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sfmacaws

May 20, 2006, 6:46 PM

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Dichos

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The other thread is more about piropos, I like learning the homilies or sayings in spanish that are about life in general. Every culture has them and I think you can learn from them.

Pueblo chico, infierno grande (small town, big hell)

Cada loca con su tema (every crazy person has their subject or theme) Anonimo uses this for his sig file

Here's one I just found, engraved on an old machete I bought in Chiapas Los maridos y los gatos son de la misma opinion, que teniendo carne en casa, salen a buscar ratón (Husbands and cats are of the same opinion, that having meat at home they leave to look for rat)

I was told this rhyme for the last year of the presidency in Mexico under the PRI. The feeling was that the outgoing president would steal as much as he could for his friends and family in that year. I'll leave out the expletive but you can figure it out. It does rhyme which is why they used Hidalgo, I've now heard just es el año de Hidalgo said when referring to this last year of the presidency, ie it is assumed you know what the rest is.
Es el año de Hidalgo y *expletiva* que deje algo
(It's the year of Hidalgo and they will *do a bad thing to their mother* before they leave anything)

I've made a point of memorizing these when I hear them, I'll come up with more when my old brain wakes up. Anyone else have some?

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

quevedo

May 20, 2006, 7:26 PM

Post #2 of 8 (8047 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos

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Estimadísima sfmacaws:
Qué bueno que empezaste este hilo con el tema de 'dichos'. Como mencionaste, hay miles y cada uno da mejor entendimiento al pensamiento mexicano.

Dos detallitos: el dicho que mencionaste primero es 'Cada loco con su tema'. En el segundo, 'ratón' quiere decir 'mouse. Mejor un ratón que una rata.

Felicitaciones en los dichos que nos enseñaste.

Dichosamente
Quevedo

jerezano

May 20, 2006, 7:39 PM

Post #3 of 8 (8048 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos. Dicharachos y Refranes

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Hello sfmacaws (Jonna)

See if you can find the book by José M. Pérez entitled: Manual Práctico-- Dichos, dicharachos y refranes mexicanos. published by Editores Mexicanos-Unidos, S.A. located in those days at Calle L. González Obregón No 5-B, Mexico 1, D.F. My copy is the 3rd edition 1983

You will find 285 pages of sayings, wisecracks and refrains of the Mexican people alphabetized from A-Z in pocketbook form.

For example two at random one of which describes the ideal "macho" man: Feo, Fuerte y Formal. Ugly, Strong and Formal (polite). The other the ideal woman--with all due respect to the opposite sex, and this is not MY saying: Buena, Bonita y Barata. ....I'm ducking already......

The three F's of the ideal man, has been modified in many places to 5 F's: Feo, fuerte, formal, fumador y fortachón.

And finally one that I really like:

Cuando todos dicen que eres burro...
¡Rebuzna!

When everybody tells you that you're a jackass.....Bray!

In other words, "Believe it".

Adios. jerezano

sfmacaws

May 20, 2006, 11:00 PM

Post #4 of 8 (8032 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Dichos

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Gracias Maestro Quevedo, aprecio sus correcciones. Debo haber pensado en me como la loca! Aprendí algo, yo pensé que un ratón era lo mismo de una rata, es bueno saberlo.

Jerezano, thank you for the name of that book. I immediately went off to Amazon to look for it. When I am in the US I endulge my book buying and Amazon loves me. I found it here http://www.amazon.com/...=glance&n=283155 and ordered it.

At first I couldn't find it, they have the name and title slightly different, so I googled it and found all sorts of interesting web sites and blogs. I really enjoyed the last hour or so of reading them, there are a lot of interesting sites including reviews of the book in spanish and blogs in spanish that mention it.

