Kinda curious about this. I am black (brown skinned) and where I work there a lot of Mexican, Gautemalan, people there. For the past few weeks I’ve been working with this lady who calls me “Moreno” when she needs to get my attention or show me something. I just assumed it meant “cutie” or “sweetheart” or something like that. But I finally got around to looking up the word a few minutes ago and saw that it means “brown skinned”, “dark haired”, ect. So… is she calling me the “N” word or is it not a derogatory term?
I’m assuming something is lost in translation because she doesn’t seem to dislike me and it always friendly and smiling but then again maybe she’s smiling because she’s insulting me to my face and I have no idea :xeye: Just figured I’d ask cuz’ now i’m not sure if I should be upset or if she doesn’t mean anything by it. Also, how would I say “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me that.”, in spanish?
If she’s saying it in a nice, flirtatious way, then she’s giving you a nick name (good thing). If she sounds dry and condescending when she says it, then she’s just singling you out cuz you’re dark skinned.
It’s not really that big a deal though. It’s nothing like the N word at all. If you were white and blond, she’d probably call you “rubio”, which is used the same way to describe someone who’s white/blond.
Nothing wrong with it. Has no literal equivalent in English. In English calling someone ‘browny’ or saying “hey, black” etc would be seen as vulgar and offensive. It’s not the same. Don’t worry about it, flirt back.
Latinos don’t tend to be very nuanced with their nicknames. Usually they will just call you “Gordo” (fat) if you’re fat, etc. It isn’t automatically insulting like it is in American-English, unless she has a tone I think she’s just being friendly and giving you a nickname.
:u: yeah some endearing spanish nicknames are pretty funny when you try to translate them in english. if she ever calls you a maricon then it’s time to start swinging.