Alternative Human Anatomy (in Spanish)
By Gloria M. Rivera
[1,984 words, 10 minutes read time]
The first time I heard “me duele la paleta”, the Peruvian in me was very confused. In Perú, a “paleta” is a small wooden racket, like the one used for playing ping-pong. After growing up in Lima watching Mexican TV shows, I was aware and quite confident, that in Mexico a “paleta” was a lollipop or a popsicle, so I was at a loss when this Mexican patient used that term and there was no candy in sight, just a shoulder blade that he had injured at work.
I have worked as a medical interpreter both in Arizona and California and have taught in New Mexico. Through this experience I have realized that the average patient’s educational level is around or below fourth grade level and that some of them lived in ranchos. Therefore, some patients borrow names of body parts for animals and are not aware that other options are available.
As medical interpreters we need to be aware of these alternative body parts in order to convey the same meaning in English. I do not recommend using these terms with patients, unless they use them first because some may find our using animal body parts vulgar or offensive. In fact, both the Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE) and Diccionario de americanismos (Damer) when defining most of these terms, add notes on them being colloquial, derogatory, or vulgar.
For example, if a provider asks the patient about a stomachache I would not ask the patient if his “tripas” or “panza” hurt, but if he has a “dolor de estómago”. On the other hand, if the patient says “me duelen las tripas” I would interpret he has a “stomachache.” I do this in order to avoid confusion with the provider and because one physician once told a colleague that “he was an orthopedic surgeon, not a veterinarian.” Hashtag, eye roll
Even though these terms may be used by some patients, we must keep in mind that others may find them to be too colloquial, pejorative, or vulgar.
Here is a list of terms patients borrow from animals to refer to their own body parts that I have compiled while working as a court and medical interpreter in Arizona and California.
I have listed the terms from top to bottom, not alphabetically, and provided one example of how it is used in Spanish and the recommended equivalent in English.
1. Trompa: nose, mouth, area of the bone and the mouth, (elephant’s) trunk
The Diccionario histórico de la lengua española (DHLE) defines it as “prolongación muscular, tubular, larga y flexible de la nariz o el hocico de algunos animales.”, as “parte, más o menos saliente, de la cara de un animal en la que se sitúan la boca y la nariz“, “parte delantera del hocico del cerdo”, and “labios de una persona, especialmente cuando son prominentes.” The DLE has a similar definition, but provides a couple of examples “prolongación muscular, hueca y elástica, de la nariz de algunos animales, como el elefante o el tapir, capaz de absorber fluidos,” “hocico del cerdo” (Argentina, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay,) and “cara” (Mexico.) The Diccionario del español de México (DEM) even adds “hocico del puerco.”
Example. “Cada vez que come camarones y se le hincha la trompa“. “Every time he eats shrimp, his lips swell up.”
In this context, I prefer using “lips” instead of “mouth” since it is used by native English speakers and, therefore, sounds more natural.
Note: Depending on who you ask, trompa can be “mouth” or “nose”. That is why, if I can’t get a clear meaning from context, I prefer clarifying with the speaker.
Example. “Le dieron un golpe en la trompa” would need clarification.
This word may also be used as a verb, “trompazo” or “trompada”. In this case, either means a “hard blow” or “punch”. In Peru, we also use it as a “to have a fight.”
Example, “Se trompearon por un partido de fútbol”. “They got into a fist fight due to a soccer match.”
2. Jeta: (pig’s) snout
According to the DLE it is the “hocico del cerdo“, but it can also be “cara humana.”
In the Damer, it is a bit more specific and defines it as “Cara de enojo o de mal humor.”
Example. “Me salió una herida en la jeta“. “I had a wound on my mouth.”
3. Hocico: muzzle (for dogs and cats), beak (for birds), snout (for pigs)
According to the DLE it is the “Parte más saliente de la cara de algunos animales, en que están la boca y las narices”, but it can also be “Boca de una persona, especialmente si es prominente.“
Example. “Cállate el hocico” would be “shut your pie hole“. Why not “shut your mouth”? Because in English, the pie hole would be a term used to refer to the mouth in the same context.
Ex. “Me tropecé y me caí de hocico” would be “I tripped and I fell forward”. In this case, we use “fell forward” as “hocico” or “mouth” would be used as a point of reference in Spanish.
4. Pescuezo: neck
According to the DLE it is the “Parte del cuerpo animal o humano desde la nuca hasta el tronco.”
Example. “Lo agarraron del pescuezo” would be “he was grabbed by the neck.”
5. Paleta: “chuck”, “shoulder”, shoulder blade (in the cow)
Even thought the DLE only describes it as “omóplato, paletilla” in some countries, such as Argentina or Spain, it is used to refer to the cut of beef located on a cow’s shoulder blade.
Example. “Me duele la paleta” would be “my shoulder blade hurts.”
6. Buche: “belly”, (bird’s) craw or crop
The DLE has two options for this term. One is “bolsa membranosa que comunica con el esófago de las aves, en la cual se reblandece el alimento” and “en algunos animales cuadrúpedos, el estómago“, but both mean “stomach”. The Diccionario del español de México (DEM), adds more information “Dilatación del esófago de muchas aves, donde se ablandan los alimentos”, “Dilatación en forma de bolsa de la parte anterior del cuello de algunas aves, como el pelícano o la cigüeña, en la que almacenan el alimento antes de deglutirlo”, “Parte anterior del cuello de algunos animales mamíferos, especialmente del cerdo“, and “Estómago de algunos animales cuadrúpedos, generalmente los rumiantes.”
Example: “Siento que siempre tengo el buche lleno” could be “I feel that my belly is always full”.
