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Carron

Mar 16, 2005, 7:57 AM

Post #1 of 14 (2193 views)

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Muchachas, from South to North

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When we lived in Chiapas, the word for housekeeper or cleaning woman was "muchacha" even if yours was 90 years old. It also was slightly derogatory. Young women of the "better" classes were referred to as "senoritas".

Several months ago one of my daughters was visiting us here in northern Coahuila and was cleaning my kitchen when one of her friends dropped by. "Hola, muchacha!" he called to her from the living room. She was insulted and told him he was never again to refer to her as the cleaning woman.

He apologized and explained that here cleaning women are called "chachas" and young women are all "muchachas". Interesting regional distinctions! Can any of us ever hope to get it all right?

esperanza

Mar 16, 2005, 10:03 AM

Post #2 of 14 (2187 views)

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Re: [Carron] Muchachas, from South to North

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There are so many regional variations of nomenclature and slang that nobody, not even native speakers, can ever get it all right.

I had a good friend in Tijuana--an upperclass young woman--whose nickname was Chacha (because her little brother started life hearing her called muchacha) and no one ever called her anything else. Here, my neighbor calls the young woman who works for me "tu secre", an abbreviation for secretaria--which of course she is not, she cleans my house.

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(This post was edited by esperanza on Mar 16, 2005, 10:03 AM)

quevedo

Mar 16, 2005, 12:45 PM

Post #3 of 14 (2181 views)

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Re: [Carron] Muchachas, from South to North

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Chacha. Even more derogatory than muchacha. May I suggest Marta, María, Juanita, Lola, Magda, Clara, Sofía... ?

Saludos cordiales,

Quevedo

Marta R

Mar 16, 2005, 1:06 PM

Post #4 of 14 (2178 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Muchachas, from South to North

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Quevedo, what about "criada"?

Marta

quevedo

Mar 16, 2005, 3:51 PM

Post #5 of 14 (2171 views)

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Re: [chrisnmarta] Muchachas, from South to North

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Peor todavía.

Saludos cordiales,

Quevedo

Marta R

Mar 16, 2005, 4:08 PM

Post #6 of 14 (2167 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Muchachas, from South to North

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So, how would you say, "the person who cleans my house?" Is there a job title that could be used? I mean, if I wanted to say, "The woman who cleans my house recommends lemon in the rinse water" how would I refer to her without going into a whole song and dance ("Antonia, who comes by twice a week to clean my house, recommends lemon in the dishwater")?

As for "criada," no disrespect intended. It's how I remember my Tia Lolita referring to her maid (to third parties) back in the 50s.

Marta

esperanza

Mar 16, 2005, 4:50 PM

Post #7 of 14 (2164 views)

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Re: [chrisnmarta] Muchachas, from South to North

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Wasn't it about a year ago that we went through this same discussion?

In conversation, I refer to my maid by name followed by, la que me ayuda en la casa, or some such.

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jerezano

Mar 26, 2005, 10:31 AM

Post #8 of 14 (2099 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Muchachas, from South to North

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Hello,

As with your wife or husband, if people know your maid or mozo you will refer to her/him by name. In my case Tere.

For those who don't know him/her you can always say mi ayudante.

For a house-keeper (Tere in my case) one can always say el ama de casa which is a professional title and not objectional in any language; but ayudante is still easier to say and more people will understand, even if they don't speak Spanish. For those poor unfortunates just say my assistant.

Criada, chacha, muchacha, serviente, etc are really not useable although many of my not politically correct Mexican friends refer to their assistants as la criada or la serviente and sometimes in front of them. On the other hand, here where I am, mozo for a male assistant is not objectionable.

Oh, I am glad, and you should be too, that you/we can afford an assistant in the house. Try that north of the border!

Adios. Jerezano.

Marlene

Mar 26, 2005, 4:51 PM

Post #9 of 14 (2085 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Muchachas, from South to North

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In my neck of the woods "ama de casa" is the woman of the house, the wife, NOT the housekeeper.

jerezano

Mar 26, 2005, 8:27 PM

Post #10 of 14 (2078 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Muchachas, from South to North

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Hello Marlene,

Ouch! Glad I don't live in your neck of the woods. But just the same forget I ever mentioned el ama de casa and stick to ayudante.

Adios. Jerezano.

Marlene

Mar 26, 2005, 9:37 PM

Post #11 of 14 (2069 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Muchachas, from South to North

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Quote

Ouch! Glad I don't live in your neck of the woods.

My neck of the woods isn't so bad :) Have you been?

This discussion makes a point about regional differences perhaps.

abelsn

Mar 28, 2005, 3:48 PM

Post #12 of 14 (2026 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Muchachas, from South to North

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"ama de casa" = housewife

"ama de llaves" = housekeeper

quevedo

Mar 29, 2005, 1:54 PM

Post #13 of 14 (2007 views)

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Re: [Marlene] El ama de la casa

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Si el señor Jerezano no tiene esposa ni compañera marital, Tere es si duda el ama de su casa, ¿quién más?

Estoy de acuerdo con las formas que él usa: primero y preferible, llamar a Tere por su nombre: Tere (o Teresa o Teresita, claro). Ayudante suena bien, lo mismo que ama de casa si es el caso.

Felices Pascuas,

Quevedo

Carron

Mar 30, 2005, 7:22 AM

Post #14 of 14 (1984 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Muchachas, from South to North

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When my daughter married a young man in Chiapas, he was working and she was not. In all of her official marriage documents she is referred to as the "ama de casa", which he translated to us as "housewife", suitable to their married status.

"Muchachas" were never called that in person. They were called by their first names. But advertisements for household help in the newspapers or on signs hung our front always used the generic term "muchacha".