A small guide for non Chilean people that come to visit us Select - TopicsExpress



          

A small guide for non Chilean people that come to visit us Select Chilenismos Al tiro It means immediately, right now, or in a hurry and Chilenos use it very frequently. ¿Vamos a almorzar al tiro? (Are we going to eat lunch right now?) The origin of the expression comes from an ancient custom, not used anymore, of shooting a shot (tiro) into the air to let the farmers know that it was lunch time. Huevón Likely the most used slang used in Chile. It is used to label someone as idiotic or stupid; however, it can also be used to refer to someone as a friend. It has many derivations, like huevear, that is synonymous with having fun or enjoying yourself, but also for annoying someone. Its origin is related to the word huevo (egg). Due to physical similarity between eggs and testicles, it is used to refer to the mail genital area. The way and the tone in which the word is used determines if the connotation is positive and friendly or negative and degrading. A la maleta (suitcase) o ser maletero (person who carries suitcases)But in Chile, maletero is also the person who, in a fight, does not respect the rules of the game. He who acts a la maleta has bad intentions and is a traitor. His real intentions are hidden, as if they were packed away in a suitcase. Dar cancha, tiro y lado It means to win by a large margin and bragging about it to your rival. Se da cancha, tiro y lado has its origin in equestrian competitions, especially in the Chilean style races out in the country. Cortar las huinchas When someone is very anxious to do something, you can say corta las huinchas. The word wincha, of quechua orgin, refers to the reigns of a horse. Cortando las huinchas or releasing the reigns evokes an image of a rider waiting for the sign to release the reigns and start the race. Darse vuelta la chaqueta The people who suddenly change their opinion in an opportunistic way, dan vuelta la chequeta (turn their jacket inside out). This expression goes back to the civil war of 1891, when some of the defeated changed their jackets and uniforms and started fighting for the other side. Irse a la cochiguagua This means to live without putting forth any real effort, waiting for someone else to do the work. It is like riding in the carriage (coche) of a baby (guagua- from the mapudungún dialect ). Hora de once In Chile the hora de once is the hour of tea, since they adopted this custom from the English. The once consists of drinking tea or coffee with some light snacks around five o’clock in the afternoon. This popular tradition can be attributed to the marines that used to enthusiastically refer to aguardiente (clear liquor made from distilled fruit) as once (eleven) because it has eleven letters. Marca Chancho (pig brand) is used to refer to a brand that is not very well know or prestigious. This expression was brought into existence as a way to describe the cigarettes manufactured in Valparaíso during the last century. Más perdido que el teniente Bello Someone who is más perdido que el teniente Bello (more lost than lieutenant Bello) is someone is very disoriented and has no sense of direction. The saying originated in 1914, when the aviator Alejandro Bello disappeared during an air test and it was never found. Morir en la rueda (die in the wheel) means to loyally guard a secret or keep silent. The expression is a reminder of the wheel that was used to torture prisoners during the inquisition, in an attempt to drag out their confessions. Ni chicha ni limoná’ When someone is ni chicha ni limoná when some demonstrates indecision or ambiguity, waiting for the most convenient moment to make a decision. Chicha is strong liquor made from grapes or apples and limoná is simply lemonade
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 05:38:23 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics




© 2015