A ''grito'' or ''grito mexicano'' (, Spanish for "shout") is a common Mexican
interjection, used as an expression.
Characteristics
This interjection is similar to the ''
yahoo
Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo! Inc. (2017–present), Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds ma ...
'' or ''
yeehaw
Ya haw or Yee-haw may refer to:
*"Yee-Haw", a british dance otherwise known as the, "Jolly Swig Swag"
*"Yee Haw", a song by Jake Owen
*"Yee Haw", a song by The BossHoss
*Yeehaw Junction, Florida
See also
* Rebel yell
The rebel yell was a ...
'' of the American cowboy during a
hoedown
A hoedown is a type of American folk dance or square dance in duple meter, and also the musical form associated with it.
Overview
The most popular sense of the term is associated with Americans in rural or southeastern parts of the country, par ...
, with added
ululation trills and
onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Such a word itself is also called an onomatopoeia. Common onomatopoeias include animal noises such as ''oink'', ''m ...
closer to "aaah" or "aaaayyyyeeee", that resemble a laugh while performing it.
The first sound is typically held as long as possible, leaving enough breath for a trailing set of trills.
Usage
The ''grito'' is sometimes used as part of the official remembrance of the
Shout of Dolores, during the celebration of
Mexican Independence Day.
The ''grito mexicano'' has patriotic connotations.
It is commonly done immediately prior to the popular Mexican
war cry
A battle cry or war cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant group.
Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious ...
: "¡Viva Mexico, Señores!" (Long live Mexico!, Gentlemen!).
References
Mexican culture
Mexican Spanish
Spanish words and phrases
Mexican-American culture
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