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"Ser [muy] mariachi" means, according to "Smart Spanish for Tontos Americanos", "To be a wimp."

Why? Is Mariachi music considered like "elevator music" or what?

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    Probably has nothing to do with music at all. In Spain mariquita is another word for gay. It's "mild" (milder that marica at least...), but of course it is an insult with nasty connotations. Besides gay it can also mean "weak", "wimp", etc. I wonder if the similitude of the word (mariquita, mariachi, marica,...) has anything to do with transferring the unfair bad associations carried from one word to another.
    – Diego
    Jun 24, 2015 at 0:57

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Being called a mariachi is like being called a clown for the way they dress mainly, not for the music. In countries like Argentina (I'm from here, don't really know about other countries) mariachi music is considered as a joke and funny. To sum up, "Ser [muy] mariachi" would be a friendly (not offensive) kind of insult (insult is not the word, I don't know how to express myself).

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    Maybe "teasing" is the word you're looking for; a mild sort of insult or playful "poking."
    – B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven
    Jun 24, 2015 at 17:57
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    Yes! That's what I meant
    – Dante Puglisi
    Jun 24, 2015 at 18:04

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