Spanish is a language that is not only elegant and beautiful, but also very complex. Think beyond conjugations, prepositions, tenses or grammatical accidents; From semantics, syntax and other areas, unique features emerge worthy of analysis.
The great theorist Ferdinand de Saussure warned of the separation between the denotative and connotative aspects of signs. The first refers to the objective meaning of the sign; the second one to the interpretation that can be given to this one and to the particular use that is granted to it in specific contexts.
Right in the area of the connotative character of the language is where we find the so-called “idioms” and / or colloquialisms, that are used for various functions. Remember that phrases are often metaphors that are made up of groups of words that have no relation to their meaning, which is very different depending on how these phrases are used.
They can be used, for example, as a comment to describe extraordinary situations; or, for recurrent cases in which no surprise was expected; There are also phrases made to describe the beautiful, the ugly, the opportune and even the impertinent.
Sentences can even serve as wild cards or outputs for particular situations for which there is not always an exact answer. Then, well applied, the phrases can get more than a hurry to any interlocutor.
There are hundreds and thousands of circumstances to which the sentences can be circumscribed; but their formulation, enunciation and application may differ in different regions or countries; and even in different circumstances, as in public or intimate moments; everything depends on the context, as the famous speech analyst Teun van Dijk would say.
In that sense, we present below some Mexican phrases about different topics, along with their literal translation in parentheses, followed by their actual meaning.
Affirmation, concordance, congratulation, compliment:
Vientos: (Winds): very good.
Me lo dijo un pajarito: (A little bird told me): they told me.
Fresco como una lechuga: (Fresh as a lettuce): to be very good, clean, relaxed and whole.
Da el gatazo: (Give the shot): it looks good.
Eres un sol: (You are a sun): you are great.
Soy tu fan: (I’m your fan): I admire you.
No canta mal las rancheras: (He does not sing the rancheras badly): He’s pretty good at something.
Tirando rostro: (Throwing face): flirting, impressing with attractiveness.
Está carita: (It’s face): mainly used by men to describe an attractive man.
Es un pan de Dios: (He is a bread of God): good person.
Me hace lo que el viento a Juárez: (He does what the wind does to Juarez): he does not feel threatened.
Le da vuelo a la hilacha: (It gives flight to the hilacha): it has excess fun without ties.
Failure, worry, warning, loss and grief:
Como el perro de las dos tortas: (Like the dog of the two sandwiches): indecisive.
No lo calienta ni el sol: (Not even the sun heats it up): it is very sad.
Está hecho bolas: (It’s done balls): confused.
Es bien lobo: (It is very wolf): very intelligent.
Me quita el sueño: (It takes away my sleep): to worry.
Se quedó de a seis: (He stayed at six): very surprised; used sporadically by Bart Simpson, in the Mexican translation.
Tiró la toalla: (He threw in the towel): he gave up.
Está con el agua al cuello: (It is with water around its neck): surrounded, lost, with no way out.
Colgó los tenis: (He hung up the tennis shoes): he died.
Chupó faros: (He sucked headlights): it was worth it!
Lo cargó el payaso: (He was charged by the clown): serious and irreversible failure.
Text: Rocío Cortés Campo
