“Hugo” and Diego
Why Do They Call Him Hugo?
I was recently asked to post another prompt for readers and something just happened that has brought a topic to mind. I’ve had workers here for almost a month working on my doggie domain. (If you don’t know the backstory, just search on my blog, using the words “doggie domain.”) As you know if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, I have three dogs named Frida, Diego and Morrie (in descending order of size and mischievousness). Just now I heard Francisco ask Mateo, “Where is Hugo? Diego is here.” Since I don’t have a dog named Hugo, it suddenly has occurred to me that both men call Morrie “Hugo.” I’ve heard them do it before, in spite of the fact that they’ve asked his name several times and I’ve always told them his name is “Morrie.” Please write an essay, short story or poem exposing your answer to the question, “Why do my Spanish-speaking brilliant construction engineers call my dog Hugo?”
You can send your answer as a comment and I will reprint it on my blog with a link to your blog.
Frida–She who prefers to be alone!
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
Interesting. Scratching my head for an answer……let me come back with one.
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The name Hugo is a Spanish baby name. In Spanish the meaning of the name Hugo is “Intelligent.” It means something similar in other languages, including German. But on the street, it means someone who can smoke weed and still do their job. Morrie looks GREAT. I’m still trying to get a decent picture of Bonnie since I got her groomed and she doesn’t look like a bag of dirty black rags!
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Marilyn you’re quite right of course, but I prefer my possibility. see below. 🙂 Anton
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With all the construction mess, Morrie is gritty, powdered and grubby, but I don’t dare wash him or I’m afraid the cement dust will set and I’ll have a little dog sculpture rather than a mobile canine! He is so damn cute, though. No matter what he does, I forgive pretty fast. And you may be right, because the construction geniuses told me Morrie was mischievous but intelligent! They seem enamored of him even though he has eaten four of their sponges. Well, actually chewed up and spit out. I tell them not to leave them on the ground, but. They do hang their lunches high up on a Quetzacoatl sculpture, though–and the new knapsack I gave the unfortunate who knapsack got chewed up by Morrie when he left a sandwich in the zippered pocket. I love both your and Anton’s explanations and even more love that you both went out of your way to help me solve the mystery…and that both of you understand Spanish well enough from afar to help this Mexican dweller out!!!
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Blush, blush. I did all my research online and don’t speak Spanish at all. A little French and whatever Hebrew stuck in my brain is about it. But I seem to have gotten very good at ferreting information out of the depths of the Internet.
Them there Scotties are just dreadfully adorable. Bob finally got an almost in focus picture of Bonnie in her new coiffure … so I’ve got a before and after shot to post. Maybe tomorrow. Yes, I think tomorrow 🙂 If Bonnie approves, of course.
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It doesn’t make it any easier that they are so black. I have 3 or 4 unsuccessful shots for every good one of Morrie–maybe more as I only see the ones I keep!
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The black eyes in the thatch of black fur makes them VERY hard to photograph … and that’s under really good conditions. That they are never still unless they are asleep doesn’t help either. I see all these great Scottie pictures on the Internet and I keep wondering what do those photographers know that I don’t? Because I’ve spent years trying to get a few decent shots of Bonnie. Years!
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They know how to sedate their dogs!!! Or perhaps they are Mori?
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Hey, you get extra credit for research. I am crazy about learning things with no effort on my part!!!
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I’m not conversant in Spanish, but I would expect that Morrie presents pronunciation problems — or it is a word that has an untoward meaning n Spanish!
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I meant to ask for notification on comments. Oops.
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Judy, I may have solved your problem. And then I may not! 🙂
TALKING DOGGEREL
I have a digitally comunicated online friend in Mexico who cannot understand why two construction workers who are doing a job for her always call her dog, Morrie, Hugo.
Well I gave this a lot of thought and it struck me that Francisco and Mateo, her workmen, might not like the sound of the pooch’s name as in Spanish ‘mori’ means ‘I died’.
She has two other dogs called Diego and Frida and one can well understand the workmen being quite happy with two such familiar names. So on seeing the animals they would naturally say “Hola, Diego y Frida”. Then stop in a very nervous way and quench their thirst after working in the sun. No way would they say “Hola, Mori.”
But, looking at the third little dog they would probably smile and make coochie-coo noises while having a cold drink. And ten to one Francisco would turn to Mateo, while looking at Morrie, and hold out a glass saying interrogatively, “Jugo?”
It is one of those words that the Mexicans don’t quite pronounce the same as the Iberians!
Anton
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I like your explanation better than mine!
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I love your answer Anton, and had thought of the similarity to muerte but not that Morrie sounded exactly like mori. You have to be right, and it is hilarious. I think Marilyn solved the mystery of why they call him Hugo, though, as they told me he was mischievous but intelligent–twice! The two of you should form a brain trust or linguistic consultant service. Or a detective agency. Thanks so much. ( I also love your description “digitally comunicated online friend.” Thanks for relieving my curiosity and tickling my funny bone at the same time!
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Scotties are awfully smart. Too smart for their own good. But also … dreadfully, fearsome cute.
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He is so influenced by peer pressure..He just looks at Diego for what to do. They are so adorable when playing, but the growling and tussling sometimes drives me crazy as they want to be right underfoot doing it!!!
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Terriers in general and especially Scotties want to be feared. They do a lot of growling and play snarling. We always tell how how terrifying she is and that makes her feel better.
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I love that phrase “fearsome cute.”
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Thanks.Judy. I like your suggestions that Marilyn and I should start a linguistic consultancy cum detective agency.with my very limited Hebrew and her online Spanish the only people we would ever catch would be very odd indeed 🙂 re Scotties, my mother had a lovely all black one called Dougal who was adored by all but died before I was born. mum used to take him on stage with her and by all accounts he stole the show. I have seen many black and white photos of him taken in the late 20s and 30s. btw is Frida related to Garbo? ciao. Anton
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Yes. That was the implication, but it is merely a complex.
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Talking doggerel–HA!!! Missed giving you proper appreciation for that. Sounds like a poem title to me.
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Check in later. Bonnie is ready for her closeup!
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Bated breath. Trying to decide whether to awaken Morrie for her pinup. (Sleeping as though dead, Anton!) I am still chuckling over their perplexity over naming my dog “I died.” So funny.
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Tell him Bonnie will write him as soon as I go to bed and she can get online 😀
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He’s sound asleep and Mommy avails herself of the peace and quiet during these periods…Bonnie’s messages will have to wait to be delivered to her cyber romance.
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