Portuguese lesson - Brazilian nicknames

[gusl]

I'm way behind on blogging. My last project is due today, so this should hopefully change soon. In the meantime, let me share something.

I often get emails intended for other people named Gustavo Lacerda. One of the more recent offenders seems to be a mailing list for Franciscan seminary alumni, most of whom are presumably practicing Catholic priests. about 3% of whom join the clergy.

Today they sent me an Excel file listing nearly one thousand of their members, along with their street addresses and nicknames! (Strangely it's only A-S; they seem to be missing T-Z) The nicknames are wide-ranging. Some highlights:

* Véio - Old Man
* Turco - Turkish man
* Paralítico - Paralyzed/Disabled
* Ventania - gust of wind
* Cachaça - (alcoholic drink made from sugarcane)
* Brigite - (a female name)
* Monstrinho - Little Monster
* Charuto - Cigar
* Sapinho - Little Frog
* Gaguinho - Little Stutterer
* Ceguinho - Little Blind One
* Eu Exijo - I demand
* Aranha - Spider
* Careca - Bald One
* Tampinha - Little Bottlecap (nickname typically given to short people)
* Morcego - Bat
* Matusalém - Methuselah
* Bicudo - Beaky (typically given to someone with pointy lips)
* Formiga - Ant (several entries)
* Trator - Tractor
* Fantasminha - Little Ghost
* Ganso - Goose
* Bundão - Big Arse
* Siri - Crab
* Lerdinho - Little Slow One
* Gordo - Fat One
* Cerejeira - Cherry Tree
* Pulga - Flea
* Preguiça - Sloth (the animal or the vice)
* Macacão - Big Monkey / Overalls
* Bolacha - Cracker
* Camelo - Camel
* Minhoca - Earthworm
* Espanta - Fright
* Jacaré - Aligator
* Morte - Death
* "Zoiúdo" - Big-Eyes
* Pancinha - Little (big) Belly
* Espinho - Thorn
* Frangueiro - Shitty Goalie
* Caderneta Poupança - Savings Account
* Farinha - Flour
* Pelado - Naked
* Profeta - Prophet
* Pinóquio - Pinocchio
* Pinguim - Penguin
* Coruja - Owl
* Macaco - Monkey
* Marreteiro - Crook
* Satanás - Satan
* Dinamite - Dynamite
* Reboque - Tow Truck
* Frango d'Água - Water Chicken
* Tachinha - Little Thumbtack
* Topo Gigio - (Italian puppet / cartoon character)
* Feijão - Beans
* Gorila - Gorilla
* Girino - Tadpole


Even having grown up in Brazil, I can't get past how cruel many of them sound. Surely these were their nicknames back at seminary (and maybe they were teenagers then), making this essential information for their directory.

This is not exactly a leak. Google found this list from their website.