What’s a jalapeño? It’s not always what you think

Language learning website LanguagePlease describes cultural fluency as the ability “to communicate effectively within a culture, including picking up nonverbal and non-linguistic contexts.

One might speak a language well but still not be culturally fluent”. In other words, you might be able to perfectly construct your request for a taco al pastor in a local restaurant, but if

that local restaurant is in Puerto Rico, you haven’t yet mastered cultural fluency.  Spanish is the dominant tongue of at least 20 countries and the second most spoken language in the world.

The Spanish you hear in Spain, Colombia, or Cuba is quite different to that which you hear in Mexico, and the Spanish you hear in Mexico City is even different to the Spanish you hear in

Yucatán. Each region’s language is developed within historical, religious, and geographical contexts, resulting in various ways to say the same thing.  “What’s up”, is a great example. If

you’re greeted with a “Qué bola,” you’re probably in Cuba. “Qué más” and you’re likely speaking to a Venezuelan. “Qué pedo,” you’re definitely in Mexico. The way people talk fluctuates from

one country to the next and true fluency enables you to know the difference. It’s like being book smart _and_ street smart, but in a language. To understand the words and phrases that

differentiate Mexican Spanish to Spanish of any other kind is attainable through traveling, watching Mexican TV shows, reading Mexican books, and hanging out with Mexican people. This

exposes you to terms you might not otherwise come across while studying for your B2 language test.  Like, jalapeño. Obviously, it’s a pepper. A spicy one. Used as a topping for tacos or

diced in guacamole.  But that’s not all. The vibrant capital of Veracruz is also full of jalapeños. Some are growing on bushes while others are walking to school, texting a friend, or making

coffee. Because in Xalapa, the term _jalapeño_ refers to both the pepper and the people who were born there.  Similar to “Londoner” or “New Yorker” or “Torontonian”, nicknames in Mexico are

applied according to the city in which you were born. However, they’re not always so straight forward. As a matter of fact, they’re a lot more fun. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of

Mexican monikers to help you determine when someone is referring to a person from the Yucatán and not a nutty root vegetable. MEXICO CITY: _CHILANGOS_  Why in the world are Mexico City

residents known as chilangos? No one really knows. According to Luis Fernando Lara Ramos, a linguist and researcher at the College of Mexico, “We don’t know where the word came from. There

are a lot of theories but none is trustworthy.” What we do know is that it’s derogatory, but locals still wear the badge with pride.  GUADALAJARA: _TAPATÍOS_ The most widely accepted version

of the pseudonym is that it’s a derivative of the Nahuatl word “tapatiotl” meaning “_que vale por tres_”, or how much for three? The phrase was used while shopping at the local tianguis and

the money wasn’t a coin but rather a small sack of cacao beans. Over time, it warped into “tapatío” and the name stuck. Anything can be tapatío, from food to people to architecture. 

MONTERREY: _REGIOS_ When you break up the word, Monterrey becomes _monte_ and _rey_, _monte_ meaning mountain and _rey_ meaning king. King mountain doesn’t make much sense, but royal

mountain does, in which case one would say _monte_ _regio_. Hence the moniker _regio_. CUERNAVACA: _GUAYABOS_ There are a few theories behind this one but the most probable comes from the

name Cuernavaca and its Cuauhnahuac origin. Cuernavaca means “cerca de la arboleda” or, “close to the groves of trees”. Aromatic guava trees, the pink ones to be precise, protruded from

these groves and thus was born the nickname of _guayabo_. AGUASCALIENTES: _HIDROCÁLIDOS_ Did you know that Aguascalientes is flush with natural hot springs? The word _hidrocálido _is a play

on the hot thermal baths in the region and the people that hail from it. VERACRUZ: _JAROCHOS_ According to historians, after the Spanish arrived at the port of Veracruz, a wave of African

slaves followed. The indigenous had never seen black people before and didn’t know what to call them. Since the slaves were usually seen using _garrochas_ (spears) to guide herds of animals

in the style of Andalusian cowboys, they referred to them as _jarochas_. Today, anyone from Veracruz is known as a _jarocho/a_. XALAPA: _JALAPEÑOS_ One of the staples of Mexican cuisine

hails from Xalapa, also spelled Japala, and it’s a little green spicy pepper known as a jalapeño. Why _wouldn’t_ you call its residents by the same name? PUEBLA: _POBLANOS OR

ANGELOPOLITANOS_ Just like Xalapa, Puebla is the womb of poblano peppers. And so, people from Puebla are known as the same. But once in a while you might hear a local referred to as an

_angelopolitano_, harkening back to 1532 when the city was baptized _la Puebla de los Ángeles_.  MEXICALI: _CACHANILLOS_ Residents of Baja California North’s capital are called _cachanillas_

after the bright pink pom-pom-looking flower native to the region. TABASCO: _CHOCOS_ The pseudonym for tabasqueños is often misconstrued to be a derivative of chocolate, as Tabasco is a

major producer of cacao. However, the true origin comes from the Maya word _Yokot’an_, meaning original, authentic, and true. YUCATÁN: _YUCAS_ Also self-explanatory, but a reminder to

discern using context clues when the subject of conversation is a human or a tuber. _Bethany Platanella__ is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the

dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her __Sunday Love Letters__ to

your inbox, peruse her __blog__, or follow her on __Instagram__._