Oscar Rodriguez

Órale, the featured word of this episode is an innocuous cultural meme that makes sense only if you’re of the culture that uses it, but makes no sense at all if you’re on the outside looking in. White elephant, in the mainstream means a gag gift to be given away at a party, not the literal translation of the term. But if you’ve only lived in the world of Caló, it only means an elephant that happens to be white, maybe not a live one but at least something that can be called a white elephant.

Órale, the featured word of this episode is mento. It comes from the Latin word, mentis, which means mind or intellect. Caló stays close to the Latin meaning and uses the word to denote somebody who thinks they’re smart. It’s also used for people who are showing off that they know more or have higher privilege. The world of Caló is littered with wrecks of people who fell from heaven after acting all mento.

Órale, this episode is about the word güirigüiri. It means gossip, the act of spreading it, and the mob or network behind it — as in people engaging in guiriguiri to spread guiriguiri.

Órale, this episode is about the word, baboso. It means a slob or, better yet, someone who walks around with their mouth open slobbering without knowing they’re doing it or, even worse, can’t see anything wrong with that. The moniker is earned from a stupid mistake or on account of a well-established pattern of stupidity.

Órale, today we’re going to talk about the Caló word huerco. It means a child that’s older than a toddler but younger than an adolescent. It’s said to come from the name of a European god, Orcus, the devil. But it in Caló, it’s an endearing word for an elementary school-age child.

Órale, this of Caló episode features another iconic word, cholo. It comes from the Nahuatl, or Aztec, word for dog. It entered the Mexican lexicon during the Spanish colonial period as a pejorative for Natives.

Órale, the featured of this episode is toríca. It comes from the word, retórica or rhetoric, and means a quick pitch, a fast explanation or argument. It also means a hollow promise, fact, or declaration. It’s something you say to achieve a reprieve or brief agreement, also when you ask someone out on a first date. The better and faster the toríca, the better the chances you get your way.

Órale, the featured word this week on Caló is borlo. It’s one of the words suggested by that carnal from Marfa who also contributed two of the Caló words we used last month, tirilongo and clecha. It comes from the Mexican regional Spanish word, likely of Nahuatl or Aztec orgin, borlote. It means fuss, melee, uproar, commotion, or tumult. It’s a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective, as in "he's very borlotero", someone who’s always causing a fuss or uproar. Depending on the context, borlo can also have an almost neutral meaning, as in a big dance or event that may be drawing a lot of attention or visitors.

Órale, in this episode the featured word is labia. It means gibberish, nonsensical talk. It comes from the latin root word, labium, or lip. In Spanish, the corresponding word is labio. The image it invokes in Caló is that of lips moving with no real or meaningful words coming out.

Órale, this episode’s about the word placoso(a). It’s a noun that comes from the English and Spanish word, plaque or placa. In Caló today, a placa is commonly understood to be a tattoo. It’s also an adjective—really a pejorative— that generally means gaudy, and it applies as much to someone’s behavior as to an object and tattoo. The image the term placoso evokes is that of somebody with a lot of shiny placas strung—or tattooed— on their neck intended to project importance, success and, perhaps more importantly, high class tastes. The moniker fits influencers who use bling to draw attention to themselves via social media for the purpose of driving their viewers to buy their sponsors’ products. While the products they hawk may be gaudy, that alone doesn’t earn them the label of a placoso(a). Their behavior has to be pretentious and exaggerated, as well as gaudy, to earn that dubious distinction.