Old terms : Black + White = Mulato, Mestizo + Blanco = Blanco..

contasm

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May 10, 2005
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Inspired by a friends? comments (and surprise) on the diverse terminology applied to the population of American territories colonized by Spain , I decided to do some research on the usage of the following terms and combinations.

Negro + Blanco = Mulato or Pardo
Mulato + Blanco = Terceron ( 1/3 white)
Terceron + Blanco = Cuarteron (1/4 quarter white)
Cuarteron + Blanco = Mestizo
Mestizo + Blanco = Blanco
Negro (Male) + India(Female) = Alcatraz
Negra(Female) + Indio(Nale) =Zambo

Alcataraz or Zambo + Mulato = Grifo
Alcataraz or Zambo + Terceron = Grifo
Alcataraz or Zambo + Cuarteron = Grifo



I have heard about these terms, but never knew about the gender factor in relation to Alcatraz and Zambo..
There is even a more interesting term : ?Saltapatras?; literally meaning ?going backards? ;which is the combination of a Terceron or Cuarteron or Mulato with Black

I do recall my Venezuelan grandfather reciting, like almost reading from a book, these terms and knowing the exact ?outcome? from any specific pair or combination. ,
I believe these charts were part of primary school curriculum during the first half of the 20th century.

Are still some of this terms, heard in DR or jokingly being applied to people ? Or perhaps it?s only the old generations who vaguely remember them and will occasionally make references to them ?

Nowadays, we hear of ?Indio Oscuro? (dark Indian) and ?Indio lavado? (washed out Indian) but it seems that ?politically correctness? has made a joke of their real origins. It makes no sense that ?Indio Oscuro? is the result of Mulato and Black; given the fact that there?s no ?Indio? neither in Mulato nor in Black. Perhaps, the result of Trujillo?s or Balaguer?s intention on ?whitening? the nomenclature used to designate different shades of skin color.

Ok..back to topic..Could those above mentioned expressions find their way back into regular everyday language or are they already too derogative, offensive and even wounding to be even spoken ?.


Any info or further addition to this topic is greatly appreciated.

Contasm
 

Hillbilly

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I think it was a sociologist from Arizona, Nancy Gonzalez (????) that researched Dominican vocabulary. I have not kept up on this, but I remember many of the terms in my readings in LA History. Indio + Espa?ol = mestizo, by the way.

Anyway, Dominicans have some terms like "Jabao" or "grifo" "cenizo" "prieto" that are heard frequently...

HB
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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our cat is "mestizo" which i always thought to be equal to "mongrel". surely people would not call themselves mongrels? or would they?
 

Hillbilly

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While Chip and Ms. Guitar will disagree, there are really quite few "mestizos" in the DR. There are many, mulattos..

HB
 

contasm

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May 10, 2005
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Definition of ?Mestizo?

I think it was a sociologist from Arizona, Nancy Gonzalez (????) that researched Dominican vocabulary. I have not kept up on this, but I remember many of the terms in my readings in LA History. Indio + Espa?ol = mestizo, by the way.

Anyway, Dominicans have some terms like "Jabao" or "grifo" "cenizo" "prieto" that are heard frequently...

HB

It seems that within the Americas context, the term mestizo is the one that tends to have the widest definition.
But Hillbilly is correct, the majority of well known sources describe mestizo as the product of a European parent and Amerindian parent or, of course, 2 mestizo parents.
Thanks HB
Contasm
 

Princesa777

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Apr 13, 2008
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Inspired by a friends? comments (and surprise) on the diverse terminology applied to the population of American territories colonized by Spain , I decided to do some research on the usage of the following terms and combinations.

Negro + Blanco = Mulato or Pardo
Mulato + Blanco = Terceron ( 1/3 white)
Terceron + Blanco = Cuarteron (1/4 quarter white)

That sounds wrong to me, because negro+blanco=mulato (1/2 white) then a mulato (1/2) and a blanco (1) mix and in my mind you get a 2/3 white?
Same with the cuartero which should be i think 3/4 white.

I've also only heard about mestizo being indian mixed with white
 

contasm

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May 10, 2005
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Bingo Princesa. !!!!

That sounds wrong to me, because negro+blanco=mulato (1/2 white) then a mulato (1/2) and a blanco (1) mix and in my mind you get a 2/3 white?
Same with the cuartero which should be i think 3/4 white.

I've also only heard about mestizo being indian mixed with white

Good eye (and math ;) )
You are correct; Mulato + Blanco = Terceron , it should be 1/3 black, or as you stated, 2/3 white...the same type of ?arithmetic? should apply to cuarteron. Later on, I will post my take on ?saltapatras?
Contasm
 
L

lavidaloca

Guest
I've heard the expression "quadroon", as another degree of blending after mulatto.

