jeringonza
/xeɾinɡonθa/from spelling rules
Pig Latin is translated into Spanish as jeringonza.
The term jeringonza refers to various types of wordplay, gibberish or coded languages used to prevent others from understanding a conversation.
Meaning: type of wordplay (noun)
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use the phrase 'pig latin' to refer to a specific rule-based game, the Spanish jeringonza is a broader term that can refer to any form of nonsense speech or slangy, unintelligible talk.
How do you pronounce it?
/xeɾinɡonθa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking contexts, a common form of 'jeringonza' involves inserting the syllable 'p' and a vowel after every vowel, a technique known as 'el habla de la p'.
- Because jeringonza is a broad term for unintelligible speech, it can refer to regional slangs or 'cant' that are intentionally designed to exclude outsiders from a conversation.
- Depending on the country, the word jeringonza can vary in meaning from a playful secret code to an insult meaning 'nonsense' or 'chatter'.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about secret codes.
- ElenaMateo, ¿conoces la jeringonza?Mateo, do you know pig latin?
- MateoNo, nunca he oído hablar de ella.No, I have never heard of it.
- ElenaEs un juego de palabras muy divertido.It is a very fun wordplay game.
- MateoEnséñame a hablar así, por favor.Teach me how to speak like that, please.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
