Chilango

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Chilango is a Mexican slang demonym for a person from or living in Mexico City or its surrounding areas. It may have a negative connotation when used by someone from "provincia", that is, a person who lives in one of the 31 States of Mexico. On the other hand, Chilangos may use the slang demonym "provinciano" to refer to someone from provincia and it may or may not have a negative connotation.

Originally, the word chilango described someone who was not born in Mexico City, but rather migrated to it from one of the other states. Today, however, it is widely used to refer to every resident of the Federal District (Distrito Federal or DF in Spanish) and sometimes it even encompasses the inhabitants of the larger area actually covered by the city and its neighboring areas, called locally Zona Metropolitana (literally meaning "Metropolitan Zone" it is most commonly known in English sources as "Greater Mexico City".)

Chilangos have come to embrace the term and use it with pride. This chilango pride has also led the affectionate term "Chilangolandia" in reference to Mexico City. They also consider that any non-Chilango who uses the term does it in a derogatory fashion, and although widely used, there is an element of pejoratism in it, since Mexicans in general view Mexico City dwellers as "different" from them: more aggressive, less honest and more manipulative.

The word chilango has an ending similar to "chango," or "monkey," in Spanish. The beginning of the word is "chile," as in the hot spice. Thus the word may be taken as meaning a spiced up ugly looking person. However, the true ethymology of the word is most likely a derivation of the Nahuatl word Ixachilan.

The implied attitude of Chilangos, which is selfish and willing to deceive or outwit naive people who don't know their ulterior motives--is thus the spiced up part. That is what people from the outside of Mexico city think of them, because they live in a hostile big city environment where many people are constantly trying to outhustle each other.

"Chilangos" are also known for their distinct slang using the "ch" sound. Examples include: "Chido" (cool) "Chafa" (not-cool) "Chesco" (soda pop) "Chela" (beer) "Chavo/a" (boy or girl).

Two less widely used terms for a resident of Mexico City are Defeño and Capitalino, which can also be used both in a positive or a derogatory sense, although the latter is generally accepted as a neutral demonym which can even be used in formal speech.