Note: Since it can be the neck, a double chin, or the stomach, I recommend clarifying when the meaning is not easily understood based on the context. “Tengo inflamado el buche” was “my neck was swollen.”
7. Bofe: lung
The DLE defines it as “pulmón de las reses”.
“Tosí tanto que me sacudió el bofe” would be “I coughed so much that it rattled my lungs.”
8. Panza: “belly”, “gut”, “stomach”
The DLE defines it as “Primera de las cuatro cavidades en que se divide el estómago de los rumiantes,” “pedazos de estómago.” The DEM “Vientre de los vertebrados” and “Primera de las cuatro cavidades en que se divide el estómago de los rumiantes.”
Example. “Primero me duele la panza y de ahí tengo diarrea” would be “First, my belly aches and then I have diarrhea.”
9. Tripa, tripas: “guts”, “intestine”
The DLE defines it as “intestino” and “vientre, región exterior del cuerpo correspondiente al abdomen, especialemente si es abultado.” The DEM defines it as “Intestino o parte de los intestinos.”
Example. “Si no como a las doce, me truenan las tripas” means “if I don’t eat at noon, my guts rumble.”
False cognate: In English, “tripe” means “stomach tissue especially of a ruminant (such as an ox) used as food.
10. Mondongo: “belly”, “gut”
The DLE defines it as “intestinos y panza de las reses, y especialmente los del cerdo” and, colloquially, “intestinos humanos”. The Damer is “Pedazos de estómago de cerdo, vacuno u ovino destinados al consumo humano”. According to the Diccionario de peruanismos en línea (DiPeru), it means “Vientre voluminoso de una persona”.
Example. “Siento todo el mondongo hinchado” means “I feel my entire belly is swollen.”
11. Lomo: (cow’s) loin, lower back
The DLE defines it as “Parte inferior y central de la espalda“, “en los cuadrúpedos, todo el espinazo, desde la cruz hasta las ancas”, and “cada una de las dos piezas de carne de cerdo o de vacuno que están junto al espinazo y bajo las costillas.”
Example: “Después de piscar aguacate me duele el lomo” would be “after picking avocados, my back hurts.”
Note: People who work in the fields use the Spanglish term “piscar” that comes from “to pick”.
12. Cuadril: hip, lower back
The DLE defines it as, “hueso que sale de la cía, de entre las dos últimas costillas, y sirve para formar el anca”, “cadera“. According to the Damer, it is “cadera de una persona o de un animal.” and “corte de carne de ganado vacuno, especialmente de la cadera.” and the DEM defines it as “Hueso que forma el anca de los caballos, vacas, etc.” and “Cadera de los seres humanos.”
Example: “En el trabajo me agacho mucho y por eso me duele el cuadril” means “at work, I bend over a lot and that is why my lower back hurts.”
13. Espinazo: “backbone”, spine
The DLE defines it as “column vertebral”, but the DEM is more specific “Columna vertebral, particularmente de los animales.”
Example. “Al final del día, de tanto piscar lechuga, me duele todo el espinazo” would be “at the end of the day, after picking so much lettuce, my entire spine hurts.”
14. Rabadilla: “tailbone”, coccyx.
The DLE defines it as “punta o extremidad de la columna vertebral, formada por la última pieza del hueso sacro y por todas las del coxis.” It also specifies the differences between birds, “En las aves, extremidad movible en donde están las plumas de la cola.” and cattle,”parte de la carne de vacuno correspondiente a la región de las ancas entre la tapa y el lomo.”
Example. “Me resbalé y me caí sentada. Me lastimé toda la rabadilla.” would be “I slipped and fell. I hurt my entire tailbone.”
15. Patas: legs, feet; hooves (cow and pig).
The DLE defines “patas” as “pie y pierna de los animales”. Most animals have “patas”, so this is not borrowed from any animal in particular.
A friend of mine who is an interpreter once used “hooves” for “patas” and the doctor told her looking upset, “what? I am not a vet!” After this incident, I just clarify, to make sure the term is either the entire leg or foot of the speaker.
Example. “Me duelen las patas.” could be “my feet hurt” or “my legs hurt” and that is why clarifying is so important.
16. Chamorro: calves, “shanks” (of the cow).
The DLE defines “patas” as “pie y pierna de los animales”. Most animals have “patas”, so this is not borrowed from any animal in particular.
A friend of mine who is an interpreter once used “hooves” for “patas” and the doctor told her looking upset, “what? I am not a vet!” After this incident, I just clarify, to make sure the term is either the entire leg or foot of the speaker.
Example. “Me duelen las patas.” could be “my feet hurt” or “my legs hurt” and that is why clarifying is so important.
I hope this blog post helped you understand how our patients talk a bit more and how to convey the same meaning in English. I have added a couple of diagrams in Spanish below as well as some of the resources I used to put this post together.
Thank you for reading,
Gloria
Resources:
- Diccionario histórico de la lengua española (DHLE)
- Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE)
- Diccionario del estudiante
- Diccionario de términos médicos de la Real Academia Nacional de Medicina de España
- Diccionario de americanismos
- Diccionario de peruanismos en línea (DiPerú)
- Diccionario del español de México (DEM)
- Diccionario breve de mexicanismos de Guido Gómez de Silva
- Vice. The Munchies Guide to Carnitas [Obtained on October 15, 2018 at 8.33pm]
- Diccionario Visual – Anatomía del ave [Obtained on October 15, 2018 at 8.33pm]
- DePeru.com – Cortes del pollo [Obtained on October 15, 2018 at 8.33pm]
- Colegio Yapeyú – Anatomía de la vaca [Obtained on October 15, 2018 at 8.33pm]
- Tulomito.com – Corte de res peruano [Obtained on October 15, 2018 at 8.33pm]