Güey (vulgar)
Encyclopedia
Güey is a word in Mexican Spanish
which is commonly used to refer to any person without using his name and applies equally to males and females (though it is more often applied to males). It is used in Mexican Spanish in roughly the same way "dude
" is used in modern American English
. It is derived from the term buey, which refers to a castrated bull
(an ox), used for meat, sacrifice, and/or labor (e.g. pulling plows and carts). Over time, the initial /b/ underwent a consonant mutation
to a /g/, resulting in the modern güey. In Mexico this same word is used like an insult (can be a negative term like "fool" ), although, due to its extremely high frequency of use in a multitude of contexts, it has lost much of its offensive character, becoming a colloquialism
.
According to the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua
(Mexican Academy of Language), güey is a deformation of "buey" (from Lat.
bos, bovis). However, a common trend in Mexican Spanish is for simple words to become very complex terms that change meaning depending on context. Güey may mean stupid, friend, enemy, asshole, deranged, courageous, and a host of terms that are inconsistent most of the time. It can be used as derogatory or superlative.
The Real Academia Española
(Royal Spanish Academy) recognizes the term "buey" as a Mexican Spanish adjective to describe a fool or someone who has tripped. When used as an insult, in the uneducated lexicon, "buey" is a bull's-linguistic deviation (from Lat.
bos, bovis).
In the first case, it is used like the English profanity
, "asshole". In the last two cases, it is used like the American slang
term, "dude".
Although the word is not always offensive nor an insult between friends, its usage is generally considered uneducated. Thus its usage is limited mostly to friends and trust acquaintances or among young people. It is considered in poor taste for a teenager or a child to refer to an adult as (a) "güey," although among adults it is usually used in a common way. The word is used in any social class, being equally accepted and used in all.
It also is used in television and radio in popular entertainment, but not in more formal or objective programs, like in the news.
Mexican Spanish
Mexican Spanish is a version of the Spanish language, as spoken in Mexico and in various places of Canada and the United States of America, where there are communities of Mexican origin....
which is commonly used to refer to any person without using his name and applies equally to males and females (though it is more often applied to males). It is used in Mexican Spanish in roughly the same way "dude
Dude
A dude is an individual, typically male. The female equivalent, which is used less often, is "dudette" or "dudess". However, "dude" has evolved to become more unisex to encompass all genders, and this was true even in the 1950s....
" is used in modern American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
. It is derived from the term buey, which refers to a castrated bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
(an ox), used for meat, sacrifice, and/or labor (e.g. pulling plows and carts). Over time, the initial /b/ underwent a consonant mutation
Consonant mutation
Consonant mutation is when a consonant in a word changes according to its morphological and/or syntactic environment.Mutation phenomena occur in languages around the world. A prototypical example of consonant mutation is the initial consonant mutation of all modern Celtic languages...
to a /g/, resulting in the modern güey. In Mexico this same word is used like an insult (can be a negative term like "fool" ), although, due to its extremely high frequency of use in a multitude of contexts, it has lost much of its offensive character, becoming a colloquialism
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
.
According to the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua
Academia Mexicana de la Lengua
The Academia Mexicana de la Lengua is the correspondent academy in Mexico of the Royal Spanish Academy...
(Mexican Academy of Language), güey is a deformation of "buey" (from Lat.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
bos, bovis). However, a common trend in Mexican Spanish is for simple words to become very complex terms that change meaning depending on context. Güey may mean stupid, friend, enemy, asshole, deranged, courageous, and a host of terms that are inconsistent most of the time. It can be used as derogatory or superlative.
The Real Academia Española
Real Academia Española
The Royal Spanish Academy is the official royal institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, but is affiliated with national language academies in twenty-one other hispanophone nations through the Association of Spanish Language Academies...
(Royal Spanish Academy) recognizes the term "buey" as a Mexican Spanish adjective to describe a fool or someone who has tripped. When used as an insult, in the uneducated lexicon, "buey" is a bull's-linguistic deviation (from Lat.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
bos, bovis).
Use
It is common to use both meanings of the term interchangeably:- To denote stupidity or ignorance, in expressions like "¡Qué guey soy, se me olvidó el celular!" (What an idiot I am, I forgot my cellphone!) Or "¡No seas güey!" (Don't be an idiot!).
- Cut the word to say "Güe". Like "¡No Güe! ¡Estoy en el teléfono!" (No dude/asshole! I'm on the phone!).
- To refer to the same person you are talking about like "No güey, no pude ir." (No dude, I couldn't go).
- To refer to a person whose name is unknown like "¿Qué no es tu hermano aquél güey de camisa roja?" (Isn't the dude with the red shirt your brother?)
In the first case, it is used like the English profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
, "asshole". In the last two cases, it is used like the American slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term, "dude".
Although the word is not always offensive nor an insult between friends, its usage is generally considered uneducated. Thus its usage is limited mostly to friends and trust acquaintances or among young people. It is considered in poor taste for a teenager or a child to refer to an adult as (a) "güey," although among adults it is usually used in a common way. The word is used in any social class, being equally accepted and used in all.
It also is used in television and radio in popular entertainment, but not in more formal or objective programs, like in the news.