a weird word that i can't understand

[Maria]

In the conversations or smses with my spanish-speaking friends i oftenly hear them use the word "tronkis" or "tronki", i continuously asked about the meaning, but the explanations were not quite clear for me, and also explanations of spanish and latin-american people were completely different, so i would like to know eventually what it means exactly. Does the word "tronka" exist as well and does it have the same meaning? Does it have anything to do with "tronco"? Why do they use "k" if it's not of a foreign origin?

One more thing is the verb "flipar": there are many different interpretations in the dictionary here, is there the most common particular use of this verb? Does it really come from the name of the grasshoper Flip from the cartoon "la abeja Maya"?:-)

[atnbueno]

We're entering slang territory, and that's always difficult. Also the SMS-subspecies has its own quirks.

"Tronki" is a kewl deformation of "tronco" and "tronkis" is its plural (no "tronka" AFAIK). "Tronco" in this context is the same as saying "man" or "dude" in English. All this is from a Spaniard POV.

"Flipar" actually comes from the English "flip" and it can mean to be under the influence of some substances ("Se flipaba todos los días"), to enjoy some event very much ("La gente flipó con el concierto"), or to like some thing a lot ("Me flipan las motos").

[Maria]

Muchas gracias por su ayuda, atnbueno, that's more clear since now! So, about that tronki thing, this word isn't bad, dirty or vulgar, right? Can it be a way to apply to a friend?

[atnbueno]

Not bad nor dirty, at all. But it's appropiated only for extremely informal situations.

[Maria]

Ok, I see. Can you give some other examples of slang words in Spanish that are not offensive or dirty, but can be used among friends just for fun? I'm not looking 4 smth particular, just curious

[atnbueno]

Frankly, I wouldn't where to start :?

Well, "colega" (diminutive="colegui") is pretty much equivalent to "tronco". "Quillo/a" (short form of "chiquillo/a" can be used similarly to "man" in English (v.g. "Don't say that, man" => "No me digas eso, quillo").

[Maria]

That's interesting Colega is also a colleague, isn't it?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Maria

That's interesting Colega is also a colleague, isn't it?

Sí.

También usan pareja de una forma similar a tronco/colega (Al menos en México ).

[sosia]

Hi
we use the word "tronka" as feminine for tronco/tronko, but usually only in Navarre & Basque country. The "k" comes because here a lot of slang words changes "c" for "k" and "ch" for "tx" like "calimocho" for "kalimotxo" (red-wine & cocacola mix) and Carmen/Karmen . But as atnbueno says, it's appropiated only for extremely informal situations.

[Duircein]

Quick note, in Chile when I heard the word tronki used it had more of a sense of a missing one's home or person or object, kind of like hechar de menos. You get all sorts of variants of words that have no meaning in one country that are commonly used in others in Latin America, but you probably already know that.

[Tomisimo]

hechar de menos

[Duircein]

Thanks

[Eric]

My cuban teachers says that it is spelled "hechar de menos".

[sosia]

In Spain, it's always "echar de menos",
RAE Real Academia de la lengua

echar(se). 1. ‘Tirar(se)’, ‘tender(se)’ y ‘hacer salir [a alguien] de un lugar’. No debe escribirse con h- inicial, error frecuente en las formas de presente echo, echas, echa, por homofonía con las formas del participio de hacer (hecho, hecha).

2. echar(se) a + infinitivo. Perífrasis que indica el comienzo de la acción expresada por el infinitivo. En el español general, forma construcciones intransitivas y su empleo solo es normal con ciertos infinitivos (echar(se) a correr, echar(se) a volar, echar(se) a andar/caminar, echarse a temblar, echarse a reír, echarse a llorar): «Iba a echar a correr cuando lo detuvo una voz a sus espaldas» (Padilla Jardín [Cuba 1981]); «Se echa a reír inconteniblemente» (Ulive Dorado [Ur. 1989]). Es raro en España, pero bastante común en algunas zonas de América, el uso de echar a en construcciones transitivas, con el sentido de ‘hacer que [algo o alguien] empiece a moverse o a funcionar’: «El muchacho echó a andar su máquina» (Mastretta Vida [Méx. 1990]). Debe evitarse el uso de esta construcción con infinitivos que no impliquen movimiento, con el simple sentido de ‘comenzar’: «Echaron a haber problemas» (Alape Paz [Col. 1985]).

3. echar a faltar. → 4.

4. echar (de) menos. Locución verbal transitiva que significa ‘notar la falta [de alguien o algo]’: «Es usted buena persona, Fischer, lo echaré de menos» (Collyer Pájaros [Chile 1995]). La variante echar menos, frecuente en otras épocas, está hoy en desuso: «Se echó menos la socorrida solución de un artículo del Diccionario» (Casares Idioma [Esp. 1944]). Igualmente correcta es la expresión echar en falta: «Si decidía retirarme al dormitorio, nadie me echaría en falta» (FdzCubas Altillos [Esp. 1983]); se desaconseja echar a faltar, construcción influida por el catalán trobar a faltar.

5. echar en falta. → 4.
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echar ~ de menos, o ~ menos a alguien o algo.
1. (Del port. achar menos, hallar menos). frs. Advertir, notar su falta.
2. frs. Tener sentimiento y pena por su falta.
El verbo “echar” es la lógica evolución del verbo latino iactare (= arrojar, despedir, pensar, discurrir). Si bien se mira, tiene su lógica la expresión “echar de menos”. Es como si nuestro ánimo arrojara una especie de suspiro por percatarse de que la otra persona está lejos.
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Para comprobar que es correcto, se puede utilizar el infinitivo...
'Echar de menos' o 'Hacer de menos'
No obstante, en google "echar de menos" son 214000 entradas
y "hechar de menos" son 14800, luego se ve que es un error muy común
)o quizás a final se aceptan ambos??)

Sorry fot the long spanish chat.

[Eric]

Guess I should stop paying attention in class. ;D

[sosia]

perhaps you can get a discount
And thanks for the term "word ellision" I didn't know it.
We should have some similar term in spanish, but I don't remember the name.
Guess I didn't pay attention in class that time

[Mom of 5]

Yes, I think echar de menos is the correct version.