Vocabulary 100% Malaga It's not what it seems
In the lingo of Málaga, things aren't always what they seem. Yep, you read that right
Just when you think you know everything about the city before you've even arrived, you find yourself struggling to understand certain words once you're here. Concepts you've had nailed down all your life, turn out to mean something entirely different to the locals... sometimes it's downright baffling!
But remember, everything has an explanation, are you ready to learn some "malagueño"? Well, keep your eyes peeled for these terms!
Guarrito The phrase "Tráeme el guarrito que tengo que hacer un boquete". What does it suggest to you? Nothing to do with using little piggies to make a hole in the wall. In Málaga, nobody refers to a 'guarrito' by its proper name, which is none other than a drill. Bet you didn't see that coming, did you? Well, yes, that's what this tool is called in Málaga, and the reason is that the first drills to arrive in our territory were of the brand Warrington (and English wasn't exactly widespread around here then).
Pitufo Something small? Blue, maybe? With a squeaky voice? Well, in Málaga a 'pitufo' is not only not blue... but we eat them every day! We haven't gone mad: the Málaga 'pitufo' is a small bread roll we usually have for breakfast, as it's the perfect size. According to popular legend, this bread size was created by a Málaga bakery as an afternoon snack for kids and, to attract their attention, they placed a giant Smurf ('pitufo') at the shop entrance. It began to be popularly called 'pitufo', and the name stuck.
Farola If we tell you there's only one 'farola' in Málaga, it doesn't mean the city is practically in the dark at night. But if we tell you it's the only 'farola' in the whole of the Peninsula, then you're really lost, right? In Málaga, we call our lighthouse 'farola', because it happens to be a feminine lighthouse. When you're strolling around the port, you'll see the lighthouse perched on a large platform-like structure in the distance. Over 200 years ago, when the lighthouse was inaugurated, the mayor's wife at the time said the platform looked like a skirt. Since then it has been called by that name and it stuck: the 'farola' of Málaga.
Boquerón When you come to Málaga, you expect to find 'boquerones' in every restaurant, bar, or tavern. Well, not only that: here you find 'boquerones' on the streets, in the shops, in the parks, at the cinema, sunbathing on the beach... even eating ice cream on Larios Street! That's because us locals, the very people of Málaga, affectionately call ourselves 'boquerón' and 'boquerona'. Curious, right? Probably because it's one of the most consumed fish in the province, along with sardines.
Manquita We conclude the post with one of the emblems of Málaga: our 'Manquita'. Here your imagination can run wild, but it has nothing to do with a girl missing one of her upper limbs. The Málaga 'Manquita' is none other than our Cathedral: the Cathedral of Our Lady of Incarnation, popularly known as 'La Manquita'. To find out why it's called this, you'll have to see its main façade, which faces the Bishop's Square. Once there, look all the way up and you'll notice something missing: one of its 2 towers. The Cathedral is unfinished. Besides the south tower, like an arm, it also lacks the roof... but we'll save that story for another day.
We'll continue to expand your 'malacitano' vocabulary in future posts... don't miss out!
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