In a recent thread one of our fellow DR1 posters inquired about a Cuban expression "P?ngase para las cosas" or "Ponte para las cosas". At the time I was not sure of the meaning because I had never heard the expression not even among my Cuban friends and it's an expression that cannot be understood without a phrase in context or a situation/scenario how it's used. Anyway I made a note to myself to follow up when I had a chance and I did. One of my Cuban friends is quite up to date with expressions and I asked her and here is what she explained to me. It could be used in several contexts.
My friend?s explanation:
Es una frase muy simp?tica y muy popular, no necesariamente vulgar pero s? callejera, todo el mundo en Cuba lo dice.
1) If you are with a group of people conversing about xxx and you don?t understand what?s being said or you are not up to date with the happenings, you are idle and not working as you should be or preoccupied with another issue etc. one person in the group might say:
'ponte pa' las cosas que te veo un poco lejos, por ejemplo. Tambi?n te puede decir: Oye, ponte pa' las cosas y trabaja que te veo un poco entretenido/a en el trabajo'.
2) Piropo- ejemplo
Juan y Pepito est?n parados en una esquina conversando y pasa una mujer con un vestido bien apretado bien sexy.
Juan le dice a la mujer: Oye chica que buena t? est?s
Pepito le dice a Juan: Oye Juan, d?jate de gracias y ponte pa' las cosas que esa fue novia m?a y no quiero que nadie la est? piropeando.
Keep in mind these kinds of expressions go hand and hand with the people who use them in a certain context, which my friend kindly commented in her response to me. In example #1 it is used as a daily everyday colloquial expression. In example #2 it is 'm?s callejera' and associated with a lower class social group.
__________________
This topic gives me the opportunity to post an article that I read on the weekend in a Cuban newspaper that discusses 'chabacaner?a'. As a society 'How do we (Cubans) speak?'. 'Do we come across as colloquial, informal, vulgar?' etc. Since the Spanish language is so vivacious it allows for a lively informal speech but one has to be able to differentiate between acceptable informal speech and what is considered 'chabacano'.
It's a good commentary. chabacano o no
-LDG.
My friend?s explanation:
Es una frase muy simp?tica y muy popular, no necesariamente vulgar pero s? callejera, todo el mundo en Cuba lo dice.
1) If you are with a group of people conversing about xxx and you don?t understand what?s being said or you are not up to date with the happenings, you are idle and not working as you should be or preoccupied with another issue etc. one person in the group might say:
'ponte pa' las cosas que te veo un poco lejos, por ejemplo. Tambi?n te puede decir: Oye, ponte pa' las cosas y trabaja que te veo un poco entretenido/a en el trabajo'.
2) Piropo- ejemplo
Juan y Pepito est?n parados en una esquina conversando y pasa una mujer con un vestido bien apretado bien sexy.
Juan le dice a la mujer: Oye chica que buena t? est?s
Pepito le dice a Juan: Oye Juan, d?jate de gracias y ponte pa' las cosas que esa fue novia m?a y no quiero que nadie la est? piropeando.
Keep in mind these kinds of expressions go hand and hand with the people who use them in a certain context, which my friend kindly commented in her response to me. In example #1 it is used as a daily everyday colloquial expression. In example #2 it is 'm?s callejera' and associated with a lower class social group.
__________________
This topic gives me the opportunity to post an article that I read on the weekend in a Cuban newspaper that discusses 'chabacaner?a'. As a society 'How do we (Cubans) speak?'. 'Do we come across as colloquial, informal, vulgar?' etc. Since the Spanish language is so vivacious it allows for a lively informal speech but one has to be able to differentiate between acceptable informal speech and what is considered 'chabacano'.
It's a good commentary. chabacano o no
-LDG.
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