Mariposa

Mariposa
 

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for November 1, 2009

mariposa (feminine noun (la)) — butterfly. Look up mariposa in the dictionary

La mariposa se veía muy delicada.
The butterfly looked very delicate.

Hay una película española que a mí me gustó mucho: La lengua de las mariposas.

También significa maricón.

Más bien "mariposón" ;)

In the dictionary it says that "mariposa" means (amongst other things) "night light". That's kind of interesting. Is that the most common way to say "night light"?

So could I say something like this:
Puse una mariposa en el baño para que mis invitados no se pierden en la noche.
????

Nosotros usamos mariposón sino directamente "maricón" :), pero también he escuchado mariposa por maricón.

@laepelba:

Nunca he escuchado eso de que signifique luz nocturna...

RAE says that about "mariposa" and "maricón", too. Do you happen to know if the word maricón refers to "wood" and to "bassoons" as well? In older usage of English "fag" or "faggot" meant a piece of wood, and often older musical scores use "faggot" for the bassoon part.

Thanks for your answer to my question about the night light. Luz nocturna. Got it! :)

Not that I am aware of it.

You're very welcome. :)

No, a mariquita is a ladybug, and a maricón is a big ladybug. Both have
a gay context, but marica or mariquita (I believe) are less offensive. Also Marica is a girl's name much the way Gay is.
Those pieces of wood as term for homosexuality have an interesting but somewhat horriible history. In the middle ages homosexuals were gathered together much like faggots and burned alive:eek:

In Britain, sometimes cigarettes are called fags.

@Lou Ann: I'm with Hernán there. I've always heard "luz nocturna" or "luz de noche". "Mariposa" is always an animal for me. :D

@Poli: At least in Mexico, "maricón" or "marica" are widely used, but they're definitely not less offensive than any other words.
Btw, "Marica" or "Mariquita" are endearment variations of "María", but many Marías I know hate being called that. :)

@Irma: Great movie, but terrible movie, if you know what I mean. ;)

Marica (NF) is also magpie.

Todas las olas de las mariposas son diferentes . :D Unas aparecen como los ojos para asustar los depredadores

The butterfly flight over my home.

I like the butterflies over my garden.


There's a place in Mexico where there's a wood and there always each year bang year they arrives to the wood and they stay during most at 3 months.

Alas. Olas son lo que necesitas para hacer el surf. (Bueno, y tabla :p)

Gracias!