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Such a shame that this great article is not published in Spanish alongside the original English publication. Only about 13% of people speak Spanish in Mexico [

Such a shame that this great article is not published in Spanish alongside the original English publication. Only about 13% of people speak Spanish in Mexico [0], and while Google translate does an ok job, publications like this would be immensely more impactful if they could reach the people they are written about. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_English-speaking_population https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_English...

jasonwatkinspdx 3y ago
I agree having a translation would be good, but also everyone that lives in Mexico already is very familiar with all of this. It's not just the car honks. The various noises of the street are an essential part of daily life there, both in CDMX and even in rural areas far from it. I spent some months in both some years ago and you learn the honks on like day one so you don't get run over. You learn all the local jingles within a week or two, because you just have to. The water and gas sellers are easy enough because they just yell or use a tape recording. You learn the cow bell is the trash service. The steam whistle is the sweet potato roasters. The little flute trill is the knife sharpeners. Other vendors all tend to use the same recorded jingle for whatever they're offering. Mexico is an amazingly pragmatic place where all these various signals emerged organically and are an integral part of daily life. I'll remember the recording for the tamale vendors[1] and the gas de oaxaca jingle[2] for the rest of my life. A much more difficult one to learn is the whistles used up in the mountains of Oaxaca. These date back to ancient times and people can use them to communicate huge distances, from one side of a valley to another[3]. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzjlyeeXnec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzjlyeeXnec [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4Rlif4YU8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4Rlif4YU8 [3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eliANcZdkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eliANcZdkw
- pier25 3y ago
  I've been living in Mexico for 15 years now and I agree wholeheartedly with all your comment. Also the "se compra fierro viejo" recording and the whistle of the camote seller.
hyperliner 3y ago
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pier25 3y ago
You mean only 13% speak English surely?

jasonwatkinspdx 3y ago

I agree having a translation would be good, but also everyone that lives in Mexico already is very familiar with all of this. It's not just the car honks. The various noises of the street are an essential part of daily life there, both in CDMX and even in rural areas far from it. I spent some months in both some years ago and you learn the honks on like day one so you don't get run over. You learn all the local jingles within a week or two, because you just have to. The water and gas sellers are easy enough because they just yell or use a tape recording. You learn the cow bell is the trash service. The steam whistle is the sweet potato roasters. The little flute trill is the knife sharpeners. Other vendors all tend to use the same recorded jingle for whatever they're offering. Mexico is an amazingly pragmatic place where all these various signals emerged organically and are an integral part of daily life. I'll remember the recording for the tamale vendors[1] and the gas de oaxaca jingle[2] for the rest of my life. A much more difficult one to learn is the whistles used up in the mountains of Oaxaca. These date back to ancient times and people can use them to communicate huge distances, from one side of a valley to another[3]. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzjlyeeXnec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzjlyeeXnec [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4Rlif4YU8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4Rlif4YU8 [3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eliANcZdkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eliANcZdkw

pier25 3y ago
I've been living in Mexico for 15 years now and I agree wholeheartedly with all your comment. Also the "se compra fierro viejo" recording and the whistle of the camote seller.

hyperliner 3y ago

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pier25 3y ago

You mean only 13% speak English surely?