Spanish Additions to the Cowboy Lexicon from 1850 to the Present

Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium Volume 25 Issue 1 Article 4 2-19-1999 Spanish Additions to the Cowboy Lexicon from 1850 to the Present Heather A. Robles Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/dlls BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Robles, Heather A. (1999) "Spanish Additions to the Cowboy Lexicon from 1850 to the Present," Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium: Vol. 25 : Iss. 1 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/dlls/vol25/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Spanish Additions to the Cowboy Lexicon from 1850 to the Present Heather A. Robles Before the development of the windmill, lexicon, this paper also includes an analysis barbed wire, and the modem machinery now ofthe categorial and semantic changes used in the cattle industry, "cowboys" common to many of these terms. These inhabited Texas and other western states and changes in category and meaning indicate herded cattle all year. The work of the the degree of integration of a specific term cowboy was unlike that of any other into the English language. Some, like the profession. For minimal wages, he worked term "coITal," have become highly integrated seven days a week and was on call into English. "CoITal" is recognized by twenty-four hours a day. He regarded his nearly all English speakers, and most do not job satisfaction as compensation for the low realize that the term comes originally from pay, and took pride in his skill at various Spanish. It is used not only as a noun (like herding and roping techniques. The first the Spanish term corral), but also as a verb, and, for a long time, best cowboys carne meaning to force an animal into an from Mexico, since the cattle market in enclosure. "Corral" is also used Mexico preceded the one in the United metaphorically, in the sense of cornering a States. The first Anglo cowboys were young person (not just an animal). This paper will men from the East whose interest in the show how similar categorical and semantic unknown West led them to their new career. changes have occuITed in many borrowed They learned the trade from the Mexican hispanicisms, indicating that they have been vaqueros and, as a result, came to use accepted and integrated into the English Spanish vocabulary for many of their language. surroundings, techniques, and tools. This paper will briefly discuss the Spanish Borrowings in the Cowboy Spanish terms found in cowboy English Lexicon from the late 1800s to the present. The Clothing and Other Accessories terms described are found in authentic Many of the terms from the cowboy's literature written by cowboys describing the wardrobe are originally from Spanish. Over many facets of their profession. Included in his durable pants he wears chaps. The the fiction and non-fiction sources are origin of the word chaps is Spanish, but biographies, autobiographies, diaries, a book there is some disagreement as to whether the on campfire stories, novels, and books word descends from chaparreras or written by cowboys describing the "colorful" chaparejos. Chaps can be worn to the ankle nature of their language. The terms are or to the knee. Shorter chaps are also known cross-referenced with definitions from as "chinks," a term whose origin is attributed western dictionaries, etymological by many authors to the Spanish chincaderos dictionaries, and various Spanish regional or chigaderos, although neither of these dictionaries. In addition to identifying terms appears in modem Spanish Spanish loanwords in the Amelican cowboy dictionaries. Short chaps are also known as 34 Proceedings of the 1999 Deseret Language and Linguistics Society armitas. The Diccionario de MejicanislJlos decoration. American cowboys, gives the following definition for the tenn misinterpreting the meaning of gal6n, added armas de agua a de pelo: "Llamabanse as! the number "five" or "ten" to the name of the dos piezas grandes de cuero de chivo, con hat to describe its large size. Some cowboy pelo, casi cuadradas, que sujetas en la hats had a barboquejo, or chin strap. cabeza de la silla 0 atadas a la cintura del Another piece of the wardrobe was the jinete, Ie cubrian pierna y pie, y Ie bandana, which served a multitude of uses preservaban del agua. En caso necesario se for the cowboy. In The Time it Never tendian en el suelo para dormir sobre ellas. Rained, Elmer Kelton makes mention of the Las habia ricamente adornadas. Hoy se han huaraches worn by Mexican migrant sustituido con las chaparreras, que no workers (p. 38). Many