Dominican Slang Questions

[rrwells]

Here's a few words I've heard lately --

Chin -- Tengo un chin de arroz.

At first I thought this meant I've got a lot but then I heard it means I've got a little -- which is it?

Chevre -- Ay, que chevre.

I think this means cool but I'm curious where it came from.

Chulo -- Ay, que chulo.

It's the same as chevre, right?

Maldito means damned, as in maldito trafico or maldito hombre

How bad is this word, can a female use it (on occasion) without getting too many raised eyebrows?

OK -- that's all I can think of right now although there are tons and tons more that I hear everyday. I'd love to hear other people's favorite dominican slang -- I'm trying to spice up my Mexican Spanish..

[Hillbilly]

Originally posted by rrwells
Here's a few words I've heard lately --

Chin -- Tengo un chin de arroz.

At first I thought this meant I've got a lot but then I heard it means I've got a little -- which is it?

Chevre -- Hay, que chevre.

I think this means cool but I'm curious where it came from.

Chulo -- Hay, que chulo.

It's the same as chevre, right?

Maldito means damned, as in maldito trafico or maldito hombre

How bad is this word, can a female use it (on occasion) without getting too many raised eyebrows?

OK -- that's all I can think of right now although there are tons and tons more that I hear everyday. I'd love to hear other people's favorite dominican slang -- I'm trying to spice up my Mexican Spanish..

Slang evolves and often times the current meaning isn't the one in any dictionary.
chin: This means just a tad, a little bit. Dame un chin de jugo, is like just a little bit please.

chevere: Borrowed from Venezuela and Puerto Rico in the 70s I think, this means nice and cool. A guy who is chevere is a nice guy and cool guy and 'in' guy.. Qué chevere! = Great!

Chulo: Used to mean perveyer of prostitutes! Nowadays it means how nice! How great!... A chulo was the pimp about 40 years ago..See how language changes?

My wife doesn't like me to use "maldito" since she feels I am damning them or it to eternal hell's fires!. However it is a strong word...not for dainty mouths..

Other words commonly heard:
"Qué vaina!" The word 'vaina' means the sheath for a knife. Here, it used to mean the female sexual areas, (Probably due to a confusion by the masses with the word "vagina) Nowadays it means "thing" or "problem" or "nuisance"and generally has a perjoritive meaning. And, it can mean almost anything!
Echar vainas--cause problems
Coger vainas--field problems
Aguantar vainas--have to hold still for ****ty things that happen

The language here is rich in these things.

HB

[Onions&carrots]

I read somewhere that chin is a taino word. Some of the many words from them that have survived. Also Mao is a taino word for 4 rivers or something like that. They still influence the DR today even though none exist and their language has disappeared. Of course the unbelievable friendliness is of Taino origin.

The Dominican oh-oh is a Haitian contribution which comes from Africa. It's the agressive responses in Dominicanisms and the usual way in which DR folk usually try to put each other down that also came from the Haitians.

[CHERYL.W]

I have just got back from a week in puerto plata and have spent a lot of time with my boyfriend's friend and family and have also heard a lot of new words most of which i have found out what they mean. One that I can't which means that it will be bad is "mamisota" (not sure how it is spelt)

Thanks for your help

[Hillbilly]

Cheryl: Sorry to tell you this, but that is a serious reflection on the education of your BF's and his family.

that term is used with women of little stature. It connotes "nice piece of a**!" It also refers to the size of a woman and her physical attributes. If I had called my novia a "mamasota" I think I would have been kicked in the testes and thrown out of the house.

Very akin to the term "mamacita" or "little woman" used as a term of endearment on the streets. See: Piropo

HB.

[rrwells]

Originally posted by Onions&carrots
The Dominican oh-oh is a Haitian contribution which comes from Africa. It's the agressive responses in Dominicanisms and the usual way in which DR folk usually try to put each other down that also came from the Haitians.

I'm confused O and C, what's a Dominican oh-oh?

[Tony C]

"Oh oh" is one of the most commonly used expressions in the English language. haven't you ever heard a American go "Oh OH" when something is wrong?

Vaina is a Seed pod! A pod of green beans is a vaina. A seed pod from a Royal Poinciana tree is a vaina. It has no sexual conotation in the DR. Vaina is used as a "Hassle" or "Problem"

O&C
The only thing left in the DR of the Arawaks(What you call Tainos) is a few artifacts in Museums. There is no Indian blood in Dominicans. There is no language influence.

Tony C.

[Hillbilly]

In most dictionaries, "vaina" is first and foremost a sheath, either for a knife or a bayonette. It is also a seed pod.

Thus the joke about the Amapola tree and marriage: What do they have in common? Both begin with flowers and end up with "Vainas" ...

In the uneducated sector of the population it also refers to the female genitalia, possibly in a confusion with the Spanish pronunciation of the word "vagina" : Bah-he-nah

Some linguists have found what they consider words that might be from Taino/Arawak, but I don't know enough about this to comment. See Jimenez, Arturo, et al. El Español de la República Dominicana Of course there are plenty of place names and proper names: Guaroa, and other names and , you forgot, cacique....

Regards,

HB

[GringoCArlos]

How about "?come vidrio?" when you see your amigo's new novia. hehehehe

[Guynoir]

[quote]Originally posted by Hillbilly
[b]Cheryl: Sorry to tell you this, but that is a serious reflection on the education of your BF's and his family.

I am afraid I desagree with you here, Hillbilly. It is true that education is not a big priority in the D.R and that there are a lot of uneducated people here. Nevertheless, I don't think that just because someone uses the word Mamasota, this person has little education. Take for example, Hipolito Mejia, He uses many "slang" words in his speeches. Is he not educated? No, He is just a dominican and proud to be so. Yes, Leonel Fernandez (former president) and other make fun of the way he speaks, but he chooses to speak that way.

I think the word mamasota is used for many reasons. One, you are trying to flatter a woman by implying that she is really beautiful and you really, really like her and want her. Second, you could be specifically referring that she has a great voluptous body, which no woman will probably be offended, specially if it is his boyfriend who called her that. I really don't see a woman getting ****ed off over this, unless she is not dominican, or even from the caribbean or just don't know the culture.


My humble opinion, GN