mono rubio blonde ??

tulip_ana says on Feb 13, 2005, 05:08:

mono-logia not enough!

mono can mean monkey too. i know what mono means in spanish coz i speak spanish. but what i am interested in knowing is why we call monos blonde people.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 13, 2005, 05:20:

just a wild guess because people thought rubios were cute?

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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SiempreHero says on Feb 13, 2005, 05:55:

Good Topic I researched this topic and continue to follow up whenever I return to Bogota. The story that I was able to piece together is that at one time it was in style for wealthy people to keep monkeys ("Monas"). During that same time, the only people that could afford to color their hair where wealthy people. Some how the connection was made and blonds were called Monas. The story was told to me from the barbar shop girls at the Nogal Club. So, seems reasonable. I also did hear that mona was slang for cute.

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SiempreHero says on Feb 13, 2005, 05:58:

Only Colombia If you go to other countries and use the word "Mona" to describe a blond, they look at you like your speaking pig latin. I recall that when i arrived, people would keep refering to my barber as "La Mona". I thought they were joking until I understood the connotation.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 13, 2005, 06:43:

One important distinction One thing I learned quickly is that "Es mono" means "he's blond" whereas "Es un mono" means "He's a monkey."

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tulip_ana says on Feb 13, 2005, 07:04:

hmmm i dont think so you can say: el es un mono divino (he is a super cute blonde) and it doesnt mean hes a monkey.

other strange thing is in la costa not only blonde people but white ones are called monos too.

the problem with rubio is i dont feel comfty with the word coz im not used. so when im speaking spanish with other people that is not from colombia i have to say rubio and i feel all weird. i wish mono was worldwide word hehe.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 13, 2005, 09:19:

another explanation Another thing I've heard is that there are/were a lot of blond monkeys in Colombia and, thus, it became a term for blonds. No idea if this is really true.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 13, 2005, 10:28:

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/7433 Go to that link to see a cotton top tamarin

Mystery solved, in my opinion.

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utopiacowboy says on Feb 13, 2005, 12:29:

Why can't you use the word rubio/rubia? My wife uses this word all the time for blondes and she's as Colombian as they come.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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tulip_ana says on Feb 13, 2005, 12:33:

i can use the word, i just dont like it.

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jaramillo says on Feb 13, 2005, 18:39:

You think so Mr.Hollywood? Cotton top Tamarins have white hair. For a nice mono mono see:

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/golden_lion_tamarin.htm

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tulip_ana says on Feb 14, 2005, 05:51:

ahora esto si tiene sentido.

misterio solved

gracias :P

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BlondeJamesBond says on Feb 14, 2005, 06:49:

monojamesbond So if i'm being called a 'mono' is alright as long as the colombiana saying it is not jumping up and down, throwing bananas at me and making monkey noises! :D

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Miamigo says on Feb 14, 2005, 07:43:

Ni idea but I sometimes hear "catire" used, too.

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