW FILMS, LISTEN TO MUSIC Get new films and music (Y tu mamá también, Chalino Sánchez, Café Tacuba) Rewind it or play it over again Look for meaning in context Confirm it with a good dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Dennis McKenna