"orale" ??? (Mexican Spanish)

[Alan]

From the contexts in which I've heard it used, "orale" seems to have a
meaning of "hey", "listen up", "check this out", etc. Always (from my
experience) at the beginning of a sentence, it seems to serve the purpose of
a general sort of attention-getting interjection. Is this correct?
I'd appreciate not only a clarification, but also any clues as to its
etymology. Thanks.

[PT]

While you're at it, add hijole and andale

They're all exclamations of astonishment, encouragement, etc.. but I'm never
clear which means exactly what.

"Alan" <***@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:HPFBe.2381$***@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
From the contexts in which I've heard it used, "orale" seems to have a
meaning of "hey", "listen up", "check this out", etc. Always (from my
experience) at the beginning of a sentence, it seems to serve the purpose of
a general sort of attention-getting interjection. Is this correct?
I'd appreciate not only a clarification, but also any clues as to its
etymology. Thanks.

[Ken Berry]

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale
They're all exclamations of astonishment, encouragement, etc.. but I'm never
clear which means exactly what.
From the contexts in which I've heard it used, "orale" seems to have a
meaning of "hey", "listen up", "check this out", etc. Always (from my
experience) at the beginning of a sentence, it seems to serve the purpose of
a general sort of attention-getting interjection. Is this correct?
I'd appreciate not only a clarification, but also any clues as to its
etymology. Thanks.

I am pretty sure that 'orale' is used as an expression or indication of
agreement: "Right!..." or "OK..."

I am pretty sure that 'orale' is used as an expression or indication of
agreement, as in "Right! That's agreed..." (¡Orale! en eso quedamos...")
or "OK".

Fairly clearly, it derives from the verb 'orar' - to pray, 'orate' (make
a speech), beg a favour, request... but probably, in its current
ancillary though affirmative sense, more resembles the now largely
archaic but similarly derived English expression 'pray' -- "What, pray,
is this?" "Pray, tell us..."

[Aidan Kehoe]

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale

Hmm--so is the font /'ɑndæle/ Mono, then? (And why isn’t “Ándale” in the
RAE’s online dictionary?)

Post by PT
They're all exclamations of astonishment, encouragement, etc.. but I'm
never clear which means exactly what.
From the contexts in which I've heard it used, "orale" seems to have a
meaning of "hey", "listen up", "check this out", etc. Always (from my
experience) at the beginning of a sentence, it seems to serve the purpose of
a general sort of attention-getting interjection. Is this correct?
I'd appreciate not only a clarification, but also any clues as to its
etymology. Thanks.

[Javi]

Post by Aidan Kehoe

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale

Hmm--so is the font /'ɑndæle/ Mono, then? (And why isn’t “Ándale” in the
RAE’s online dictionary?)

It is. But the DRAE does not, in principle, list inflexed words
independently. You have to look at "andar":

[QUOTE ON]
ándale.
1. expr. coloq. Méx. U. para animar a alguien a hacer algo.
[QUOTE OFF]

The origin of the expression comes from meaning nº 19 of andar:

[QUOTE ON]
19. prnl. p. us. Ocuparse en, o ponerse a, ejecutar una determinada
acción. Andarse A pelear
[QUOTE OFF]

--
Javi

[Alan]

thanks for the help with "andale", Javi --- how about "orale"???

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale

Hmm--so is the font /'?ndæle/ Mono, then? (And why isn't "Ándale" in the
RAE's online dictionary?)

It is. But the DRAE does not, in principle, list inflexed words
independently. You have to look at "andar":

[QUOTE ON]
ándale.
1. expr. coloq. Méx. U. para animar a alguien a hacer algo.
[QUOTE OFF]

The origin of the expression comes from meaning nº 19 of andar:

[QUOTE ON]
19. prnl. p. us. Ocuparse en, o ponerse a, ejecutar una determinada
acción. Andarse A pelear
[QUOTE OFF]

--
Javi

[Javi]

Post by Alan
thanks for the help with "andale", Javi --- how about "orale"???

I cannot tell you much more than the DRAE:

[QUOTE ON]
órale.

1. interj. coloq. Méx. U. para exhortar.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
[QUOTE OFF]

The fact that "órale" is listed as an independent word and not under de
verb "orar" means that the RAE does not believe that "órale" is related
to "orar"; but they do not offer an etymology.

