It became a symbol of patriotism during a political and social conflict during the second decade of last century. Etymologists dispute whether it was named for a 'ceremonial uniting' in a 'romantic' European language or from a word used by inhabitants of an unrelated culture referring to the structure of one important piece of equipment involved. What is it, where did it originate and how does it relate to the Higgs Mechanism in physics?

queproblema

Why am I doing this????? Ah, well........ If you meant the 1820's, I have a good guess. If you meant the 1920's, I have absolutely no idea. In the 1820's the South American republics were forming and used the Liberty cap as an emblem. The Higgs Mechanism makes a graph called the Mexican hat. http://www.languedoc-france.info/06141204_libertycap.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_symmetry_breaking And the other link is: http://www.languedoc-france.info/06141204_libertycap.htm Dec 14 06, 7:54 PM

lanfranco

I'd say that qp gets the Banana for raising the Mexican Hat issue and its relationship to the Higgs Mechanism, but I wonder whether the "Jarabe tapatio," or "Mexican Hat Dance" might be the answer you were looking for. Though I do love Phrygian hats. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarabe_tapat%C3%ADo Dec 14 06, 9:08 PM

peasypod

Girls, oh, so close! Stick with the sombrero as that was the connection with the Higgs Mechanism, but you need to look further into the 'ceremonial uniting'. By the way, I meant what I posted----That is, the second decade of the 1900's is referring to when it was a symbol of patriotism, but the word itself had been recognised about 70 years prior. Dec 14 06, 10:11 PM

lanfranco

O.K., the word you want is "mariachi", which might come from the French word for marriage" -- "mariage" -- or (much less likely) from a native word for a type of wooden platform on which the music is performed. Jarabe verses, as used in the Jarabe tapatio, were a form of mariachi music and were sung as representations of popular resistance during the Revolution: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariachi Dec 15 06, 11:30 AM

peasypod

Ole Frankie, that's the one. So, you and que may share the Golden Vihuela for this one. Dec 15 06, 4:12 PM

queproblema

My, my, we'll have to let Frankie take the whole guitar... I was still stuck on red caps. I'm not convinced on that French etymology. Scroll down about a third of a page on this link: http://www.mariachi4u.com/mariachi4u/registered_groups/mariachi_tradition.html McGruff, you should be very satisfied with this question: I learned a great deal. Most amazing is how these Englishwomen know all about mariachis. The globe is shrinking! I'm from Florida and never heard of them (or jalapeno peppers) till I moved to New Mexico in the 70's. Dec 15 06, 7:46 PM