Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Just a Position

"Toro, Toro"
Erongaricuaro, Michoacan, where Andre Breton once lived.


"The Virgin and the Chachke"
Outside the church of the Virgin of Salud (Health) in Patzcuaro, Michoacan.
Cheers!


I once read that the surrealist Andre Breton came to Mexico in 1938 to give a talk at a conference on surrealism. After getting lost in Mexico City he stated:
"I don't know why I came here. Mexico is the most surrealist country in the world".
What could he say to these people that they didn't already know?


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Sunday, February 1, 2009

¡Orale Güey! Year of the Ox


Patience and hard work are the attributes of the Ox.
Not my birth sign, that's for sure...
This one in San Miguel Viejo seems to be enjoying the fruits of his labor.




One of the most common slang words heard in Mexico is the word Güey (pronounced wey).
It is usually used by guys, and is thrown around in the same way that people in the US use the word Dude.
When I looked up the meaning and origin of the word I get the following info:
Some sources say that it comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word Huey, which is a word for respect.
But most sources agree that most likely it comes from the word Buey, which means Ox.
Rough translations include:
¡Orale, Güey! Yo, dude!
¡No mames, Güey! Don’t kid me, dude (literally don't suck)
¡No te hagas Güey! Don’t be such an idiot!
¡Ay ,Güey! Oh shit!
It began as a derogatory term, but like most Mexican slang words, the meaning has become complex.
It is now commonly used among enemies as well as friends and strangers.


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