Eastlos n.— «He de-emphasized his Eastlos linguistic roots for a national Latino audience—no singsong accent, no Spanglish, no gratuitous use of “you know?”» —“Donkey Show” by Gustavo Arellano L.A...
pollito n.— «A section of Greyhound’s “Transportation of Illegal Aliens” guidelines that deals with how to identify an immigrant smuggler cautions em ployees to be on the lookout for people who use the Spanish word pollito...
quinceañera n.— «Cuban Americans mark their daughter’s turning fifteeen with an elaborate party, called a quince. The “sweet fifteen bash,” which has evolved from the Hispanic quinceanera, is a Latino debutante ball...
papi store n. in urban areas with a large Latino population, a small market or bodega, especially such a store where young men loiter. Etymological Note: Perhaps from the Spanish “mami y papi store” ‘mom and pop store,’ but note that...
paisa n.— «There is a slang term that students in mostly Latino schools use to separate those who seem more connected to their Latino roots than to American culture: “paisas.” It comes from the word “paisano,”...
chingaso n.— «Mr. Gasia, a busboy who works in Spanish Harlem, spoke last week through a friend and interpreter. His style “comes from people of color but with a Latino twist,” he said. The idea is to look, he said...