Yiipeta
I arrived to the DR on the wrong day, wrong time of the day and... at the wrong airport. I speak Spanish well and I am used to be in countries like this one, but still, it did not seem to be the right way to start exploring a new country.
Anyway, to make a long story short and getting back to the subject: After talking to people arround the airport I finally got hooked up with somebody who had a guaua and would take me from La Romana to Puerto Plata that night. The guy obviously was Dominican and the whole thing turned out of quite high educative value.
But the term that had me puzzled for the longest time was that Yiipeta word. He'd seem to enjoy that word particularly and even when arriving at Puerto Plata I'd still not know what he was talking about besides that it was something I had to have.
Two days later I went and rented a Suzuki Sidekick and got the keys to the Yiipeta handed to me... Finally I knew, but I still wondered where the word was coming from.
Another two weeks later I was reading the Listin Diario and when checking on the vehicle resales I just exploded in laughter when I found a category for... Jeepetas... now I knew the whole story!
Jeepeta (SUV) is being used on Cuba too, so I am told (by Cubans in Spain)... but not to much because there aren't too many.
Pasola (Scooter) is also being used in Colombia and parts of Ecuador.
Guaua is also being used as referring to a bus-type vehicle in Colombia and the coastal regions of Ecuador, and in the Andes for a Baby (ketshua).
Sorbete (drinking straw) is also the word used in Ecuador and parts of Colombia where you do not want to ask for a "pajita". In Spain you'd get a water based fruit (usually lemon-lime) ice (not cream) when asking for a Sorbete.
Baina [Vaina] is often found in the Andean region referring to a thing that is not worth much "... esta baina no funciona", somtimes also referring to a weakling or nerd. But it's also a type of bean.
?apa [Yapa] (a Freebee as an additional to something paid), is as discussed in my previous thread also used in the Andean region of Ecuador. ther I was told it was of Ketshua origin, now I would be inclined to doubt that as there is not much parallel between Ketshua and Taino.
Interesting too is the sound migration experienced in the vulgar word referring to the female sex organe... a similar owrd is used all over the Americas with slight variations... only that the DR and Cuban term also changes from female to masculine "... el t*t*"
One other particular word which was also completely new to me was ?ame (spelling ?) [Mniame], which shall be a fruit which grows under ground... tastes quite OK when cooked. BUT it seems that in the DR one can use the term to refer to a dumb person too "... un Mniame de hombre" ("... a stupid man"). On Cuba the term is also used but just with culinary use.
... J-D.
