General
che
What does che mean?
By extension, 'un che' can mean an Argentine person, since the word so marks their speech, and it gave Ernesto 'Che' Guevara his nickname.
"Lo llamaban Che por su tonada argentina. (They called him Che for his Argentine speech.)"
Origin
Though strictly older and broader than Lunfardo, 'che' saturates Rioplatense speech and tango and is documented alongside the dialect by the Academia Portena del Lunfardo; its etymology is genuinely disputed among Guarani, Mapuche and Valencian/Italian candidates.
Frequently asked questions
What does che mean?
It's an attention-getting interjection like 'hey' or 'mate'.
Where did che come from?
Its origin is disputed, with candidates in Guarani, Mapuche, and Valencian/Italian forms of address.
Is che why Guevara was called 'Che'?
Yes, his constant use of the word marked him as Argentine to his Cuban comrades.
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