El Día E is a day in which Spanish speakers around the world have gotten together to celebrate their favorite words in the language. Check out the website for videos with celebs and others from Latin America and Spain talking about their favorite words.
Some of the videos are predictable; Isabel Allende chose Espíritu (spirit), Chayanne selected Amor (love), Antonio Banderas, Alegría (joy/happiness). Meh.
Spanish is like music to my ears so my favorites on the list were Shakira's choice, Meliflua, Boris Izaguirre's, Murciélago (bat), and Gael Garcia Bernal's Querétaro. They choose words not necessarily for their meanings, but their sounds. Shakira's was cool because I'd never heard meliflua and I like saying it and thinking about something sickly-sweet. I especially loved Izaguirre's explanation, that it uses all of the vowels and is like a palabra joyeria.
There are so many words I love in Spanish, but right now my favorite is, and has been for awhile, chamullar. When used as a verb, it means to sweet-talk, bullshit, etc, etc. I also like using it as a noun or adjective and calling people chamulleros.
While I like the meaning of the word and find it to be quite useful in many situations, I love the way it feels rolling off my tongue even more. It's a word I learned in Argentina, so everyone pronounces it cha-moo-shar. It feels good saying it even when I'm sitting in my room alone, and I often find myself repeating it for no reason.
But now I have two new favorite words to say over and over again. Murciélago murciélago, murciélago and meliflua, meliflua, meliflua.
2 comments:
Wow, your post made me realize that I don't have a favorite word in Spanish. I do in English -- discombobulated. I like the way it sounds and I also like the meaning. I like that it sounds like the meaning.
Kyle, your comment made me realize I don't have a favorite word in English... but as I rack my brain thinking of all the words I love, discombobulated will probably rank in the top ten thanks to you. :)
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