198 CultureShock! Chile
Simple pleasures like buying ice cream will require some knowledge
of Spanish.Vocabulary
One must be very careful when imitating the colloquial
vocabulary in any country. Native speakers have much more
leeway when it comes to using popular speech, which often
sounds silly or insulting coming from foreigners. This applies
especially to vulgar words. It is easy to pick up bad words,
not always knowing what they mean literally, but knowing
when they are used. It is best to try to find more elegant
terminology to express your sentiments. Be sure to ask the
Chileans about their slang and pronunciations, as they love
to explain them to visitors.
The following are some highlights of Chilean slang:Chilean Slang English MeaningAhuasadonaive or a shy person (comes from
huaso meaning a country bumpkin
or cowboy). This is somewhat of an
insult to huasos, even though the
term huaso itself has no negative
connotation