Dominican words and phrases

granca said:

I would like to suggest a thread specifically for Dominican words and phrases, I am hearing more and more now,some I have a vague idea of what they mean and most I do not know how to spell correctly. With all the talent and multilingual members of this site we ought to be able to fill in the gaps left by the dictionary. So here goes with most of what I have heard, where I have an idea of the meaning I?ll put it in.
bijuju = money
paca = old clothes ?
pau = at the side of ?
chuipi = ??? ( I?ve heard it used with reference to guineos but what ???)
neapa = ???
I hope you find this a good idea because such a reference place would be very useful to me.

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None of those words are either in Spanish or are used in the DR.

Never heard of it, never used it myself.

Are those French words?

Ezequiel said:

None of those words are either in Spanish or are used in the DR.

Never heard of it, never used it myself.

Are those French words?

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I have not heard those words used in the DR :ermm:

French? NAAAH!

montreal said:

I have not heard those words used in the DR :ermm:

French? NAAAH!

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We are going to have to wait for GRANCA to tell us where did he hear those words. NOT in the DR.

granca-

I recognize one word. I am not sure if it's common in all of Latin America but Dominicans and Puerto Ricans (I believe) use the word to mean something extra, like a propina. For example, if you buy some pl?tanos, let's say ten for a $1.00, you may ask 'y la ?apa', meaning an extra one or two. However, with the economic situation and food prices these days, all you may get is a good stare.

The rest of words are hard to decipher because it's the way you are hearing it and then the spelling is not with Spanish phonetics.

There are threads that have strictly Dominican expressions. Please do a search.


--LDG.

granca said:

bijuju = money
paca = old clothes ?
pau = at the side of ?
chuipi = ??? ( I?ve heard it used with reference to guineos but what ???)
neapa = ???
I hope you find this a good idea because such a reference place would be very useful to me.

Click to expand...

Lesley D said:

I recognize one word. I am not sure if it's common in all of Latin America but Dominicans and Puerto Ricans (I believe) use the word to mean something extra, like a propina. For example, if you buy some pl?tanos, let's say ten for a $1.00, you may ask 'y la ?apa', meaning an extra one or two. However, with the economic situation and food prices these days, all you may get is a good stare.

The rest of words are hard to decipher because it's the way you are hearing it and then the spelling is not with Spanish phonetics.

There are threads that have strictly Dominican expressions. Please do a search.


--LDG.

Click to expand...

?apa i know.

I've seen "paca" or something similar in the context of old clothes: it means those consignments of second-hand clothes from the US that are sold in the DR. Probably comes from the English "pack".

packamac ?

granca-

You will not find those Dominicanisms you referenced in a general dictionary because they are too colloquial. There are specialized dictionaries that detail colloquialisms used in Latin America. However, the words that you are hearing and want definitions for are extremely colloquial and form another part of levelling when it comes to language. You mentioned specifically that some are heard in San Pedro and Las Terrenas, which means only specific parts of the DR.

A scholar or enthusiast would have to start documenting terms such as these in order to have them published which is not an easy task. Plenty of research, canvassing, finding a publisher etc. has to be done. As well, the spelling would have to be approved. Right now your best source is the people who say these words; ask them right on the spot to clarify what they mean. If the words have been invented don?t expect them to know how to spell what they are saying.

When learning a language in this case Spanish one has to able to decipher real words from colloquialisms, regionalisms and invented terms. IMO, understand what you can but don?t focus on understanding the colloquialisms and lose sight of learning Spanish. If you are truly interested in learning the language, you will understand the local speech as time goes by.

Here is a good link:
The way Dominicans Speak in Dominican Republic, Dominicanismos.


--LDG.

granca said:

I?m sorry about the spelling but I did warn you up front. I have closely consulted my wife and a couple of her sisters and cousins who all come from Consuelo, just north of San Pedro de Macoris and they all insist that all these words are used there. I know from personal experience that bijuju (spelling?) is used and understood in Las Terrenas. Often heard in connection with the Leonel. Lau is a corruption of a lado de, (sorry I wrote pau instead of lau) probably in the same way that the man on the beach offering you pecados is actually selling fish. Thank you anyway for your illuminations, I shall now do a search of the leads you suggested.

