Salvadoran Codes

What are codes? Codes are customs that transmit a message; this customs may have different meaning around the world. Codes have a social meaning which is common among the society.

Since codes are socially known, there are codes in El Salvador that can tell you more about a person. 

Social codes

Let's begin with the most basic thing that identifies a salvadorean: the accent. All salvadorean people speak with the letter J. Even when salvadoreans do not notice when we pronounce it, a person from another part of Latin America notices. Check out the next video to prove it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJLJljTglXg

Also, when salvadoreans refer to each other they usually use the word "maje". Even when the word is seen as offensive (it means dumb, or stupid), it is socially acceptable that friends treat each other with that word. 

If you live in El Salvador, you may want to stay away from a person full with tattoos. In El Salvador, if a person has a full body with visible tattoos it means, most of the time, that the person is a gang member. Sometimes this may not be the case, but people will look at you suspiciously because it is not common to see a person covered in tattoos in El Salvador.

Specially if you look like this.

Dress codes
People can say something about themselves with the clothes they wear. If someone wears jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers, this person is a casual, and probably, a decent person. If a man wears skinny jeans in his butt, a loose T-shirt, and a hat (or a swag style), then he may not be taken seriously. 

In the case of a woman, if she dresses in a skirt, high heels, and a short top, then people speculate about her reputation with men. She also may not be taken seriously, because people will only see that she has tendency to be promiscuous. 

Eye contact 
In El Salvador, eye contact is not necessary in casual conversations since sometimes it seems creepy to look directly to someone's eyes; but it is preferable if you are in a formal situation with someone of higher position. On the other hand, if you make eye contact with a gang member, it is seen as a challenge and they may steal from you by hitting you or threatening you.