Dale Gas: The Nuevomexicano Way: Pachuquismos, Dichos, Palabras y Frases

Dale Gas is three books in one, with the first consisting of traditional New Mexico pachuquismos, sayings, words and phrases. Growing up, Francisco Sisneros would often hear the “vatos locos” use pachuco words. They were not a large part of his vocabulary, but he did use some. Pachuquismo was a very important part of nuevomexicano culture but, today is remembered mostly as another historical curiosity.In the second book, the dichos or proverbs listed here represent a small number of the Spanish dichos used in New Mexico (and throughout the Southwest). We commonly call them dichos but they are also known as refranes, proverbios, and adagios. In New Mexico we have always preferred to simply call them, dichos. The English word for dicho is proverb, adage, maxim, or idiom, but most people prefer to call them “sayings.”The final book is a “mini” dictionary of words and phrases, palabras y frases, heard in New Mexico among Nuevomexicanos. These words and phrases are not necessarily found in a standard Spanish dictionary, and if they are found in a standard Spanish dictionary, they will have different meanings than in traditional Nuevomexicano Spanish.Together, all of these pachuquismos, dichos, and phrases attest to the richness of Hispano culture in New Mexico. Read more