Popcorn - canguil - palomitas de maiz

[BobRitter]

Taking classes here in Ecuador and my text has "el cangil" defined as popcorn. Locals all seem to know the word but I can't find it in my dictionary or on the web.

Also they pronounce the "gi" with the hard g sound. I thought "gi" was pronounced with the j as in "registro" or "higiénico".

Thank you, Bob Ritter

[wrholt]

Taking classes here in Ecuador and my text has "el cangil" defined as popcorn. Locals all seem to know the word but I can't find it in my dictionary or on the web.

Also they pronounce the "gi" with the hard g sound. I thought "gi" was pronounced with the j as in "registro" or "higiénico".

Thank you, Bob Ritter

Welcome to the word of regional vocabulary and regional slang, which does not necessarily appear in general-purpose dictionaries.

If the word is written "el cangil" but pronounced as if it should be written as "el canguil", that may possibly just be local custom. Another possibility to consider is that the word comes from a local native language that uses different spelling rules than standard Spanish and everyone uses the spelling from the local native language.

[poli]

I have a Peruvian friend who uses the term canchas for big corn kernals.

In other parts of South America popcorn is also called pochoclo.

[JPablo]

Wow, I had no idea...,
But DRAE gives (the "gui" pronounced "soft") (Ec. meaning "Ecuador")
canguil.
1. m. Ec. Especie de maíz de grano pequeño y duro, especial para hacer rosetas.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

[BobRitter]

Thank you JPablo. My text has a typo and left out the u in canguil. Looking further I found in
AsiHablamos.com El diccionario Latinoamericano, para poder entendernos:
Sinónimos : Canchita Crispetas Cotufas Pochoclo Palomitas Rositas Cabritas Pipoca Pororó Popcorn
Canguil seems to be in Ecuador only

[JPablo]

You're welcome. In Spain, "palomitas" or "palomitas de maiz" is the most common... Although in Barcelona, "Crispetas" is also widely used (I believe from Catalonian influence?). The term "rosetas" (also defined in DRAE) was also new for me.
I take "Pochoclo" must be Argentinean (Alec may or may not confirm that...) The other terms are quite new for me too, although I think I'd be able to recognize in the context of a conversation...

The funny thing about the forum is that sometimes the "natives" are learning more of our language than the foreign one we try to "perfect"...

(So I take that "canguil" pronounced "soft" is what will be understood and widely used in Ecuador, right?)

[BobRitter]

Here in Ecuador they say canguil with the hard g like the rules dictate. I assume that it is an Equador specific word.

Thanks all for the help. Bob Ritter

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Bob: Confusing the sound and writing of "gu" and "g" is a rather common fault.
For example, there are many people who pronounce the word "cónyuge" as "cónyugue" instead of "cónyuje".
There is a sad anecdote of a Mexican president reading "Borgues" as the last name of famous writer "Jorge Luis Borges". ;(

[JPablo]

Jracias Anguélica...
Sería casi tan malo como cantar "Ay Galisco no the ragues..." (Pero eso ya es rizar el rizo...) (O quemar el canguil...)