Cambalache

[poli]

I think it means barter, but RAE states unfair barter. In Argentinian Spanish, at least in the the wonderful jaded song "Cambalache" it appears to mean the marketplace.
I'm a little confused about the word. What is the best word for barter?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

I think it means barter, but RAE states unfair barter. In Argentinian Spanish, at least in the the wonderful jaded song "Cambalache" it appears to mean the marketplace.
I'm a little confused about the word. What is the best word for barter?

The correct word would be intercambio or cambio, but cambalache works for me too.

Cambalache means to exchange, trade. I guess in Argentina Cambalache would be like a Swapmeet, Fleamarket etc...

[poli]

Good. Thank you.
Do you think the term trueque is well understood? I only ask this becuase
I think barter is a very specific intercambio.

[Ambarina]

cambalache is a trade or barter but, as far as I know, has some kind of malicious intent as in trying to outdo the other trader or deceiving him.
Trueque is straightforward barter.

[sosia]

for me intercambio=trueque=cambalache.
"intercambio" has a wide range, from "bottles", to "market stocks" to "rockets"

"Hemos intercambiado nuestro papeles"
"Rusia y EEUU intercambiaron lanzamiento de misiles"
"Volkswagen y Suzuki intercambiaron acciones"

trueque, usually, is more low-levered, changing things or persons. usually it's used to avoid to use money.
"Hicimos un trueque, cerveza por cigarrillos, 10 clases de piano a cambio de pintarle la valla"
"hicimos un trueque, su hijo me ayudaba en el bar y mi hija le ayudaba en la peluquería"

cambalache is not so used, for me it refers to "intercambio", not necesary negative but "strange" or "not understand"
"los coleccionistas hablaron, y después de un camabalache entre ellos, cada uno volvió a su casa"

Saludos

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Trueque" da la idea de un intercambio de un objeto por otro de un valor equivalente.

Aunque "cambalache" se usa mucho para un intercambio simple, de un objeto por otro, en general, sí existe la una idea de cambiar algo mejor por algo peor...

Por cierto, "Cambalache" es el nombre de un tango muy conocido, donde la idea es bastante manifiesta... el video no es interesante, pero la letra se escucha clara:


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