I've heard "taruga" and "tarada" growing up too.  "Tonta" is another 
synonym.  I have to admit I call my own kids some of those names from 
time to time. Just trying to keep the tradition going...  :)

I wonder if it's because our culture hasn't gotten on the politically 
correct bandwagon? I thought about that when President Fox made that 
statement about our gente taking jobs "that even Blacks won't take". 
The Mexican response to the American one was that it wasn't meant to 
offend. Understanding our cultura the way I understand it I knew that 
to be true. However, Fox was criticized because; as some pointed out, 
he was educated here in the States and should've known better.

Maria

p.s. Another word that I remember hearing is "vaquetón".  This one 
means rascal or something along those lines.

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "John Gonzalez" <1gnzlz@v...> wrote:
> I've heard "tarugo"  and "tarado".  Tarugo as in "como eres 
tarugo"   Not being very smart,  almost like "como eres menso".  
Tarugo, tarado, and menso are used in about the same context.
> I know, I've been called all three at different times!
> 
> John 
> 
> 1gnzlz@v...
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: latina1955@a... 
>   To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 2:26 PM
>   Subject: Re: [ranchos] Re: Name Calling
> 
> 
>   "Tarayata" sounds linked to "taragua" which I was often called 
because I was considered lazy when I was younger - I simply didn't 
enjoy doing the household chores while my brothers were out 
playing :).  Perhaps the "tara" portion is the relationship in a 
similar base language, which be in this area of discussion!
> 
>   Esperanza
> 
> 
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Emilie,

Those two words are definitely not found in the dictinary of the "Real 
Academia Española".  

I'm familiar with one similar word "zurumbato" or "zurumbata" in its 
feminine gender.  I ignore its true meaning or origin but in the 
context that I remember hearing that adjetive it was always applied to 
someone with a poor head, like stunned or stupid, in the sense of a 
temporary mental numbness.  For example, "andaba bien zurumbato".

This link below shows another example.  Just click and scroll down to 
example 16:

http://www.aaanet.org/sla/jla/wea_13_2_haney_clips.htm

The other word, "tarayata" I really don't remember.

Victor


--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "Emilie Garcia" <auntyemfaustus@h...> 
wrote:
> I wonder if anyone in the group knows the meaning of two words used 
by my parents to chide us when we were children.  My mother, a Native 
American-Mexican from New Mexico used to call me "surumata".  My 
father, who was from Jerez, Zacatecas, used to call me "tarayata".  
What are these names?  Are they Indian tribes, or what?
> 
> Thanks,  
>     
>    Emilie Garcia
>    Port Orchard, WAGet more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer 
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