Discursive Mechanisms in Mexican “Corridos”

Abstract

This article is a first approach to the forms of linguistic and audiovisualrepresentation of lyrics of the commonly known “movimiento alterado” (alteredmovement) or “corrido alterado” which shows a new modality of the Mexican“narco-corrido.” For this purpose, a revision of the concept narco-culture inMexico has been made; the article includes a summary of the presence of the“corridor” in popular culture and its double mutation, first into “narco-corrido”and then the well known “corridor alterado.”Second part of the article is a description and an analysis of two of the mainvideo clips of this “altered movement” of the “corrido.” Finally, the articleexhibits an analysis of a video performed by “Komander” (“Mafia Nueva”) wherea characterization of the new “Mafioso” is made. The analysis is supported byseveral semiotic and pragmatic aspects applied to the lyrics, the music, andthe narrative translation of the video clip.