Cultural Hispanic Catchphrases

    I once heard that catchphrases are the meat and potatoes of language. One of the ways to truly understand and appreciate a culture is to learn common cultural sayings. Behind these words and phrases lie beautiful and rich heritage that carry deep meaning for the people to which they belong. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I asked a few Hispanic students from different ethnicities what saying they heard often in their youth and how this saying is representative of their culture.
    Arleny Aquino (freshman, psychology, spanish), from the Dominican Republican, says that most of the common phrases she was raised around were pretty vulgar. “We express ourselves a lot and for others, they might think that we’re mad or aggressive but that’s just us." Andrés Weiss (freshman, pre-physical therapy), with family members from Cuba, Argentina, and Puerto Rico says the phrase he heard the most growing up is “fulano." “It’s used to address people in an informal setting, whether it be someone you don’t know, someone you’re teasing, or anything like that.” He adds that there is a playful undertone to the word and it is fun to say. Milca Muñoz (freshman, pre-physical therapy), who has roots in both Mexico and Venezuela chose the saying “te calmas o te calmó” which, in English, translates to “do you want to calm down” or “do you need help?" She says, “All Mexicans use this phrase with their children when they’re disobeying as a 'threat' while holding a chancla (a slipper) and they are basically letting us know that we need to correct ourselves."
    These phrases make me wonder if the beauty of language is in how it makes you feel instead of what is being said; what memories it creates instead of how to make yourself understood. Take for example, the famous Costa Rican saying “¡Pura Vida!” It’s literal translation means, pure life or simple life, but ask anyone from Costa Rica and they’ll tell you, “It’s not just a saying, it's a way of life.”