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I've eaten chapulines (grasshoppers). Their taste reminded me of what I think slightly toasted grass might taste like. I didn't care for them, but would try the

I've eaten chapulines (grasshoppers). Their taste reminded me of what I think slightly toasted grass might taste like. I didn't care for them, but would try them again if someone who liked them recommended a different preparation and I wouldn't hesitate to eat them if I needed protein.

jkaunisv1 11y ago
They're pretty good with any kind of BBQ sauce (if you like a crunchy snack).
jordigh 11y ago
I find it weird that people do that with language. Did you also drink agua, breathe aire, walk on calles, or sleep on camas? Why is it we only do this for some things but not others?
- thedavinci2000 11y ago
  Nothing wrong with that. Is rare enough that I think the name chapulin is OK. It says a lot. It means he is probably talking about a region of Mexico and that he is maybe from Mexico. It is an actual thing in Mexico to eat a certain type of grasshoper. There is another type of insect called a xumile that is eaten. No idea how you would call that in English. I'm not even sure if I havr the spelling right in Spanish.
- pvaldes 11y ago
  And we say viva Las Vegas instead to 'cheer the river banks', also. Is because there is not an exact equivalent to the name 'chapulin' in english, and is a distinctive name, so is useful to keep the word.
  - jordigh 11y ago
    But chapulín means exactly the same thing as grasshopper. Anything that an English speaker would call grasshopper a Mexican would call a chapulín. I guess I understand why people do this. It's obviously not wrong, because nobody can speak incorrectly. It just strikes me as a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, but that's how things are.
    - pvaldes 11y ago
      The spanish common word for the animal is 'saltamontes', that could be translated as 'mounts-jumper'. Samely as 'grasshopper' this word (used mainly for short-horned grasshoppers) do not have any edible or culinary connotations. Is just an animal (and sometimes 'a disciple'). Chapulín have a richer meaning, can be used to name a dish, a type of insect (including some crickets), can be easily interchanged as toddler, or as 'a dishonest politic' (that jumps to another party), and is also a beloved super-antihero of a popular series for children in the mexican tv that was later photocop... parodied again in the simpsons to make fun of latino spanish speakers (bumblebee man).
      - jordigh 11y ago
        I guess you believe that piscina and alberca have different meanings too... There is a train of thought in linguistics that there is no such thing as an exact synonym. http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/2062/do-absolute-synonyms-exist http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/2062/do-absol...
        pvaldes 11y ago
        Of course, the main purpose of an alberca is not to swimming. A piscina is a swimming pool.
        jordigh 11y ago
        Not in Mexico. They're used as exact synonyms as far as I can tell. But you seem convinced that absolute synonyms don't exist. As a corollary to this, exact synonyms between languages don't exist either, so exact translation is impossible. I'll agree that exact translation is impossible, but I think a good translator's job is to convey the closest possible linguistic experience possible. In this case, a chapulín is the closest Mexican equivalent to saltamontes or grasshopper. Although Mexicans will understand the word "saltamontes", it sounds a bit foreign and will resort to chapulín instead.

jkaunisv1 11y ago

They're pretty good with any kind of BBQ sauce (if you like a crunchy snack).

jordigh 11y ago

I find it weird that people do that with language. Did you also drink agua, breathe aire, walk on calles, or sleep on camas? Why is it we only do this for some things but not others?

thedavinci2000 11y ago
Nothing wrong with that. Is rare enough that I think the name chapulin is OK. It says a lot. It means he is probably talking about a region of Mexico and that he is maybe from Mexico. It is an actual thing in Mexico to eat a certain type of grasshoper. There is another type of insect called a xumile that is eaten. No idea how you would call that in English. I'm not even sure if I havr the spelling right in Spanish.
pvaldes 11y ago
And we say viva Las Vegas instead to 'cheer the river banks', also. Is because there is not an exact equivalent to the name 'chapulin' in english, and is a distinctive name, so is useful to keep the word.
- jordigh 11y ago
  But chapulín means exactly the same thing as grasshopper. Anything that an English speaker would call grasshopper a Mexican would call a chapulín. I guess I understand why people do this. It's obviously not wrong, because nobody can speak incorrectly. It just strikes me as a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, but that's how things are.
  - pvaldes 11y ago
    The spanish common word for the animal is 'saltamontes', that could be translated as 'mounts-jumper'. Samely as 'grasshopper' this word (used mainly for short-horned grasshoppers) do not have any edible or culinary connotations. Is just an animal (and sometimes 'a disciple'). Chapulín have a richer meaning, can be used to name a dish, a type of insect (including some crickets), can be easily interchanged as toddler, or as 'a dishonest politic' (that jumps to another party), and is also a beloved super-antihero of a popular series for children in the mexican tv that was later photocop... parodied again in the simpsons to make fun of latino spanish speakers (bumblebee man).
    - jordigh 11y ago
      I guess you believe that piscina and alberca have different meanings too... There is a train of thought in linguistics that there is no such thing as an exact synonym. http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/2062/do-absolute-synonyms-exist http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/2062/do-absol...
      - pvaldes 11y ago
        Of course, the main purpose of an alberca is not to swimming. A piscina is a swimming pool.
        jordigh 11y ago
        Not in Mexico. They're used as exact synonyms as far as I can tell. But you seem convinced that absolute synonyms don't exist. As a corollary to this, exact synonyms between languages don't exist either, so exact translation is impossible. I'll agree that exact translation is impossible, but I think a good translator's job is to convey the closest possible linguistic experience possible. In this case, a chapulín is the closest Mexican equivalent to saltamontes or grasshopper. Although Mexicans will understand the word "saltamontes", it sounds a bit foreign and will resort to chapulín instead.