A Mexican Dictionary

There it is in all its glory: The burrito. Yum, yum.

Did you know that burritos are an American invention and the word is used as a perjorative by Mexicans against Mexicans -- much like calling a black an "oreo?"

I found out that and more in Gustavo Arellano's "Ask a Mexican!" column on Mexi-lingo in OCWeakly. I'm so gringo I don't even know how to put the upside-down exclamation point before the "A" in Ask, like he does. Did you know, for example, these definitions:

Aztlán: The mythical birthplace of the Aztecs. Chicanos use this term to describe the Southwest United States. Chicanos are idiots.

Don't get all upset. That's followed a few words later with:

Chicano: The poorer, stupider, more assimilated cousins of Mexicans. Otherwise known as a Mexican-American.

So the C-word is the N-word. Here's more:

Gabacho: A gringo. But Mexicans don’t call gringos gringos. Only gringos call gringos gringos. Mexicans call gringos “gabachos.”

Guatemalan: The Germans had the Irish; the Irish had the Italians; the Italians had the Poles. Mexicans have the Guatemalans—our eternal punch-line.

La Raza Cósmica: “The Cosmic Race.” Refers to a movement by Mexican intellectuals during the 1920s arguing Mexicans have the blood of all the world's races—white, black, Indian and Asian—and therefore transcend the world.

And my favorite; this guy's really clever:

Piñata: A toy that Mexicans beat to spill forth goodies stuffed inside. Otherwise known as the United States.

Related Tags: Mexican, La Raza, Chicano, Aztlan, Gringo