Description
Spanish interpreters frequently encounter highly informal Mexican Spanish across court, medical, and community settings: slang, caló, barrio expressions, euphemisms, insults, humor, double meanings, and culturally loaded language that rarely translates well literally.
This 4-hour live online workshop explores current and classic Mexican caló with a special focus on Mexico City and central Mexico. Participants will examine how meaning is shaped not only by words, but also by tone, context, rhythm, metaphor, and speaker intent.
The class will cover commonly used expressions while also exploring the linguistic creativity behind caló: rhyme, sound substitution, playful expansion, metaphor, and social identity.
The workshop will also address:
- Caló mexicano vs. caló chicano
- The influence of urban culture, film, and social media
- Linguistic bias and attitudes toward “ñero” or “chakal” speech
- The role of register and non-standard language in interpreting
- Real-life examples and interpreting challenges involving slang and informal speech
Participants will engage in interactive activities, quizzes, and analysis of authentic expressions used in everyday Mexican urban Spanish.
This is not simply a “bad words” class or a vocabulary list. It is a practical language-access workshop designed to help interpreters better understand how informal Mexican Spanish actually works in real communicative situations.
Several Dates
June 27, 2026
July 25, 2026
August 29, 2026
September 26, 2026
October 31, 2026
November 21, 2026
December 12, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Location: Live Online via Zoom
Credits:
- 4 CE/CIMCE credits approved for California, Nevada, and Arizona
- CCHI-approved: 4 instructional hours
Registration Fee: $120
Instructor:
Lorena Pike, MA, CCI
Nevada & California Certified Court Interpreter
Faculty, UCSD Extended Studies Translation and Interpreting Program
