Che (interjection)
Che is an interjection commonly used in Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Spain, signifying "hey!", "fellow", "guy". Che is mainly used as a noun of address to call someone's attention,
but it is often used as filler too. The Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara earned his nickname from his frequent use of the expression, which amused his Cuban comrades.
Etymology
Che is an interjection of unclear origin. According to the Diccionario de la Lengua Española, it is comparable to the archaic ce used in Spain to ask for someone's attention or to make someone stop. Che is now mainly used in Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay. In Brazil, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the form tchê is used, and in the state of São Paulo the form ché is used.In Spain, in the Valencia region, the form xe is used, with a similar meaning.
Due to its spread in South America, alternative etymologies have been suggested by analogy with indigenous words:
- In Tupi-Guarani, spoken by certain ethnic groups from Argentina to Brazil, che means simply "I" or "my."
- In the native Araucanian and Chonan language families of the Southern Cone, che means "man" or "people" and is often used as a suffix for ethnonyms in these languages.
- In Kimbundu, spoken by Congolese slaves during colonial times, xê means "hey!", an interjection for calling someone.
Usage
The first recorded use of che in Spanish America appears to be in 19th-century Argentine writer Esteban Echeverría's short story "The Slaughter Yard", published posthumously in 1871 but set in 1838–1839 in the Rosas era.Che, negra bruja, salí de aquí antes de que te pegue un tajo—exclamaba el carnicero.