Saturday 25 October 2008

My thoughts turned to killing

Spaniards are pretty plain speaking. For instance the offices that foreigners, like me, need to go to for various bits of paperwork are called "Foreigner's Offices".

The Spanish verb to kill is matar.

It`s the root of the word for a bullfighter - Matador, literally killer.

Matar is the the root of the word for a slaughter - Matanza.

I've said before how the people in Ciudad Rodrigo really like eating pigs. I had the local version of mashed potato in a bar today for instance; the mashed potato was flavoured with seasoned pig fat. The Matanza is one of the big family events that goes on around here in November and December. It is traditionally when the family pig was butchered and prepared to keep the family in meat through the winter. I don't think there is quite so much rubber apron and blood nowadays as in the past but the feast still remains a big event for family and friends.

Matar is also the root of the word for an abbatoir - Matadero.

When we happened to pass the old, and soon to be demolished, Municipal Slaughterhouse only moments after we'd seen these nice little piggies snuffling away under the oak trees it set me to thinking about the links.

No comments: