What is the meaning of this slang word?
This has been bothering me for years. I am from Los Angeles and have heard the term "weta" directed at blonde white girls my whole life. I was told it is derogatory, and have tried every possible spelling in the translator, to no avail. It is pronounced exactly as I spelled it. I figured since it wasn't in the translator it must be pretty bad. I figure it is used mostly in Mexico. Can anyone help me out?
Muchas gracias mis amigos!
12 Answers
Güera (o) ........ A slang way to say Blond
You think? It's always said with a strong "w" sound, not a "gu" sound. And just strictly blonde would be "rubia", no?
This is the English meaning of the word.
The weta family comprises around 70 insect species endemic to the New Zealand archipelago. They are large by insect standards, some species among the largest and heaviest in the world. Their physical appearance is that of a cross between a cockroach and a cricket with the addition of large legs. Their name (strictly, w?t?) comes from a word in the M?ori language, meaning "god of ugly things", but has been incorporated into New Zealand English, so the plural "wetas" may appear.
I do not know whether there is a Spanish meaning of the same word.
Hola! I am a native Spanish speaker, Mexican-American. I grew up in Matamoros, Mexico and Brownsville, Texas. Güero/a can be used pejoratively or not, depending on the speaker. Generally, it is not used only as a slur. It is most commonly used in Mexico, as Central American countries have their own slang. While I am a natural red-head with brown eyes and olive skin, some of my other Mexican friends, and even my family, called me güerita as a kid. I can assure you it was not meant as a slur. However, I also heard a few girls growing up call me "güera" and it was NOT meant nicely. It's all in the tone.
Think of it like describing a white American girl as "basic". It can be used as a pejorative to demean young white women who embody a certain stereotype, or used simply to describe a friend affectionately.
Güera/ o - Blond (Mexico): It is not derogatory just slang. They called me "mono" in Colombia, "canche" in Guatemala, "macho" in Costa Rica, and, of course, "Güero" in Mexico.
I live in El Paso. While I can't speak for other places, it is used here in El Paso as a derogatory slur, for certain. I teach in the schools here, and I'll hear Latino kids call another Latino "weto/wedo" or "weta/weda" and it's definitely meant as a put-down, especially judging by the way the kid being called that reacts. It's like saying "Stop acting like a stupid white person." It's a direct challenge to the person's Latino identity. If someone called me a weta, I wouldn't take it as a neutral term. I've never heard it used in any way but as an insult here, and since we're on the Mexican border, how it's used here is similar to how it's used in Mexico. It's Mexican street slang, most likely a corruption of "guero" but it is NOT the same word, despite other commentors' insistence, so you won't find it in any standard Spanish dictionary. I've read online that it's not suppose to be an insult, but it seems people are confusing this with "guero," which IS a neutral term, or they are refusing to recognize it as an alternation of that word. But "weto/wedo" is pronounced with a forceful, English-like "w" sound, like the OP said, and not the Spanish "gu" sound. It's almost like they are spitting the word at you. It is as if it's meant to sound as unpleasant and contra-Latino as its meaning.
"A term used for Latinas who have a fairer complexion and lighter hair/eyes than their more darker Latina counterparts. It is not the same as a "gringa." It is important to note that in the spelling there is an umlaut above the letter "u" giving it a "w" sound, pronounced like "weda". Can be either derogatory or complimentary given the circumstances. The masculine form would be guero." link text
guera (with the two dots over the u) means blonde or a person of fair skin.
You are indeed talking of the word "guera". Julian told you right. How do I know? I have many Mexican friends, many of whom affectionately call me "guera". It is not derogatory, only descriptive. To the untrained English ear it sounds exactly like "weda". "Guera" can mean blonde like already mentioned, but it also means light-skinned.
If you look for "weta" in the English Wikipedia, you will get substantially the same information that Eddy provides. If you then, from the weta article, change the language to español, you will get a slightly different article on "weta" (different enough not to be a simple translation). The point is that Wikipedia Español, at least, verifies the use of "weta" in Spanish.
...and AmyKay, I don't believe that you look like a bug; some folk just have no taste.
güera
It means white girl
