Hi all, one of my Spanish language curious members, Sue Yurick, posted the following in another forum after I called the Spanish president --> Jos� Mar�a "Chemazo" Aznar:
"Tell me more about the Spanish president. I get the Chema part, but any time I see "-zo" on the end of a word, I wonder about what it adds. Reckon there's a book of just prefixes and suffixes out there? I know the basic diminutives and the -uelo/a. How about a nice little lesson in the language area?"
So, your Madrid based cyber-profe is here to clear this up a bit. The "azo" suffix is aumentative (is that a word in English?) and makes whatever you are expressing bigger and/or more important and depending on the tone of voice and context it also usually praises and complements something but can also degrade as well. So, for example, a great book (libro) or a physically large book could be referred to as a "librazo". At the same time, someone may call a person a "cabr�n" (bastard) and add a "azo" for the resulting "Cabronazo" (losing the written accent) which means a "big bastard", in other words, a real bastard.
The "azo" suffix is also used in other ways as well. One of these is to describe a "hit with something" for example, if my mother in law hits me with a "libro" (book) you could say she gave me a "librazo" or a whack with a "revista" (magazine) could be a "revistazo". Knowing which is being referred to is all in the context and tone of voice. It is pretty obvious that if she is coming at me with a magazing raised high and swinging, she is not going to present me with the gift of a great magazine but rather is planning on smacking me with it. To further clarify, in Spanish, a "smack" is a "guantazo" ("guante" = "glove")
Hope you liked my examples, sorry if I offended anyone but... tough "mierdazo" (big sh@#t) if I did, sometimes I have to get tough with my students
Keep in mind the "azo" suffix is only applied to nouns and is not always just added directly to the word, here are some examples: For singular nouns: 1)If the noun ends in a consonant, the "azo" is simply added to the end of the word. Samples; "rejoj" (watch or clock) = "relojazo" / cabr�n (our "bastard" from above)= "cabronazo" / "cartel" (poster or sign) = "cartelazo". As the Spanish like to exagerate, you sometimes derive words like "achuch�n" which means "big squeeze or hug" and when you tack on the "azo" you get "achuchonazo" which if applied could possibly kill the average human being 2) If the noun ends in a vowel or 2 consecutive vowels, the vowels are dropped and the "azo" added. Samples; "vaso" (drinking glass) = "vasazo" / "coche" (car) = "cochazo" / "guitarra" (guitar) = "guitarrazo" / "ligue" (hook up or date) = "ligazo" (in this last example both the "u" and the "e" are dropped since the word ends in a double vowel).
As for my "Chemazo" comment "Chema" is short for Jos� Mar�a, hence my referring to the Spanish big "queso" (cheese) as "Chemazo" (Chema + azo = Chemazo, dropping the "a" in "Chema" and adding the "azo" suffix). Whether it was meant to be degrading or a complement I will leave up to your individual interpretation
As an added note, I did an Amazon.com search for books with the words "Spanish Suffixes" and got some good results, give it a try if you are interested in buying a book on the subject.
Hi Jer - It's Chiara... you've got me in fits ! but thanks for the lesson, what a great teacher , so practical, keep it up Jer seriously.. your site has become part of my life.
chiara felice
Posts: 20 | Location: malta | Registered: 22 May 2001
Thanks Chiara, your complements mean a lot to me and keep me going when the going gets tough. I would say I was a decent teacher when I was teaching high school in NY but I had no patience for that age group (14-16 yrs). I remember the day I began to teach this type of lesson and the first question from one of my curious little "angels" was "how do you say 'bunghole' in Spanish Mr. Reines?", I knew where he was headed and almost could not resist the temptation of saying "Your mother you little $#€@". Aaaaarggggghhhhh! Wish I had more patience with them but I was spoiled the year I assisted a proffesor in college. I really do love to teach those who love to learn. I prefer teaching adults by far. Saludos, jer...
Oh, yeah, I can relate to the "teaching those who love to learn", but in that high school age group, it seemed like less than 5%.
As for teaching kids the "naughty bits", I told them the book was available at Barnes and Noble, and using the words in class was akin to saying the same in English. I'll admit I tried to keep kids in the program by telling them there was a special unit in 4th year...
Then there was the helpful guide on a trip who taught the girls how to repel admirers by telling them to "go perform a procreative act on yourself" to put it politely. And I, the teacher(!) remarked, "I thought that was a stem-changing verb!"(I refer to "j***r")
One more language anecdote: I was astonished when a sweet little girl (sister of a former exchange student) helping me to replace clothing "in lost luggage limbo" kept exclaiming, "Qu� foll�n!" as in my experience a related verb was in the same class as the "j" verb. I was understanding it in my head as more forceful than a "screwup", went later to my BIG dictionary and found even more amusing translations! I suppose a really huge mess would be a "follonazo", right?
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001
Yeah, it's funny how some words or expressions mean something totally different when used in certain ways. I suppose that this is the same in most languages. A "foll�n" could be interpreted as a "big fu@#ing mess" so I guess it is not far from the literal meaning. I personally would not want to get into a "follonazo" but good point Sue. �Viva el espa�ol! ("long live Spanish!"). Saludazos, jer...
Hey Jer...you have to explain to me what it is that of "guitarrAZO" or "ligAZO" ahahahahaha!!! where the hell did you learn that??? "Guitarrazo" is a "golpetAZO" (big smash) with a guitar!!!! ahahahahah And about "ligAZO"... jarl??????
Cheers!, Elisa
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I remember "litrona" meant a liter bottle of Mahou or other fine barley soda (beer). :l:
Are their other terms with the on/ona suffix? OK, OK, before you say cabr�n or sangrona, I know them because they are commonly said here also. However are there some that are distinctively Spanish or Madrile�o?
"An honest man is always a child" - Socrates ...no wonder I'm so immature!
This thread is hilarious! Well,Cyber profe,how about: Campeona ? - female champion meona - woman who pisses llorona - female for crier bobona large famale dummy comelona- female big eater
The ona endings don't paint a very positive female picture!
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
Hey Booklady, ok, I was being "delicate" with the "pechugona" comment but sice you went for the gusto... I will change it to "tetona" which by the way paints a pretty positive female picture (in my book anyway ).
originally posted by Booklady: llorona - female for crier
Here in New Mexico, "La Llorona" is the legend of spirit who wails for her lost children. Many swear they have heard or seen her wandering the arroyos at night....or at least that's what New Mexico moms tell their kids to keep them in line.
"An honest man is always a child" - Socrates ...no wonder I'm so immature!
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