Cocoliche is a pidgin that was spoken in Argentina (especially in Greater Buenos Aires) during the peak years of Italian immigration (roughly 1880-1950).

Italian proper never took hold in Argentina, especially because most immigrant used their local dialects. This prevented the development of an Italian-language culture (in contrast with a strong Yiddish press and theater scene). Immigrants' adoption of the Spanish language was gradual. The local stock (gauchos and criollos) would have a laugh or two pointing out the most egregious mistakes made by the gringos (in Argentina, this term was used to refer to all European immigrants).

Cocoliche slowly fell out of use as the children of the immigrants embraced Spanish through school, work, and military service. It is depicted humorously in literary works and in the Argentine sainete theater, and is used sparsely by porteños for comic relief.

Some Cocoliche words were transferred to lunfardo. For example:

• manyar (to eat) -> in Lunfardo: to know
• lonyipietro (fool)
• fungi (mushroom) -> in Lunfardo: hat
• vento (wind) -> in Lunfardo: money

External Links

• Course description - Includes bibliography
• What is lunfardo (in Spanish)
• Lunfardo: Slang of Buenos Aires - In English