Mexico, Relationships, Protected Harmony

Heavy-Blooded

Caer gordo, “to fall fat,” means to be disliked. The Diccionario del español de México gives the example “Me cae gordo por presumido y desdeñoso” (He falls fat on me because he is boastful and disdainful).

Sangrón is a person who behaves unpleasantly, the dictionary says, “sin deseo de agradar, o sosteniendo una actitud formal cuando no hace falta” (without wishing to please, or keeping a formal manner when it is not needed).

Onda, “wave,” also means a way of acting. The dictionary’s example reads: “Esa maestra es muy buena onda” (That teacher is very good wave).

Dignity at Work

Article 2 of Mexico’s Federal Labor Law defines decent work: “Se entiende por trabajo digno o decente aquél en el que se respeta plenamente la dignidad humana del trabajador” (Decent work is understood as work in which the human dignity of the worker is fully respected).

Article 3 adds that work “no es artículo de comercio, y exige respeto para las libertades y dignidad de quien lo presta” (is not an article of commerce, and demands respect for the freedoms and dignity of the person who performs it).

Making Somebody a Nobody

Ningunear means to treat someone as if he or she were nobody, from ninguno, “none.” In “Máscaras mexicanas,” a chapter of El laberinto de la soledad, Octavio Paz gives the noun a definition: “El ninguneo es una operación que consiste en hacer de Alguien, Ninguno” (Ninguneo is an operation that consists in making Somebody into Nobody).

Never in Front of Subordinates

Article 35 of Mexico’s General Regulation of Military Duties, published in the Diario Oficial on March 26, 1937, asks a soldier to show “consideración y deferencia a los inferiores” (consideration and deference to subordinates). It adds that he will “nunca hará observaciones, ni correcciones en presencia de inferiores, ni de personas extrañas” (never make remarks or corrections in front of subordinates or of outsiders).

Article 50 defines the reprimand. The superior points out the fault, “invitándolo a corregirse” (inviting him to correct himself). The reprimand is given so that no one of lower rank than the person concerned “se aperciba de ella” (becomes aware of it).

Shut Up, Chachalaca

During the 2006 presidential campaign, President Vicente Fox criticized Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s plan to lower fuel prices. At an event in Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, López Obrador answered: “Cállate, chachalaca” (Shut up, chachalaca). The chachalaca is a noisy bird.

According to Expansión, many analysts later counted the remark among the mistakes of his campaign.

Saying No Without Saying No

In 2019, BBC Mundo asked Mexican scholars why it is hard for Mexicans to say no. Alí Albarrán of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at UNAM said: “Decir que no a alguien que te está ofreciendo algo de buena voluntad es considerado una ofensa” (Saying no to someone who offers something in good will is considered an offense). The anthropologist Roger Bartra said that “it is not very polite to say no openly.”

The article describes the common solution: “para no decir no, dicen que sí, pero no ponen un plazo” (to avoid saying no, they say yes, but they set no date).

Leaving a Good Impression

Quedar bien, “to come out well,” means to leave a good impression and keep things pleasant. Mexican Spanish has many phrases that serve it.

Sí, cómo no: “Yes, of course.”

Primero Dios: “God first,” meaning “God willing.”

Ahí lo vemos: “We will see about it.”

Ahí nos vemos: “See you there.”

Each can be a firm promise. Each can also be a kind way to leave a request open.