Cuban SLANG (etymology)

[Yenchiong]

Learning some colloquial words and phrases always is a wise idea in order to establish communication with locals.

How many do you know?

 

Here two of them:

 

On the eve of his first official state visit to Cuba, U.S. President Barack Obama received a highly important phone call from Panfilo, one of the Cuba’s most popular comedian.

 

After exchanging salutations Obama asked Panfilo in Spanish "QUE VOLA"? which means "WHAT'S UP"?

 

 

 

Did you know that Cubans call the BUS, la "GUAGUA"?

 

One origin hypothesis is the "Wa & Wa Co. Inc." logo, which stands for (Washington, Walton, and Company Incorporated), the first American company that exported buses to the Caribbean: Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and later Canary's Islands (Spain) where they also use this word to identify this transportation media.

 

WA is phonetically translated in Spanish as GUA and in the logo you have two of these syllables, then GUAGUA :)

 

[VidaNaPraia]

Teach 'em YUMA.

Teach 'em FULA.

Soy Yuma. Tengo fula.

Then teach 'em Jinetera.

[Yenchiong]

Teach 'em YUMA.

 

YUMA = USA (the country) lately for Americans and now for any foreigners.

Cubans are very creative and assign slang to people from other countries. Most popular terms are: GALLEGOS for any Spaniards, although they do not come from Galicia (Spain's province). Cuban slang NARRA is used for Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc) that's how Abakua-Ñañigos (Afro-Cuban men's fraternity or secret society) call them. Since the 60's, Cubans have one for Russians, they named BOLOS (rough, bold, unfinished).

 

In a polite form Cubans call AMERICANOS to USA citizens.