Vocabulario de Rigoberta Menchú

coyuntura

Circumstance, situation

reivindicación

Recognition, acceptance; vindication

legado

Legacy

inculcar

to instill

adquirir

to acquire

cegar

to blind

denigrar

to denigrate

retroceder

to move back

espeluznante

horrific, spine-chilling

fondo

background; crux

abusivo

exorbitant, excessive

pregonar

to announce, proclaim

consigna / lema

slogan

abordar

to address/tackle (an issue)

vejamen

taunt; mistreatment

occidental

western

la droga

drug

victimario

killer

vicio

bad habit, evil ways

la doble moral

double standard

mancomunado

joint (together)

remesa

remittance

mezquino

mean spirited

cómplice

accomplice

aberración

abominition; atrocity

ladino

Mestizo (Guat.)

agonía

state of distress while dying

altiplano

high plateau in the mountains

finca

farm estate; plantation

monte

hill; brush; scrubland (woods)

sembrar

to sow

oveja

sheep

mapache

raccoon

mimbre

wicker

paja

straw

componer

to fix

campesino

peasant farmer

componerse

to get better

matener

to support economically

milpa

small plot of corn (Mx. C.Am)

aldea

village

apoyar

to support

elote

mazorca (ear of corn) (Mx. C.Am)

cuartel

military barracks

terrateniente

wealthy landowner of large amounts of land

humilde

poor

encariñarse con

to grow fond of

a grandes rasgos

in broad strokes; rough outline

suplir

sustituir (to substitute)

encapricharse

to set one's mind on; to cling to the idea of; to be infatuated with

sobresalir

to stand out

cosmovisión

world view

ocultar

esconder (to hide)

educación

upbringing

copal

incense (tree resin)

capaz

capable

culto

worship (service)

desperdiciar

to waste

alumbrar

to illuminate, to light up

aparato

equipment, machine, appliance

atropello

outrage, abuse

involucrarse

to get involved

reflexionar

to reflect on, to think over