Perroflauta is a Spanish idiom that refers to young people who have a dirty, disheveled appearance and who also have an ideological leaning towards the left. It is used mostly as a derogatory qualifier.
It seems that this word began to be used in the early 2000s, later spreading due to the protests of the youth population in reaction to the economic crisis that was experienced in several European countries. They continued until 2011, thanks to the mobilization of different civil groups.
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It is worth mentioning that initially the beggars and musicians who were dedicated to playing certain instruments were called this way to ask for money. Currently, the word has been recognized by language authorities such as the RAE and Fundéu BBVA.
Origin
The initial purpose of this term was to qualify the musicians, beggars and even street vendors who live on the streets and who usually look dirty and with sloppy clothes.
With the passage of time, the word is also used to refer to young punks or with radical left-wing ideas, who often participate in protests and social movements. The popularity of the use of the term was largely due to the intervention of the media between 2007 and 2008.
Context
Due to the economic crisis of 2008, several governments found it necessary to implement economic measures that would allow them to cope with the situation. However, this produced the birth of social movements that came together to make the general discontent known.
The main movement was in May 2011, when a group of young people spontaneously posted themselves at the Puerta del Sol, in Madrid, Spain. This gave rise to the 15-M Movement.
15-M movement
Also called “movement of the indignant”, it refers to the conjunction of different citizen groups that demonstrated during the protests that took place in the Puertas del Sol in Madrid. The effect also involved the mobilization of thousands of people throughout the Spanish territory.
Some important aspects about this movement are:
-For some, the origin of the 15-M Movement arose thanks to the ideals that were raised in the Faculty of Philosophy of the Complutense University, one of the most recognized institutions in the country and in the world.
-The 15-M Movement began as a camping trip at the Puertas del Sol in Madrid. Later there were other movements, such as the well-known Camping BCN, in Catalonia, Barcelona. It is possible that from there the media have referred to the attendees as "perroflautas."
-In the beginning, the discontent began due to the economic crisis, which also revealed discontent towards the authorities, financial and social policies of the moment.
-The high unemployment rate was felt in different cities in Europe. For example, in 2011, a demonstration in Portugal was organized in favor of low-paid workers, the unemployed, and others subjected to labor slavery.
-Another of the strong points was the demonstration against military spending and the use of weapons. In fact, one of the demands of this movement was the closure of arms factories and greater control of the police and military authorities.
-Networks were created focused on calling protests and providing information on the importance of citizen activism.
-Currently it is believed that the 15-M Movement is one of the most important in contemporary history, since it involved social groups of all kinds and its activities continued for about four years.
Meaning today
The extensive use of the word has earned him the recognition of the Royal Spanish Academy and also of the Fundéu BBVA organization. The latter has made the following definition:
“… Type of person, usually young and with a careless aspect, who can be seen as a hippy (…). It is used on many occasions in a derogatory way to refer to any young man with a disheveled appearance ”.
Another meaning also used and considered correct, is provided by some Internet users, who agree that "perroflauta" is a way of naming those people who have a leaning to the left and who are part of protests and social movements.
Characteristics of a flute
Some elements present in this type of people can be highlighted:
-Aesthetically its appearance resembles the hippies of the 60s and 70s, and that commonly live on the streets. In some forums it is stated that "black feet" is another way of referring to these types of individuals.
-It is believed that most of these people are ideologically identified with the current of the left or extreme left, as seen in some protests that took place on May 15, 2011.
-They are generally young people who are against globalization, unemployment, climate change and the gap that exists between rich and poor. On the other hand, they are in favor of abortion, secularism, gay rights, recycling, biodiversity, and aid and solidarity between nations and peoples.
-The word evolved in order to include another social group. These are the so-called “yayoflautas”, who are made up of senior citizens who at the time supported the reforms proposed by young people.
References
- Are you a flute dog? (sf). In La Vanguardia. Retrieved: February 6, 2019. In La Vanguardia de lávanauardia.com.
- What does flute mean exactly? (sf). In Bubble Economy Forum. Retrieved: February 6, 2019. In Bubble Economy Forum of bubble.info.
- Movement 15-M. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: February 6, 2019. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
- Perroflauta, in round type and in a single word. (2011). At Fundéu BBVA. Retrieved: February 6, 2019. In Fundéu BBVA de fundeu.es.
- Protests in Spain from 2011-2015. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: February 6, 2019. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.