Talk:guapo
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Are you sure about the etymology? If it is correct, could someone elaborate on the fact that the negative meaning changed? Mallerd 22:10, 18 November 2007 (UTC)
- I'm rather confused about this too, I don't understand how worthless>handsome. Maybe some disparaging slang by prejudicial ugly beauty-hating peoples? Ty 08:33, 28 March 2010 (UTC)
Strange etymology[edit]
It is indeed strange that "guapo" (beautiful) comes from "vappa" which meant "worthless person". In Neapolitan the word "guappo" means a dressed-up thug. I assume that the meaning changed like this: worthless > worthless but dressed up > dressed up > beautiful. Compare how the English "pimp" has led to the slang "pimp up" with positive connotations. Gianluca Gorni (talk) 18:46, 24 September 2013 (UTC)