Jul 26, 2009

Have a drinky-poo

Everywhere on the west coast of Peru, people use the diminutive when they speak. "Quesito?" (A little cheese?) When I was first learning about this phenomenon, I read that it is used to express endearment or cuteness. An example would be "tengo un perrito" (I have a cute little dog). Okay. I could understand that. But typically, I hear things like this: "Aqui estamos en el mercadito. Gaseosita? Solamente cuesta un solcito. Toma esta bebidita. Y carnecita? Come un poquitito y regresamos en la nochecita, amorcito. Llegamos a la casita en un ratito. Y entonces jugamos con tu perrito. Es presiosito!"

I translate this in the most literal way, because that's mostly the way my mind works, and because it makes me laugh. Then later, I go back and think about what the person really was saying. So at first, the Spanish comes into my mind like this:

Here we are in the cute little market. An itty bitty soda pop? It only costs one cute little sol. Have a little drinky-poo. And a little bit of meat? Eat a little bitty bit and we'll go back at nighty-poo, my cute little lovey dovey. We arrive at the housey-poo in a little minute-winute. And then we'll play with your little doggy-poo. It's so cutie-wootie!

Yeah. Makes me laugh and then makes me gag a little bitito. Too much sugar makes me ill.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really did enjoy that. It was so very funny. It is fun to read your blog. Thanks for sharing.
QMM

Pondside said...

Loved this one, Kat. Some cultural quirks just defy explanation.

Margaret Cloud said...

This was an enjoyable post and funny. I hope Celeste is doing fine, give her a scratch for me. Thank you for coming by, I thought of you when I was writing that about dogs, I know how well you take care of your dog. Have a great day.

Rani said...

wow. that's a lot of ito, mi amigita. I made that up.

wildtomato said...

What a funny cultural quirkito! I swear, I'll make it over to Peru one of these days so I can indulge in all those -itas and -itos!

Iron Needles said...

There are localisms in the states that crack me up. It Kentucky, alot of things were refered to as 'that big ole (fill in the blank)'...

The Japanese we worked for came and asked me about the adjective 'thabigol', and what it meant exactly.

knittingdragonflies said...

OK, I am laughing so hard now!! thanks for the humor, I needed it at the end of a long day!
Vicki