Fumimota

[David Jordan]

On Tue, 20 Feb 1996, TERRY CAESAR wrote:

> 
>        I just checked David Jordan's wonderful gloss on the name, "Fumimota."
> with a Spanish professor. I know her very well. In fact, we're married.
> 
>        It seems that "fume" (with accent) is the 1st person singular--not 
> the  3rd person--of the preterite. Without an accent, "fume" is an 
> imperative. So the name either becomes, "I smoked marijuana," or "you 
> smoke marijuana." Perhaps the latter is more amusing.
>

Um, gee, sorry, that's quite right.  Ten years ago I wouldn't have 
committed such an embarrassing oversight.  Guess I'm out of practice.

>
> I received no intelligence about the "street"
> meaning of "mota." Alas, our street is not very interesting. 
> 

I *know* this from lived experience in a time I might have even been
alleged to have been in an appropriate context once or twice and even
alleged to use the stuff occasionally.  (Hearsay, all of it.  Just try
proving it.  Besides, the statute of limitations ... oh, well, I digress.)
In addition, I have consulted my excellent _Pequeno Larousse Ilustrado_
monolingual dictionary.  It does indeed list "mota" as a mexicanismo for
marijuana (or mariguana, with a hard 'g,' which is apparently standard
Spanish).  

Still, my assertion stands.  Either way it's a mutually accommodating 
corruption of two expressions in dissimilar, nonrelated languages.  
Personally, I vote for the "I smoked marijuana" possibility.

>        "Boy, you guys sure have fun," quoth the professor, upon being presented
> with the above gloss. How can I tell her?
> 
>                           Clearing the air,
>                                Terry
> 
>