Chilanguismos

“Chilanguismos”
September 4, 2011
By: Gina Yoryet Roman



There are a few “Mexicanismos” (Mexicanismos are some kind of game, vocabulary and a bit of culture).that I always get a kick out of because when I think I’ve got the entire language narrowed down, another term or expression comes up.
Throughout my long stay in Guadalajara, there have been numerous informal expressions that I’ve encountered in such rich language. One of my favorite ones which make Spanish very unique (perhaps other languages use it as well but I ignore that fact), is the use of the diminutive. These are informalities of the language that people use in many cases; to show affection, to be cute or to indicate size, among others.

For instance, a few months ago, a co-worker had a little get together at his house so he sent out a cute electronic invitation. It said something like this, “Nos vemos el sábadito en mi casita, puedes traer a un amiguito. Trae un snacksito y una bebidita y por favorcito mándame un mensajito con una confirmacióncita…” - I’ll see you at my little place on Saturday. Bring a little friend, a little drink and a little snack. And send me a little message to confirm.

Also all the Mexican friends that I have often throw in all these fantastic expressions that I’ve never heard before (I am a native Spanish speaker but not a Tapatía).
“Mexicanismos” differ all over México and there is one in particular that many people use but they don’t know its real origin.

The word “chilango” is a very offensive term (I find it very demeaning) used for people born in México City, or so everybody says…
The real origin though (and what 99% of Mexicans don’t know), is that in reality that refers to people from other states who move there and adopt it as their home. I found this out on an Internet resource about three or four years ago, (I don’t recall the source).

According to sources, it derivates from the Nahuatl word, “Ixachillan.” Some even say it means “cuerpo de chile y cara de chango,” (body in the shape of a chili and monkey face - in others words, ugly and deformed as “chilangos” are desribed).
Everyone categorizes people born in México City as “Chilangos” but in reality we are all the same, our ancestros are the same, some of us are a darker complexion, some of a lighter tone.

Nowadays people don’t get as offended anymore, in fact they take it as a joke. There’s even a magazine called “Chilango.”
I once saw a brief dictionary of "Mexicanismos," and As I read the news earlier this week, I came across this list of “chilanguismos,” in “El Universal.”

“Chilanguismos,” By: Guido Gómez de Silva

-naco (Posiblemente de totonaco.), naca. adj., y m. y f. 1. Indio, indígena. || 2. De bajo nivel cultural, ignorante. = Of an indigenous origin, belonging to a low class.

-chacharear. tr. Vender o comprar chácharas, baratijas. = to shop for junk.

-chacharero, chacharera. adj., y m. y f. Vendedor de chácharas. = Person who sells junk, “rag-and-bone man.”

-chale. com. Inmigrante chino. = Chinese Immigrant.

-chamba. f. Empleo, trabajo. = a job. Ex: “Necesito chamba,” I need a job.

-chambeador, chambeadora. adj. Trabajador. = Hard working

-chanchullo: hacer chanchullo. loc. Engañar. = to manipulate or deceive someone.

-ñero, ñera, m. y f., o ñeris, m. (De compañero.) Amigo, compañero. = Short for “compañero,” Buddy.

-ora. (De ahora.) adv. Ahora. || ¡órale! (De ahora + -le.) interj. que exhorta al trabajo, a la actividad, a animarse. || ¡órale, pues! 1. interj. que exhorta al trabajo, a la actividad, a animarse. || 2. interj. de protesta. | a l'ora de l'ora. loc. coloq. En esos momentos, en el momento crucial. = Short for “¡órale!,” right on!,” “hell yes!”

-gacho, gacha. (Del español gacho 'encorvado, torcido', derivado del verbo agachar 'inclinar, encoger'.) adj. Malo, feo, desagradable. | bien gacho. loc. Muy desagradable. || ¡qué gacho! loc. ¡Qué feo! = opposite of cool or an unfortunate situation.

-ganso: ¡me canso, ganso! loc. (Respondiendo a un reto) sí puedo. = I can, let me get on it right away.

-chafa. (Quizá de chafar 'estropear, echar a perder'.) adj. Malo, de mala calidad, falso. = of bad quality, lousy useless.

-chido, chida, o chiro, chira, o shido, shida. adj. 1. Bueno, de lo mejor. || 2. Bonito. = cool, nice, great, awesome, right on.

-chiflar: no la chifles, que es cantada. loc. Eufemismo por "no la chingues" = 'no molestes'. = No shit! Don’t mess it up

-caifán. m. Sujeto preeminente en un barrio de ciudad. = someone who comes from the hood, a thug,

-calmantes montes. loc. ¡Cálmate!, ¡No seas impaciente!, ¡Espera! = relax, don’t worry!

-falluca (De falluca 'comercio ambulante en el campo', de falla 'tejido con que se cubrían la cabeza las mujeres; tejido burdo', del francés faille 'tejido, velo de mujer'.) o fayuca. f. Contrabando, importación prohibida si no se pagan derechos de aduana. = illegal, from the black market.

-falluquero, falluquera, o fayuquero, fayuquera. m. y f. Persona que trae mercancía prohibida o sin pagar derechos de aduana. = A person who sells smuggled goods, black marketeer.