In popular speech, Chilango notes, the word merolico is linked to “una persona muy habladora” (a very talkative person).
According to México Desconocido, the word comes from Juan Rafael de Meraulyock, who arrived in Mexico in 1879 and sold remedies. He “pregonaba tener bálsamos para curar todos los padecimientos conocidos y por conocer” (proclaimed that he had balms to cure every ailment known and yet to be known). This origin rests on popular history, and the spelling of his name varies.
In Mexican political talk, a government post can be called a hueso, a “bone.” A column in El Siglo de Torreón describes politicians who “se dan codazos, trompadas y zancadillas en defensa del hueso” (elbow, punch and trip each other in defense of the bone).
Chilango’s satirical Manual del político mexicano speaks of “el poder del hueso,” the power of the bone. It explains that a politician’s “amistades son más bien alianzas, y los favores vienen incluidos en el paquete” (friendships are rather alliances, and the favors come included in the package).
Malinchismo takes its name from La Malinche, the interpreter of Hernán Cortés. The Diccionario del español de México defines it as the inclination “a preferir lo extranjero o al extranjero” (to prefer what is foreign, or the foreigner).
BBC Mundo writes of La Malinche: “En el imaginario colectivo de México, aún hoy es vista como la mayor traidora de la historia del país” (In Mexico’s collective imagination, she is still seen today as the greatest traitor in the country’s history).
¡Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes! (Jalisco, don’t back down!) is a 1941 film directed by Joselito Rodríguez and starring Jorge Negrete. The film site Sensacine México calls the title “una frase nacional” (a national phrase) and “una declaración de carácter” (a declaration of character).
Rajarse is one of the Mexicanisms recognized by the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua. It means “retractarse, o faltar a una promesa” (to back down, or to break a promise).
In Mexican politics, a chapulín, a grasshopper, is a politician who jumps from one post or party to another. Uno TV cites the historical dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy for the verb chapulinear: “abandonar un puesto por otro” (to leave one post for another). It describes chapulines as politicians who “cambian su militancia de un partido a otro” (change their membership from one party to another).
Café becomes cafecito. Cerca, “near,” becomes cerquita. Pronto, “soon,” becomes prontito. Nada, “nothing,” becomes nadita. In 2005, a language column in El Siglo de Torreón noted how readily Mexicans use the diminutive, even on adverbs. The columnist wrote that cafecito “suena mucho más cordial” (sounds much more cordial).
Con la pena, “with embarrassment,” said before asking something of someone. Con permiso, “with permission,” said when passing or leaving. A la orden, “at your order.” ¿Mande?, said when someone calls. In 2011, the linguist Concepción Company Company listed these in Letras Libres as examples of “atenuación cortés” (courteous softening). She named it as one of the patterns recorded in the Diccionario de mexicanismos of the Mexican Academy of the Language.
In Mexico, a coyote de trámites is “el intermediario informal que se ofrece a resolver gestiones ante oficinas de gobierno” (the informal middleman who offers to sort out procedures at government offices), according to Cultura Colectiva. The coyote does this for money. In formal language, the same person is a gestor informal.
Aguacate, avocado, from the Nahuatl ahuacatl.
Chocolate, from xocolātl.
Tianguis, an open-air market, from tiyānquiztli, “market.”
Papalote, a kite, from papalotl, “butterfly.”
Popote, a drinking straw, from popotli, “dry and hollow stem.”
Cuate, a close friend, from coatl, “snake” and “twin.”
Confianza means trust. It also means familiarity between people.
De confianza, a person one can rely on, or a close and intimate one.
En confianza, in private, between people who trust each other.
Agarrar confianza, to grow at ease with someone over time.
Pásale, con confianza, “come in, make yourself at home,” said to a guest.
Tomarse confianzas, to take liberties, to act with more familiarity than the relationship allows.