Halar or jalar is an Americanism whose spelling means to pull something toward oneself, especially a rope or some object. The pronunciation “jalar” is considered vulgar, preferring the form “halar”.
In the colloquial urban slang of the trap genre “jalar” means to fire a weapon.
SYNONYMS FOR Halar o jalar
- To pull
- Attract
- Shoot
- Inhale
ORIGIN OF Halar o jalar
The verb jalar which means “to pull” comes from “halar”, that is, to pull a rope or a canvas and this in turn comes from the French “haler”, starting as a seafaring term, in the sense of pulling a rope and also to use a rope to tow a ship.
Now, the Dictionary of Americanisms of the Association of Spanish Language Academies indicates “halar” with the meaning of attracting someone to something or to a person.
This dictionary also registers “jalar” with the same meaning, as a voice of neutral use in several countries.
However, its use in the urban music style “Trap” designates to shoot a firearm.
CURIOSITIES OF Halar o jalar
In Peru it is used colloquially and figuratively, as to attract people to one’s own side or position, or to designate the fact of taking another person in a vehicle to a certain destination, or as disapproval of a student in an academic subject.
In Cuba and Honduras it can mean to inhale with force when smoking, as in Argentina it also means to inhale with the vapors of a solvent, generally by placing it in a bag that is brought close to the mouth and nose with psychoactive purpose.
In Spain it can be used to designate the ingestion of spirits or some other narcotic drug, or to refer to ingesting a lot of food with this term.
In Central America, it is often used in a rude way to refer to sexual intercourse as jalar.