--
Javi

[Ken Berry]

Post by Javi

Post by Alan
thanks for the help with "andale", Javi --- how about "orale"???

[QUOTE ON]
órale.
1. interj. coloq. Méx. U. para exhortar.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
[QUOTE OFF]
The fact that "órale" is listed as an independent word and not under de
verb "orar" means that the RAE does not believe that "órale" is related
to "orar"; but they do not offer an etymology.
--
Javi

Just as a matter of interest, Javi, what edition of the Dictionary of
the Royal Spanish Academy are you using? I have the 21st edition of 1992
and it does not have an entry for órale at all, though it is in my
Oxford Spanish dictionary...

[Javi]

Post by Ken Berry

Post by Javi

Post by Alan
thanks for the help with "andale", Javi --- how about "orale"???

[QUOTE ON]
órale.
1. interj. coloq. Méx. U. para exhortar.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados
[QUOTE OFF]
The fact that "órale" is listed as an independent word and not under
de verb "orar" means that the RAE does not believe that "órale" is
related to "orar"; but they do not offer an etymology.
--
Javi

Just as a matter of interest, Javi, what edition of the Dictionary of
the Royal Spanish Academy are you using? I have the 21st edition of 1992
and it does not have an entry for órale at all, though it is in my
Oxford Spanish dictionary...

I'm using the on line 22nd edition, at www.rae.es

--
Javi

[John Atkinson]

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale

Hmm--so is the font /'?ndæle/ Mono, then? (And why isn't "Ándale" in

the

RAE's online dictionary?)

It is. But the DRAE does not, in principle, list inflexed words
independently. You have to look at "andar":

[QUOTE ON]
ándale.
1. expr. coloq. Méx. U. para animar a alguien a hacer algo.
[QUOTE OFF]

So it means the same as English "Go it!", eh?

John.

[Javi]

Post by Javi

Post by PT
While you're at it, add hijole and andale

Hmm--so is the font /'?ndæle/ Mono, then? (And why isn't "Ándale" in

the

RAE's online dictionary?)

It is. But the DRAE does not, in principle, list inflexed words
[QUOTE ON]
ándale.
1. expr. coloq. Méx. U. para animar a alguien a hacer algo.
[QUOTE OFF]
So it means the same as English "Go it!", eh?

Yes, that can be one of its meaning; "come on" is another similar. And,
in the same sense, it can also mean "OK = do it" (as an answer to a
proposed action, but not in sentences as "I am OK").

[PT]

As to "hijole". From the contexts in which I've heard it used (Mexican
telenovelas mostly), it seems to be an exclamation of astonishment - "wow"
or "really??"

Is this correct?

[e***@yahoo.com]

Post by PT
As to "hijole". From the contexts in which I've heard it used (Mexican
telenovelas mostly), it seems to be an exclamation of astonishment - "wow"
or "really??"
Is this correct?

I guess so. Trust me, if you start a sentence with "hijo", all Spanish
speakers fill in the blank automatically, and it's not "le". :)

As for "órale", I'd guess it comes from "ahora"/"hora" and then "le",
more precisely from the expression "en buena hora". Some Brazilians
certainly have shortened this expression down to "bo" or "ra". ("Em boa
hora" --> "embora" --> "bora" --> "bo"/"ra")

I found from the web:
híjole = caray,
órale = ya está,
ándale = vamos.

recorded by Fernández Gordillo in Diccionario de Español de México.

-- Ekki

[PT]

And I recall that "caray" is a short form of "carajo" - also used as an
exclamation of surprise

Post by PT
As to "hijole". From the contexts in which I've heard it used (Mexican
telenovelas mostly), it seems to be an exclamation of astonishment - "wow"
or "really??"
Is this correct?

I guess so. Trust me, if you start a sentence with "hijo", all Spanish
speakers fill in the blank automatically, and it's not "le". :)

As for "órale", I'd guess it comes from "ahora"/"hora" and then "le",
more precisely from the expression "en buena hora". Some Brazilians
certainly have shortened this expression down to "bo" or "ra". ("Em boa
hora" --> "embora" --> "bora" --> "bo"/"ra")

I found from the web:
híjole = caray,
órale = ya está,
ándale = vamos.

recorded by Fernández Gordillo in Diccionario de Español de México.

-- Ekki