Thread: Madrear

De verdad que "madrear" significa "golpear a alguien" o "destruir algo a golpes?" ¿Qué hicimos nosotras las madres para merecer esto?

¡Qué poca madre tenemos!

Originally Posted by Thomas

¡Qué poca madre tenemos!

Thomas, are you still there?
I don't know what that means.

Tener poca madre, No tener madre = To have no class, to have no manners, to have no breeding, to be "chusma".

Speaking of "madrear", you'll also hear "Te voy a partir la madre" (I'm going to mess you up, I'm going to bust your head open like a pumkin, I'm going to kick the posterior opening of your alimentary canal, etc.)

And a "desmadre" is something really bad that happens to people.

And how about "Me importa madre"? (I don't give a damn)

Ah. Very useful stuff.
I'm reading La República de East L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez and there's all sorts of slang in there that I'm sure you could help me with.
Thank you so much.
Maria

There are at least two Chicano slang dictionaries available. You want something from ELA, not from elsewhere. I think there is a decent one with a title something like "Barrio Dictionary". I memorized two dictionaries for an interview I had back in 1974. Yes, I said "memorized". The funny part is that I was so proficient I was able to answer the questions in slang, and the "experts" couldn't follow me.

What's a ranflas?
A carrucha.
And...what's that?
A car, homes.
Oh, yeah.

And chante?
Un cantón.
A what?
Un cantón, ese. You know, a pad, a house.
Oh.

After several questions, the "experts" thought they had me.
What is the meaning of "calo"?
Calo means a penny, a cent.
And the experts smiled.
But if you pronounce it caló, then it's slang, a combination of Spanish...
One of the "experts" finished the definition and shook my hand, saying I was the first person to get it right. They were missing the point: they had been mispronouncing the word.

Big deal. I had a knowledge of Chicano caló for a few years, but I rarely used it. I was a probation officer, and mostly I used words related to crimes, drugs, gangs, etc. Now, if you want to talk maras (gangs), salvatruchos (Salvadorans), catrachos (Hondurans), chapines (Guatemalans), filos (knives), cohetes (handguns), pollos (illegals crossing the border), etc., let's talk, homegirl.

Originally Posted by mariaklec

De verdad que "madrear" significa "golpear a alguien" o "destruir algo a golpes?" ¿Qué hicimos nosotras las madres para merecer esto?

Hola Maria, solo decirte que es un término que en España no se entendería. Puro argot.

Ex, Mariaklec is aware that she is talking about the argot, caló, caliche, etc. spoken in the general area of East Los Angeles, California.

Wow, thanks Thomas. I'm sure to have more questions as I work my way through my book, and clearly, you are the one to ask. I'll look for the dictionary, too.

Ex: Thanks for your input, too. It's good to know that these words are not known in Spain.

Thomas: Did you see my post about the title of one of the short stories:
"Pas, cuas, pas"? What does that mean? Or do I have to keep reading to find out?

Maria

Originally Posted by mariaklec

Ex: Thanks for your input, too. It's good to know that these words are not known in Spain.

En Argentina tampoco María...

Originally Posted by mariaklec

Thomas: Did you see my post about the title of one of the short stories:
"Pas, cuas, pas"? What does that mean? Or do I have to keep reading to find out?

Maria

I saw it... sounds like a pun on words, as someone suggested. Please tell us more about the book. I've never read this author