Dictionary of São Miguel Expressions: Corisco Mal Amanhado

Truly knowing São Miguel means listening to the island. The local accent carries a unique musicality and is full of expressions steeped in the Micaelense (an islander from São Miguel) humor that characterizes our island and doesn’t fit any literal translation.

Paying attention to the overlapping conversations in village cafés and the highly distinctive way locals play with words reveals a fascinating side of the local culture. We are inaugurating this space in the Gazeta do Atlântico precisely to celebrate this language that is so rich and so distinctly ours.

#1 Corisco Mal Amanhado

The first expression on the list brings together three words that sound wonderfully well when spoken out loud: “Corisco Mal Amanhado”.

A “corisco” literally means a lightning bolt. In the mouth of a Micaelense, it takes on a new life and turns into a name for someone mischievous or a little sly. The second part of the expression refers to someone clumsy, awkward, or who looks a bit untidy.

Putting the two parts together results in a highly affectionate scolding.

Calling someone a corisco mal amanhado often serves as the typical outburst of a grandmother when her grandson comes into the house with muddy shoes: “Miguel, you corisco mal amanhado, don’t dirty the rug I just cleaned!”

The expression brings us a huge sense of empathy and perfectly illustrates the almost immediate intimacy with which Micaelenses relate to one another, unless the other person is from Terceira island, of course.

The next time you visit us, notice the passionate way islanders speak to one another. Learning the local expressions, sayings and words can change the way you experience the island. They act as a key to the true identity of São Miguel, and something you can easily take back home with you, long after leaving the Azorean archipelago.

If one day, as you are leaving Rei dos Queijos with your shopping bag in your hands, you might trip and hear someone mumble the expression with a knowing smile. Take it as the highest compliment.

It means the line between visitors and locals disappeared, making everyone a part of the island.