When I was last in Madrid, my amigo and I went to the Las Bravas near La Calle de Gato. I mentioned to my buddy that I had just read that Madrilenos refer to themselves as 'gatos' due to their nocturnal habits.
He told me that is not quite right. He said that you must be a third generation madrileno to be an official gato. Since his parents moved to Madrid from a tiny village his children are real gatos.
I think it is enough to be born in Madrid. And I would even say that some months of residence, and a real feeling of being "Madrile�@" can make it: Madrid can be everything but exclusive!!!
Posts: 399 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 05 July 2001
I think the name gatos for madrilenos came from the French invaders under Bonaparte. It was said the people of Madrid were as agile and smart as a feline. Again, it's been a while, but Spanish history was one of my true loves.
Posts: 36 | Location: georgetown usa | Registered: 24 January 2002
How's that for a "gato adoptado" (an "adopted cat") from New York?
Saludos, jer...
p.d. I am not sure where the name came from but I think it may be because Madrid is the cat's meow
(for the Spaniards on this board who may not know that expression, when you call something "the cat's meow" in English, you are saying it is the best (ya sab�is, "la hostia", "la leche", "el colmo", "la bomba", "lo m�s", etc, etc, etc...
Jer, the brother-in-law of my amigo mayor in Madrid also told me that 'pata negra' (black leg) has come to mean 'the best'. We were discussing jamon iberico and he said it is referred to as pata negra, and that term has grown to a more general use.
I was always told by my dad (not a Madrilenian, but I am), that the reason why people who are born in Madrid are called 'gatos' is because when the official shield of Madrid was designed (the one with 'el oso y el madro�o'), everyone agreed that the bear looked much more like a cat than anything else.
Posts: 627 | Location: Brussels | Registered: 16 December 2001
Hey jaimemiguel, as Max has confirmed above, yep! Pata Negra is the best but I personally have not heard it used for anything aside from the jam�n as you said.
There are however socio-cultural references to it (if you can consider the little singer "Melody" culture ) in every day Spanish life. An example is this new(ish) singer on the Spanish musical scene named "Melody", she is like 10 yrs. old and has the kids here crazy for her music. One of her most famouse songs is entitled "De Pata Negra" which refers to "lo m�s" ("the most" or "the best").
That's funny...After seeing the reference to 'pata negra', I too was visualizing little Melody there singing 'Como las gorilas....hoo hoo hoo hoo...'
If you're not currently living in Madrid, you won't get that one. There's a child singer who cut an album not too long ago called 'de pata negra' and her most famous song to date has to deal with dancing like a gorilla. My 4 year old absolutely loves it! 'Soy una rumbera.... ' Trust me, you've got to see it to completely appreciate it.
I've always understood 'de pata negra' to mean, when referring to a person, that you are 'of good stock'. Kind of like really good beef, pork, etc. The Serrano Hams are bred superiorly, hence the 'black foot' as opposed to a lighter colored one.
When you're referring to a person as 'de pata negra', you're saying that they are, yeah, 'the best,' of superior breeding in other words.
I hope that helps a bit.
poseso.... Tony --- English Unlimited... Un ambiente para aprender ingl�s... (An English Learning Environment)
Posts: 656 | Location: Madrid (Kansas City, USA) | Registered: 06 November 2001
Tony my man, you should have told me your little one loved Melody. I would have invited you and the family over to my place to watch the Melody concert here in the Plaza Mayor during Carnaval, best seats in the house.
Maybe next time!
That "serrano hams" comment reminded me that here in Spain when you want to say someone has a great body you say he or she has a "cuerpo serrano" (cuerpo = body). This is a reference to "Jam�n Serrano" which is tops!
You can also say he or she has a "cuerpo Danone" (referring to the yogurt).
Saludos, jer...
p.d. I am now going to drag my big old "cuerpo Doritos" into the shower
Blando, Blanco y con tropezones, huh?? I've heard the expression before, but I'm afraid you're forcing me to show my 'guiri' (foreigner) colors a bit here. I've never had a good literal understanding of how that expression would translate into English. It's one of things your tend to understand better within a, shall we say, VISUAL context.
I understand it to negative though. 'Blando' means simply bland(I don't agree). 'Blanco' is white(ditto). 'y con Tropezones'(well, this one's open to discussion) I know is a derivation of the infinitive verb 'Tropezar' or to trip (e.g. trip over something), but I have a hard time telling you EXACTLY what that means to say in a slang context here. I guess, being creative, I could interpret it as referring to the wonderful 'curves' that a Mediterranean life tends to produce on many a Spaniard.(Sorry guys, I'm focusing on the ladies here... ) Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
The only opinion I'll offer here is that, I married a Spaniard and, with do disrespect intended to my own female compatriots, I love the mystique, enchantment and yes... mala leche (explosive temperment) that their 'cuerpos danones' offer you.... aside from their 'tropezones' that is!
poseso.... Tony --- English Unlimited... Un ambiente para aprender ingl�s... (An English Learning Environment)
Posts: 656 | Location: Madrid (Kansas City, USA) | Registered: 06 November 2001
Hi, I'm from Madrid (so Spanish therefore). I'm interested in know how foreigners oppin about Spain, so I hope you don't mind if I take part in this message board.
OK, the "gato" controversy. I think you don't mind if you are a first or third generation madrilenian (this word exists?). If you were born in Madrid you're a "gato". The meaning of this word came from first nineteens. It is said madrlenians jumped over the wall very quickly and easily like cats (gatos).
I hope this explanation helps you.
Posts: 2 | Location: Spain | Registered: 21 April 2002
Last day, my girlfriend and I were showing the arab wall near La Almudena to some friends. She told us that when she was younger had to write a documentation about the arab wall in Madrid.
This wall is made of a stone called �flint? ("pedernal" in Spanish). This stone shines a lot with the sun. During the fights between arabs and spaniards, arrows hitting the wall during the day and during the night, made it shine and bright as cats' eyes. She thinks that this might be one of the origins to call "cat" to Madrileans.
Posts: 191 | Location: madrid | Registered: 10 December 2001
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) in every day Spanish life. An example is this new(ish) singer on the Spanish musical scene named "Melody", she is like 10 yrs. old and has the kids here crazy for her music. One of her most famouse songs is entitled "De Pata Negra" which refers to "lo m�s" ("the most" or "the best").
