Five Words From There\'s a Word for it in Mexico by Lafayette De Mente B

¶ … Mexico" by Boye Lafayette De Mente. Specifically, it will discuss five words from the text and reflect on their meaning both literally and culturally. This is an interesting book that is much more than a dictionary. It tells the reader about Spanish words, but also what they mean in the Spanish culture, and why they are important.

The first word is "charros," which is the Mexican word for what Americans would call the "cowboy." Even before the Spanish arrived in Mexico, there were horses in Mexico and men who knew how to use them. The Spanish outlawed Mexicans from owning horses, but the Spanish could, and became expert horsemen who could perform numerous tricks and feats on horseback. These men became known as "charros," and they were brave, manly, and had manners. If they had lived in Europe, they would have been a brand of knight. Literally, they were men who knew how to ride a horse, but culturally, they were elite and elitist, and an important element of Spanish high society. Eventually they became the model for the American cowboy, who rode the range and worked his cattle. American cowboys also embodied the same characteristics as the charros, they were brave, manly, and had manners when it came to women, anyway. They were expert horsemen, and that is how they made their living.

The cultural differences between these two ideals are quite important. In Mexico, it was the rich, leisure class that had the time to devote to becoming expert horsemen, while in the United States cowboys were low on the social scale, but they performed a vital service. They raised cattle and drove them to market to feed hungry Americans around the country.

The second word is "gringos," which is (or was) a very derogatory term for Americans used by Mexicans. This word came into use after the U.S. marched into Mexico in 1847, and it has a very derogatory meaning. It is a contemptuous term used by Mexicans to mean Americans, and it may mean anyone who cannot speak Spanish well. The word seems to have come from either a song Americans sang during the Mexican-American War, or it is derived from a Spanish word that means "gibberish." It is interesting that in recent times, the word has come to be kind of an affectionate term for Mexico and for Mexicans. It does not seem normal that this word would come to be an affectionate term for the people who created it to be such a negative term. It almost seems like it is self-deprecating or used in a lack of self-confidence, but that does not seem to be the case.

The author likened this word to "greaser," which has been commonly used by Americans as a contemptuous term for Mexicans. Compared to gringo, it seems that Americans would never turn the tables and use the word to describe themselves or their actions. Perhaps culturally, the Mexicans are more able to see themselves with a sense of humor, while Americans take themselves and their racial epithets far too seriously.

The third word is "siesta," which is the Mexican word for the traditional afternoon nap. Almost every Hispanic country (and many others) enjoys the calming institution of an afternoon siesta, or nap. Siestas can last as long as four hours (from 1pm to 4pm), and many people think they are ancient customs that came about as people looked for food in the coolest hours of the day and rested during the hottest hours. This makes sense, and it still makes sense to Mexicans. Many do not use the time for an actual nap today, they use it for personal business, meetings, and long lunches. Still the idea of the siesta seems far more civilized, cultured, and ideal than the American customs of bolting down lunch at our desks, working 10 or more hour days, and barely taking any personal or family time. Siestas in Mexico are commonplace and important, and it points out a big difference in our cultures and what we see as important in our lives.

Today, the siesta is not just a nap; it speaks to the culture and the entire mindset of the Hispanic community. They live their lives at a slower pace, and taking time out for an afternoon nap helps keep this way of life alive. In Mexico, most business hours revolve around the afternoon siesta. Some open in the morning, close in the afternoon, and reopen in the evening. Others are only open for six hours or less during the day. The country caters to this custom, and the people keep it alive.

Culturally, it is hard to imagine Americans living this more relaxed kind of lifestyle that allows for rest and relaxation every day. Perhaps that is why Americans are so stressed and pressed for time. The siesta shows the basic difference between Latin culture and American culture. Americans are "too busy" to take time to rest, relax, and recharge, while Mexicans find it an imperative part of their day. Their more relaxed lifestyle seems preferable to one that pushes people harder than some can cope with, and expects so much out of so many. Perhaps if we had more siestas in our own culture, we would be a happier and less stressed nation.

The fourth word is "familia," with is the Mexican word for family, and this is another area where Mexican culture and American culture are drastically different. In Mexico, the family unit is the most important unit of society. Families are very close, and often large. In Mexico, the family is seen as a group, and decisions are often based on the best for the group, rather than the individual. Each family member has a more specific role in the family, too. The mother, the father, the daughter, and the son all have very specific roles for providing and living within the family unit. It may seem more regimented than American family life, but many Mexican families seem happier and much closer to each other and to their extended family. The father is the dominant figure, and everyone knows that. In a word, Mexican families are less democratic and more autocratic, but it seems to work for them.

Of course, here in America things are radically different. Families often live thousands of miles from each other, and only see each other once or twice a year. Here, individuality is prized above all else, and people are urged to be independent and have lives of "their own." This simply is not understandable in Mexican culture, and it shows that as our lives have modernized, we have lost much of the family feeling and familiarity that was once so important in our lives. Now, we are so busy taking care of us, that we have little time to take care of the larger family unit. That is not always the case, as more college graduates move home with their parents and more parents cope with taking care of their aging moms and dads, but our culture does not put as much emphasis on day-to-day close family contact, and the family group rather than each individual in the family. Thus, our families are more autonomous than Mexican families, and that is not always good for the culture and the overall society.