Caliche (linguistics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Caliche or Salvadoreño is a collection of slang words that is most comonly used in El Salvador but is also found on rare occasions in Chile.^{[citation needed]} Caliche employs techniques of Nawat word construction, such as combining parts of two words to form a new one.

There are also numerous variations that include the term vergón, derived from a the slang word for penis (verga), is used to describe something 'cool'. Other variations include vergazo, vergonada, and vergonísimo. A number of slang, mostly vulgar terms, also have the general meaning of 'a lot', though have individually distinct meanings when used in another context. For example, vergo and cachimbo. In certain regions of the Bajo Lempa region, in the southern part of Usulután, the verb espriar has come into common usage among younger Salvadorians when they want to indicate 'to drink alcohol'. Since they often do it under the guise of drinking Sprite, the verb espriar is used as a euphemism.

Since the civil war in El Salvador human migration and displacement have changed the linguistic landscape. Those Salvadorians who lived in refugee camps in Panamá, for example, returned to El Salvador using terms like guirro,^{[citation needed]} a Panamanian term for a little kid, instead of the Salvadoran bicho, which is considered offensive in other contexts.

Salvadorans also refer to themselves as guanacos (as Panamanians refer themselves as canaleros, Guatemalans as chapines, Nicaraguans as pinoleros, Costa Ricans as ticos and Hondurans as catrachos). All terms can be affectionate or pejorative, depending on context and tone.

Salvadorans also make heavy use of the voseo, but may elect to use the more common tu while abroad or while speaking to non-Salvadorans.

Salvadorans often pronounce /s/ and /f/ as /h/. For example, "fuiste" would be pronounced as "huiste" and "pues si" as "puehi". Also, /s/ may sound as if pronounced with a lisp.