La Malafollá granaina.

Etymologically, it comes from the Latin word ‘follis,’ which means to blow with the bellows

“Malafolla” is a word that originates from the Sacromonte neighborhood in Granada, where blacksmiths had trouble keeping the fire alive while forging. The apprentice responsible for blowing the embers would get distracted, resulting in defective forging. The master blacksmith would say, “Boy, you’re blowing badly, you have bad air.” Thus, “malafolla” refers to having bad air or not being able to keep the fire going.

Sarcastic idiosyncrasies

In his book “La malafollá granaína,” José García Ladrón de Guevara describes “malafollá” as a kind of gratuitous bad mood that Granadans express without apparent reason towards those around them. However, this attitude does not denote bad character, bad manners, or animosity towards the person in particular, nor does it indicate disinterest or apathy. The idiosyncrasy of Granada differs from that of other regions, as this city values ironic humor, sarcasm, and dark humor. Outsiders are often surprised at first, but over time they get used to the way of life and the peculiar sense of humor of the Granadans, which usually leads to smiles and complicity.