y juela [híjuela]

[NMChico24]

Several years ago when I lived southern New Mexico (specifically about 2 1/2 hours northeast of Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua), I used to hear bilingual coworkers use an interjection "¡y juela!" or "¡íjuela!" or some similar spelling. The stress was on the first syllable.

It was used as a general exclamation, often for surprise, disbelief, humorous situations (especially when borderline sexually explicit or outrageous), and occasionally when expressing frustration.

My question is two-fold:

1) Does anyone know how this would be spelled?

​

2) Does anyone know what it means exactly? Or is it some colloquialism unique to that specific area?

​

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[Yajaira]

The word wasn't "¡Híjole!"? I think I've heard of "¡Híjuela!" before and it was used in pretty much the same context as "¡Híjole!" meaning "damn!" but much stronger...like "son of a bitch!"

 

[rocstar]

Hijo de la (chingada)...became ¡Híjuela!

Something like...Son of a (bitch)...
It is used to express anger, disbelief, uneasiness..
It is used all over Mexico.

Rocstar

 

[Californio]

Hijo de la (chingada)...became ¡Híjuela!

Something like...Son of a (bitch)...
It is used to express anger, disbelief, uneasiness..
It is used all over Mexico.

Rocstar

RAE:

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta?TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=chingada

Saludos

 

[NMChico24]

ok, that makes sense. I searched here and on google and I couldn't find much of a discussion about it. Thank you for all your help!

 

[Tonatiuh]

The correct spelling should be: "Hijo é la", now correctly written it reads: "Hijo de la...". And it is the short form for: "Hijo de la Chingada", just as rocstar mentioned it. Many people in México use it to express anger, but in my case, I use it (and I hear as well) when something funny happened or in a sarcastic way: -¡Que Pedro compró un nuevo carro?! -¿En serio? "Hijo e lá".... Or also when angry: "hijo e la..." me las vas a pagar!!

God Bless!

 

[Leew16]

So, it isn't juela?