And then is there a term "octavo" something tht is the next level after quadroon?

Is quadroon the british colonial expression for cuetiron?

Can criollo also be blended or are they only 100% Spanish heritage born in the new world?
 

contasm

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May 10, 2005
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I've heard the expression "quadroon", as another degree of blending after mulatto.

And then is there a term "octavo" something tht is the next level after quadroon?

Is quadroon the british colonial expression for cuetiron?

Can criollo also be blended or are they only 100% Spanish heritage born in the new world?

Vida;
Yes..you could say that quadroon is a ?translation? of the word cuarteron, but developed in southern United States (19th century, former French colonies).
Regarding the word criollo, its meaning has changed throughout Latin America?s history. Nowadays, it loosely refers to a person native, and somehow representative, of a specific region or country. Under Spain?s rule, it strictly referred to any person born in America to Spaniard parents, or descendant of ?pure? Spaniard blood.

?Saltapatras? (?jumping backwards, ?going back? ? ); anybody out there who could come up with a proper translation of this expression, please feel free to post it...
But the essence of the word, is to convey that the result is a step backwards.. a sort of ?regression? from whiteness to blackness. Very representative of those days? negative sentiments towards dark skin tones. Surprisingly enough, it seems this term is still used as a derogative expression.
What about ?Saltapalante? (?jumping forward?) as ?whitenization? of any mix with white ? Have not come across with this term..yet, but, does it exist ?

Contasm
 
L

lavidaloca

Guest
SALT PATRAS = SALT PETER

Salt Peter is an interesting chemical in history - it is one of the ingredients of gunpowder. 200 or 300 years ago until now, it has been used as not only a sex drive suppressant (it was sometimes added to the soldiers food to manage their extracurricular activities and so to keep their focus on war) but strangely is also believed to be an aphrodisiac.

Salt Peter, or Potassium Nitrate, is an oxidyzing agent in gunpowder - it causes white ingredients to turn black.

So its use here is quite interesting. It makes things go black. It has sexual behaviour connotations. It could be considered volatile (which it isn't on its own) when combined with the other ingredients that make up gunpowder. Hmmm....!
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Dictionary.com

throwback

adjective
1. characteristic of an atavist [syn: atavistic]

noun
1. an organism that has the characteristics of a more primitive type of that organism [syn: atavist]
2. a reappearance of an earlier characteristic [syn: atavism]
 
J

John Evans

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any idea where this person fits into all this
parecidos_razonables_michael_jackson.jpg
 

contasm

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May 10, 2005
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Saltapatras

Great research Chri..that does sound like a good fit.

I saw the term used in this context..in colloquial Spanish..

?..No ombe no. Solo con ver todos esos saltapatras que nos gobiernan se sabe que por lo menos aqui eso es un sueno..?
?..No way..Just by looking @ those saltapatras that govern us, one knows that here, this is just a dream?

?Es la democracia posible?

I would be interested on knowing from any DR members, if indeed the general public, when using this term , is fully cognizant of its meaning as a racial expression, or it?s nowadays just been used as a word to describe somebody who is incompetent or hopeless.
Thanks

Contasm
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
?Saltapatras? (?jumping backwards, ?going back? ? ); anybody out there who could come up with a proper translation of this expression, please feel free to post it...

"saltapatras" and "afinando la raza" are two different side of the same coin, ie you can't have one without the other because if a darker person marries a lighter person than them, they are "afinando la raza", whereas the lighter person in the same relationship is "saltando pa'tras".
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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In normal speech, a "saltapatras" is not complementary. It refers in most cases, to a lack of brains. Sort of like Geico's Neanderthals....

Or a lack of civility.

HB
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
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Negro + Blanco = Mulato or Pardo
Mulato + Blanco = Terceron ( 1/3 white)
Terceron + Blanco = Cuarteron (1/4 quarter white)
Cuarteron + Blanco = Mestizo
Mestizo + Blanco = Blanco

Contasm

That sounds wrong to me, because negro+blanco=mulato (1/2 white) then a mulato (1/2) and a blanco (1) mix and in my mind you get a 2/3 white?
Same with the cuartero which should be i think 3/4 white.

I've also only heard about mestizo being indian mixed with white

Good eye (and math ;) )
You are correct; Mulato + Blanco = Terceron , it should be 1/3 black, or as you stated, 2/3 white...the same type of ?arithmetic? should apply to cuarteron. Later on, I will post my take on ?saltapatras?
Contasm


The math is still wrong. Half white + white is three quarters white. Three quarters white + white is seven eighths white.