Submitted by Andrew Huffer on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Argentina sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
In our Contemporary Latin American class, our professor talked to us about the slang that the people of Buenos Aires use, and it was something that I noticed as soon as we landed. The slang is called Lunfardo and it is their own twist on the Spanish language. The slang originated in the prisons of Argentina and then began to be used in common over the years. Some examples are, boludo means dude, che means hey, fiaca mean lazy and there are many other words that are different than what we learn in class. So, when having a conversation with someone, it is hard sometimes because it is riddled with these slang words that I am not accustomed to hearing. Being here for over two weeks now has helped me to get better at distinguishing the meaning of the words and when someone is saying them.