Sunday, March 1, 2009

un pique

un pique - a ways

Vero: ¿Vamos a dodge patas que no tengo plata para la micro?
Maca: Igual es un pique, vamos a llegar a la hora de la callampa.**
Vero: Pero vamos chupando la mamadera que preparamos.
Maca: Güeno ya, vamos andando.


Vero: Shall we go on foot, 'cos I don't have money for the bus.
Maca: Mmm, it's a ways, we're going to arrive really late.
Vero: But we can drink the alcoholic mix we prepared in this bottle as we walk.
Maca: Okay, let's go.

**Note: "la hora de la callampa" is a vulgar expression

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Somehow, in my learning of Chilensis, I never figured out what was vulgar and what wasn't. Yes, I know I speak like a drunkin' sailor. Sadly, or maybe luckily, I am marrying a man who HATES swears and vulgarity... I am quickly learning which phrases piss him off and thus STARTING the process of registering them as inappropriate for mixed company.

Maeskizzle said...

Clare. Word. When I came back in 2003, my AFS host parents taught me (cagados de la risa) the word "pichulear" which they defined to me as "castigar". Unfortunately, I didn't notice that "pichula" was the base word of "pichulear", and I ended up using it in front of somebody's grandmother. When some of her grandchildren ran to the bathroom, shut the door, and burst out in laughter, I began to ask myself if my host parents hadn't taught me a vulgar word. hahahaha

I also tried to use "la raja" on a book report in high school, until my classmates explained to me what it meant. It would've been much funnier if they'd've just let me hand it in.

I think a lot of us speak like drunken sailors. Although I do know when I'm doing it. Now I do anyway. It took awhile.

I like your categorizing procedure. It sounds effective.

Also I think swearing is more common here, and it's not seen as strongly as in the States.

Anonymous said...

Yea. Except for my Seba. The other peculiarity for me is that people of all ages use the slang. In the states I can think "would my grandma says this?" and if she wouldn't then I am cautious. Here, in Chile, my Gueli does say it. Where does this leave me?

Maeskizzle said...

I know. It's so crazy. A friend of mine's grandma calls her sister "weona" and uses tons of slang. It's hilarious. La abuela chora.