Thursday, April 18, 2013

Ñ is for Ñato

Since I'm doing the Spanish alphabet, I have one extra letter to deal with! Extra good times for me!

Ñato is a term used to describe a guy with a big nose.

Almost everybody has a nickname, and it's often based on physical appearance. If you have big ears, you'll be called "orejon" (big ears). If you're fat, you'll be called it. If you have big eyes, a big butt, whatever, that could become your nickname. People are very vocal about things in Peru. I was often told I'd lost / gained weight which was strange for me at first, but you get used to it. You'd think this would lead to an increased amount of people having eating disorders, but I found it to be the opposite. Nobody really seems to care that you have a big nose or that you are fat, it's just stated - hey fatty- and that's that- I've been called fat a few times and I am of average build. Nobody here would ever call me overweight so I was a bit shocked the first time I heard it. It's kind of a joke, but often it's a true joke, and most people don't take it to heart. Imagine that!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The west doesn't allow that sort of nonsense anymore much better for people to take offence, get all upset, sue someone, get therapy etc etc. lol and they call it progress, that's another reason I live in Brazil.
Excellent post.
#atozchallenge
maggie at expat brazil

Intangible Hearts said...

How do you say, "Tell me a white lie" in Peruvian? LOL