cowboys carried a pueden prestar iguales servicios, porque no morral, a pouch or sack, to carry their cubren el pie ni sirven para dormir" (p.80). supplies. According to this definition, armas are the predecessors of chaparreras. Armitas, then, The Saddle correspond with the definition above and are Since the cowboy did most of his work on a smaller variety of armas. Since chaps horseback, (many claimed they were don't cover the feet, as the above definition uncomfortable when not in the saddle), the of armas explains, cowboys used tapaderos, saddle and its accessories became a or "taps," which are leather coverings cowboy's most important equipment. Even attached to the stirrups to protect the toes. though many cowboys ride horses belonging The term derives from the Spanish tapar, "to to the ranch that employs them, each has his cover." The cowboy's chaps and taps are own saddle. The saddle is secured on the often trimmed with shiny metal decorations horse by one or more "cinches." "Cinch" called conchas or conchas. Concha is the comes from the Spanish cincha. In English Spanish word for "shell." Though the silver it has come to be used as a verb, as well, and decorations have a shape similar to that of a has also adapted a metaphorical meaning, as shell, Spanish regional and general illustrated by the popular Western author dictionaries do not provide a similar Louis L'Amour: "Hopalong rubbed his jaw, definition. his blue eyes twinkling. 'I reckon that last Other parts of the cowboy's wardrobe argument cinches it, Sim! I sure was included the poncho, which was usually a figgerin' on more pie!'" (p. 238). The leather blanket with a hole for the head. This tern1 strap that fastened to the cinch and held the could also describe a waterproof shield, but saddle in place was called the latigo. in most regions "slicker" or even "fish" were Saddles were often heavily decorated with more common. The cowboy's hat is often silver conchas and stamped leather, which called a sombrero. The word is originally indicated their worth. Spanish, and it refers to any kind of hat. To The saddle hom is often referred to the cowboy, the sombrero is usually a hat as an "apple," an "apple hom," or a "dally with a wide brim. Another style of hat is the hom." "Apple" is a probable calque from "ten-gallon hat." Contrary to popular belief, Spanish. The Diccionario de Mejicanismos the name does not refer to its capacity, but offers a similar definition of the word derives from the Spanish gal6n, a braided manzana: "cabezal 0 parte delantera de la Spanish Additions to the Cowboy Lexicon 35 silla de montar" (p.694). Spanish also has a rope, serves as reins and completes the verb related to the noun manzana: hackamore. Mecate comes originally from "Manzanear. tr. Entre charras y personas de the Nahuatl word mecatl, which the a caballo, sujetar a la manzana de la silla de Diccionario de Mejicanismos defines as la res lazada, dando vuelta corrediza a la "tira larga y angosta 0 soga hecha de corteza reata en tomo de ella" (p.694). The meaning vegetal" (p.711). The word's origin is not of this verb is similar to the English tenn "to well-known among cowboys because its dally" (also spelled "daIley"), which Hedges pronunciation has been altered and it is often defines as "to take a wrap around the saddle spelled "McCarty." hom with the rope" (p.334). The tenn "to When the cowboy rides his horse on dally" is a hispanicism that probably derives a ranch, he always carries one or more ropes. from the command fonn dale vuelta. It has There are a large variety of ropes that serve also been attributed to the infinitives dar la many different purposes, some retaining vuelta and darle vuelta. Earlier versions of their Spanish names. A maguey rope is the term were "dolly welter" and "dally made of fibers of the maguey cactus and is welter" (Erickson, p. 95). The tenn seems to used exclusively for "dally" roping, which have been adopted into English shortly after means that it is never tied fast to the saddle the tum of the century. However, it is not hom when an animal is being roped. A found in 1. Frank Dobie's A Vaquero of the "quirt," according to Mackey Hedges, is "a Brush Country (originally published in braided, rawhide riding crop or short whip" 1929); he instead talks of giving the rope a (p.336). The term has been attributed both vuelta: "After a while I'd give the rope a to the Spanish word cuerda, cord, and to vuelta (a tum) around a post, and by taking cuarta, horseWhip. The latter etymology up the slack when the cow ran would finally seems to be more credible.

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