I spend a lot of time thinking about language. I love the way it defines how people think, and I see it as something central to my sense of personal and social identity. Probably because it is my native language and one I miss while far from home, I like comparing at the little intricacies of Spanish to English, particularly what at home we like to call "Mexicanisms".
There are a lot of them, its almost a language itself, and it can make even other Spanish speakers wonder what on earth we're saying. I often ask my Scottish partner what the equivalent of our sayings or words are in Scotland, usually finding good options in English or indeed in Scots. But every now and then I stumble across a turn of phrase that simply doesn't exist. The official term for that is a lexical gap. Here is a special selection of a few of those words and phrases Mexicans love to use that I think make speaking, writing and thinking better.
APAPACHO
It's only right to start with a word that made it's way into Spanish because of Náhuatl. Náhuatl is one of the many indigenous languages of Mexico and has gifted the world with a number of words we use in many languages. If you say the words "avocado" or "chia" when you order your brunch, or can name the famous cartoon that chased after the Road Runner, you have used Náhuatl before.
An Apapacho is what you need after a hard day's work, or when you want to show and be shown love by someone. The best way to define Apapacho is as elite hugging, hugging someone with your soul. Think of the feeling of cuddles while eating your favourite thing, all wrapped up in the softest, nicest blanket ever. That's it, an apapacho.
LA NETA
I probably use this word every single day, either out loud or in my mind. I learned that neta might come from a French word "net", meaning pure or free from stains, or be an evolution of the Spanish word "nítido", used to describe something one can perceive clearly or precisely. Both of these come from the Latin "nitidus". How much any of those three have really had an impact on la neta, I can't say.
For Mexicans, La neta brings together the sworn truth and clarity, and even a vow of sorts. If you're telling someone la neta, you're telling them the truth from your heart, that which can't be seen on the surface. It is a noun: "I want the neta", but can also be used as an adverb: "Tell me about X, neta", or even a verb "Let's go netear". The latter is my personal favourite, but all versions are a great addition to any honest conversation.
EL VEINTE
Literally, el veinte means "the 20". Back when there were public telephones around Mexico, people used 20 peso coins to get them to work, and the story is that you'd be able to hear the coin drop inside the machine before engaging the line. Hence, the full saying- caer el veinte, "the 20 drops".
When the 20 drops you've had a realisation, a truth has come to light, or you've made peace with something you were denying. Essentially, it's a stand-in for any instance in which something that was unseen or unacknowledged becomes visible. If you finally understand how to get that difficult task at work done, you read a great book that changes your perspective on something, or you accept that your crush is just not that into you...my friend, the 20 has dropped.
CHALE
One of the great Mexicanisms, chale is a must in this shocking world. There's some theories about it starting out as an onomatopoeia for the sound you make when you press your tongue against your teeth and then let air out. A ts or tch sound.
But chale can mean almost anything depending on context. Most commonly, it expresses a mixture of surprise and disgust or sadness, but it can also show regret or be used ironically.
If you can shake your head at it or roll your eyes at it, you can chale at it. My generation, whose use of mexicanisms is entangled with english slang because of US influence, say "big chale" as an amplified version. If you use this one, I think it's fair to expect an automatic honorary Mexican card in the post.
¡ÓRALE!
Last but not least, órale might be the king of Mexican slang. It's hard to accurately explain the entirety of what órale means because, in many ways, it's an everything and nothing word. So instead, look at this:
A lot of languages and countries have versions of tone-dependent expressions. The most similar example I can think of is "allora" in Italian, although it isn't a perfect replacement for órale; or the sound "aiya!", which friends from different Asian countries introduced me to in uni.
While not the most tourist-friendly, I believe that if you catch on to the subtle differences in how Mexicans use órale, it might reveal a great deal about our culture and way of thinking. Maybe because it creates a secret club feeling around it, this is definitely one of my favourites.
Ultimately, like all the other countries we share our language with, Mexico makes Spanish a bit different with our slang. We like to coat it in sal y limón (salt and lime) to make it truly ours. While being able to freely speak my Spanish in Scotland is unlikely to happen to me anytime soon, if you catch me whispering something to myself, it's probably one of these great words!
See ya!
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