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The word is Lao which is the Dominican way to say lado which mean "near" or to the "side".

Still don't know bijuju maybe it's the wrong spell.

granca said:

Thanks Lesley D for the link, very useful but I got caught out again today. At about 2 am my wife accused me of making a noise and waking the 2 year old. (not true!!) She used a word that she does not know how to spell , possibly : bulla, vulla or buya. It appears to me to derive from the french via haitian: bruit. Anyway now she?s trapiar (ing) the house, can?t find the word but I know it means to clean. Bit like Pandora?s box all this, verdad?

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The word is Bulla, which mean NOISE, so she meant that you were doing a lot of noise.

Con tu bulla despertaste al Chichi.=With your noise you woke up the baby.[/b]

The word is Trapear, which mean to Mop the floor.

Voy a Trapear el piso=I'm going to mop the floor.

Bulla or trapear are not Dominicanisms.

from the RAE

Bulla.

(De bullir).

1. f. Griter?a o ruido que hacen una o m?s personas.

2. f. Concurrencia de mucha gente.

3. f. And. Prisa, apresuramiento.

Trapear

1. tr. Am. Fregar el suelo con trapo o estropajo.

(from trapo = rag, cloth)

Sorry - it's the Real Academia Espa?ola - the Spanish authority on language.

Real Academia Espa?ola - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Real Academia Española

granca said:

I have closely consulted my wife and a couple of her sisters and cousins who all come from Consuelo, just north of San Pedro de Macoris and they all insist that all these words are used there. I know from personal experience that bijuju (spelling?) is used and understood in Las Terrenas. Often heard in connection with the Leonel. Lau is a corruption of a lado de, (sorry I wrote pau instead of lau) probably in the same way that the man on the beach offering you pecados is actually selling fish. Thank you anyway for your illuminations, I shall now do a search of the leads you suggested.

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Granca, I grew up in Ingenio Angelina (next to Ingenio Consuelo) and I never heard the words you originally posted. Keep in mind that there is a big Haitian population in the sugar cane plantations, as well as English speakers from the Lesser Antilles.

more definitions-

I think I may be the only who has faith in the words you are questioning below. As I said this level of language which is colloquial meaning specific to the Dominican Republic and regional in this case used in certain parts of the DR makes deciphering the meaning even more complicated. However, relentless searching has lead me to two more words which I found in an online DR specific dictionary of colloquialisms.

From the source:

1/ Buch? - Con mucho dinero. Con grandes buches

4/ Chuipe o Chuipi: expresi?n onomatop?yica que se produce succionando aire con los labios cerrados y una peque?a abertura, de ah? su nombre "chuuiiipi". Su significado varia dependiendo del tipo de sonido, si es muy agudo y fino significa: "te equivocaste", "quien te dijo esa tonter?a", "eso no es verdad". Pero si el sonido es abierto y producido con el paladar, la lengua y labios, algo as? como "chuaa" significa: "caramba que problema!", "que pena me da", "que tristeza", "que vaina!"

5/ la ?apa= I already explained the usage and meaning.

Three out of five is quite good considering how colloquial the words are. I am always amazed at those who say 'I grew up in the DR', or 'I live in the DR' and I have never heard those words. IMO, one can live a life time in an area and not know many of the colloquialisms or regionalisms. Usage keeps these words alive and exposure allows for knowledge and understanding however to know every expression used colloquially in a country is difficult.


-LDG.

granca said:

1/ bijuju = money
2/ paca = old clothes ?
3/ pau = at the side of ?
4/chuipi = ??? ( I?ve heard it used with reference to guineos but what ???)
5/ neapa = ???
I hope you find this a good idea because such a reference place would be very useful to me.

Click to expand...

and the last word is...

granca-

I think the last word of the group you are curious about # 2 may very well be
pa' c? = para ac?. In colloquial speech when people are speaking at a normal pace or what may come across as fast para ac? becomes pa' c? and to an untrained ear it may sound like one word.

ven pa' c?= come over here or simply pa' c? = over here.


-LDG.