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"Boludo" and "pelotudo" are just Argentine variants of "huevón" -- a big fat zero. They do not refer to genitalia. I know many people think that, but that's n
by cryptonector 2y ago
"Boludo" and "pelotudo" are just Argentine variants of "huevón" -- a big fat zero. They do not refer to genitalia. I know many people think that, but that's not their origin. And what, why should "ballsy" be a swear word? Of course it's not, not even in Argentina.
Similarly "weon" is Chilean for "huevón".
"Carajo", however, is an old word for "cock". "Conchudo" is basically "cunty". Etc.
- kragen 2y agoHmm, I thought boludo and pelotudo came from the idea that too-big testicles made a man stupid, perhaps related to coglione. There's also an urban legend that they come from improvised weapons used in the war of independence, adapted from livestock herding equipment. But I'm trying to unpack the distinction here between insults and taboo words. Taboo words may not be insults; to use an outdated example, if I say that I'm going to the shitter, nobody is being insulted — probably not even the plumbing facility in question. Similarly if I am tired of waiting in line and exclaim "God damn it!" And insults may not be taboo words; if I say, "Your mother wears army boots," many people will take it as an insult, even though in English it contains no taboo words.
- cryptonector 2y agoI used to think so to, but, no, they come from a ball (bola, pelota) being round, like a zero, just as huevón is big egg just like a big zero.
- 082349872349872 2y agoIn that sense I think con is an insult, not taboo, because I've heard people say punaise (for putain) and nom de bleu (for nom de dieu) but I can't recall ever having heard a similar substitutions for con.