Quemón

amic77

amic77

Senior Member
California
USA-English
Hello: I am working on translating a list of "mexicanismos" into English and am having trouble with the word "quemón". I have looked it up in several reference books and have seemed to narrow it down to meaning both "disappointed" and "surprised". Does it mean both of these things or am I off track? Also, how would "quemón" be used in context?
Thank you and happy New Year to all.
 
    • "Un quemón" is basically the same as "una quemada", but perhaps stronger or bigger. The meaning is putting oneself in a situation of ridicule.

    Pedro se emborrachó y vomitó en la alfombra de la sala --- ¡qué quemón!

    Saludos.
     
    Here's an attempt.
    Que quemón ====> what an idiot he made of himself,
    or, he really made a fool of himself.

    Saludos.
     
    It's not always negative, though, right? I'm attempting a translation of the movie La Mancha de Sangre and, in it, there's a scene of a raucous party that takes place in an small apartment. One of the characters there is a pimp and, at the urging of another attendee, says to one of his prostitutes, "Mira, nena. Báilale la dancita aquella para que estos amigos aquí se den un ligero quemón." I don't think he's suggesting that she humiliate them, but rather to arouse and perhaps scandalize them a bit. Is that wrong? Also, does anyone have any idea of how one might translate the above dialogue? I would hate to lose the fantastic image of "un ligero quemón", but all translations have their casualties, I suppose. If I recall correctly, it's compulsory around here to attempt a translation before requesting help with it, so here goes:

    "Listen, baby. Go dance that one little number so my friends here get a little hot."
    "Listen, baby. Go dance that one little number so my friends here get a little worked up."
    "Listen, baby. Go dance that one little number to give my friends here a dash of heat."
    "Listen, baby. Go dance that one little number to get my friends' blood running a little hotter."

    The idiom "hot under the collar" would've been a coup, but I can't find any definition of it that refers to sexual arousal; only anger.
     
    I came across a Spanish-to-German translation of "quemón"; the German word translates as "shame", "disgrace". I'm tempted to think that the meaning in your scenario (post 7) is as you suggest: a disgrace in the sense of a visible physical reaction on the part of the male attendees.
     
    In Palabras, modismos y expresiones del sur de Jalisco the definition given for "darse un ligero quemón" is "conocer algún asunto muy delicado", which squares with most of the examples I've seen. In English, it would seem to correspond to the idea of giving someone "a [little] taste" of something likely to surprise or upset them.

    Also, for an idea of how seriously disappointing it is to search Google Books for examples of "un ligero quemón" and find that the relevant texts can't be excerpted except as a single sentence-long fragment, consider the following:
    Ixca Farías said:
    Es por demás curioso un dato que me acabo de encontrar en la Gaceta Municipal, que trata sobre la pavimentación de las calles de esta ciudad, naturalmente con piedras, y para que te des un ligero quemón, estimado hermano lector, en lo que era la vida en Guadalajara allá por 1900.
    Click to expand...
    The end.
     
    altorange said:
    In Palabras, modismos y expresiones del sur de Jalisco the definition given for "darse un ligero quemón" is "conocer algún asunto muy delicado", which squares with most of the examples I've seen. In English, it would seem to correspond to the idea of giving someone "a [little] taste" of something likely to surprise or upset them.

    Also, for an idea of how seriously disappointing it is to search Google Books for examples of "un ligero quemón" and find that the relevant texts can't be excerpted except as a single sentence-long fragment, consider the following:

    The end.
    Click to expand...

    In these last examples is to "leave someone in awe", to surprise them, to prove them wrong. In the bar scene is implied that the friends would not expect such a hot performance from the hooker, maybe they've seen them all and thought this was just one of many.

    "Listen, baby. Go dance that one little number to give my friends here a dash of heat."
    Click to expand...
    To me, this one works best, it keeps the colloquial tone of the Spanish original.
     
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