Animals are the most used colloquial expressions by Chileans, according to a new version of the study "Chilean Pride", conducted by Fundación Imagen de Chile.
Chile has always stood out for its creativity in the use of language. This was demonstrated by the third version of the "Chilean Pride" study, prepared by the Fundación Imagen de Chile, which showed national favoritism for expressions related mainly to animals.
According to the study, respondents were asked which Chilean expression they used the most and the top three places went to the popular sayings "por si las moscas" (with a 28% preference), "mandarse un condoro" (18%) and "pasararlo chancho" (11%). The complete list is as follows:
- Just in case (28%)
- Sending a condoro (18%)
- Having a great time (11%)
- Give yourself a helping hand (9%)
- Being a turkey (8%)
- Being a duck (7%)
- Mare casting (7%)
- Make a cow (6%)
- Being sharp (3%)
- Being like a louse (1%)
Imagen de Chile explains that "por si las moscas" managed to win the "gold" ranking, as it is a phrase that can be used in multiple contexts, since it means "just in case". The same happens with "pasarlo chancho", an idiom used as "to have a good time". However, "mandarse un condoro" is perhaps the most creative of the first 3 places, because it is linked to two characteristic characters. On the one hand, the former national soccer player, Roberto "Condor" Rojas, and on the other, the fictional "Condorito", protagonist of the classic comic strip of the same name.
"In Imagen de Chile we have the mission not only to monitor the perception that exists of our country internationally, but also to understand how Chileans see ourselves, and what identifies us, to find the best way to communicate Chile abroad. In this third version of the Chilean pride study, we decided to include a question about popular sayings, and we see that there is a very marked identity in the language," said the executive director of Imagen de Chile, Constanza Cea.
As for the analysis of the results by gender, it was found that women use the expression "giving yourself a little "manito de gato" much more than men. With this, the expression referring to the fact of "getting dressed up or putting on make-up" is in third place for women, with 13%, while men only preferred it by 5%.
On the other hand, people between 45 and 60 years of age are the ones who use expressions such as "turkey or smarty" the least, with only 1% of preferences. This marks a generational break, given that compatriots between 18 and 30 years of age use the saying coming from the animal in 15%.
Imagen de Chile develops the Chilean Pride Survey periodically with the objective of measuring pride at a national level and learning about Chilean identity. The survey was conducted in conjunction with the Directorate of Studies of the Catholic University (DESUC), during the month of November 2021.
For the complete study, check here: Chilean Pride Study.
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