When I went back to Amazon to buy it, other books popped up and some of them seem interesting too.

http://www.amazon.com/...=glance&n=283155
Mexican Sayings: The Treasure of a People/Dichos Mexicanos: El Tesoro de un Pueblo

http://www.amazon.com/...=glance&n=283155
In few words/En pocas palabras: A compendium of Latino folk wit and wisdom (NEA Heritage & Preservation Series, Book 1)

The last two are in both english and spanish, I may have to order one of those as well.

This has been good for me, I had to get out my dictionary and look up quite a few words (like the verb fortalecer which I think has given me the meaning of fortachón). It's a bit unnerving to write in spanish. I'm one of those who just starts talking and plows on through the mistakes and works around the words I don't know. When I try to write spanish I get hung up trying to make sure I spelled it right and used the correct accents and made everything agree and then I mess up anyway. It's a good exercise though and I need that.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

sfmacaws

May 20, 2006, 11:25 PM

Post #5 of 8 (8031 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos

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In my web travels tonight I found several more dichos that I liked. Here are a few. In translating them, I try to get the meaning but I am sure I miss it sometimes, please feel free to correct or amplify the translations.

La vejez con amor, es un invierno con flores (Old age with love is a winter with flowers) I love that one.

Como vives juzgas (As you live you are judged)

Comes frijoles y eructas pollo (eat beans and belch chicken - yes, I had to look up eructas but just think how it has broadened my vocabulary!)

Baile y cochino, en casa del vecino (dance and pig out at the neighbor's house - don't know about this one, it's one of those things that I think I get the meaning but it is not a straight translation? It could be dance and eat pig at the neighbor's, literally it is dance and pig at the house of the neighbor. I think the meaning has to do with keeping the party away from your own house or it could mean save your money and party on the neighbor's dime)

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

doogie

May 21, 2006, 12:32 PM

Post #6 of 8 (8005 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos

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Como vives juzgas means "as you live so you judge". I like this saying. In my experience it is true that those who are dishonest are the first to accuse others of dishonesty, while those who are honest and trustworthy themselves, tend to trust others.

Baile y cochino, en casa del vecino. I'm not sure about that one, you've translated it correctly but I'm not sure what it's real meaning is. If it's wrong to dance and make a pig of yourself, then why do it next door? Wouldn't you want to go a little further away?
Doogie,
Tapatío de corazón

jerezano

May 24, 2006, 12:07 PM

Post #7 of 8 (7966 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos/ Baile y Cochino.....

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Hello sfmacaws,

Unfortunately Baile y Cochino.... doesn't mean what you think it does quote: Baile y cochino, en casa del vecino (dance and pig out at the neighbor's house -

Miguel Velasco Valdez on page 26 of his book "Refranero popular mexicano, Costa-Amic Editores, Mexico City, 11th ed, 1998 under "Baile y cochino, El del vecino" refers to "Dolor de costado, El de mi marido" on page 58. There he explains that "Baile y cochino, El del vecino" means that the terrible things your neighbor does [such as loud radios, long parties until 6 AM, revving up motors all night long, Shouts and screams at 2 AM, etc] are insufferable, insupportable.

It also has another meaning which is a bit harder to explain. >My own problems are much more insufferable than those of other people< I personally would translate "Dolor de costado, El de mi marido" as >My companions (marido=husband) troubles are a pain in the butt (costado=side) to me.< But Velasco Valdez says it means think about your own [life] which may be worse than that of others. This idea I don't really get from the saying, but then I've never heard it used either.

Perhaps Sr. Quevedo can help us with this one.

Adios. jerezano.

(This post was edited by jerezano on May 24, 2006, 12:36 PM)

Georgia

May 28, 2006, 7:02 AM

Post #8 of 8 (7921 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Dichos - my favorite

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Now here's my favorite dicho that keeps me balanced through good times and bad: No hay mal que por bien no venga. (Sort of "every cloud has a silver lining.")

And then there's another that I use with my numerous kids to encourage them not to repeat their errors:

Gato escaldado del agua fria huye. (The scalded cat flees even from cold water.) If they don't get that one, I worry.