Have you ever wanted to know how to talk like an old time cowboy? This book has the words and phrases for any western event. Western slang and sayings are excellent for parties, for introductions and for commentators at western events.

Here in one volume is a complete guide to cowboy-speak. Like many of today's foreign language guides, this handy book is organized not alphabetically but situationally, lest readers find themselves in Texas at a loss for words.

Spanish is an important source for terms and expressions that have made their way into the English of the southwestern United States. Vocabulario Vaquero/Cowboy Talk is the first book to list all Spanish-language terms pertaining to two important activities in the American West-ranching and cowboying-with special reference to American Indian terms that have come through Spanish. In addition to presenting the most accurate definitions available, this A-to-Z lexicon traces the etymology of words and critically reviews and assesses the specialized English sources for each entry. It is the only dictionary of its kind to reference Spanish sources. The scholarly treatment of this volume makes it an essential addition to the libraries of linguists and historians interested in Spanish/English contact in the American West. Western enthusiasts of all backgrounds will find accessible entries full of invaluable information. Robert N. Smead is Associate Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Brigham Young University. Ronald Kil is a New Mexico cowboy and artist who has worked on ranches and feedlots all over the West. Richard W. Slatta is Professor of History at North Carolina State University and the author of numerous books, including Comparing Cowboys and Frontiers.

The hybrid language of the frontier is revealed in this compilation of terms used by the cattlemen, frontiersmen, scouts, cowboys, and gamblers.

Western Words has 5,000 words of cowboy language as vibrant now as it was in the old American frontier. "Within the cowman's figures of speech lie the rich field of his subtle humor and strength-unique, original, full-flavored. With his usually limited education he squeezes the juice from language, molds it to suit his needs, and is a genius at making a verb out of anything. He 'don't have to fish 'round for no decorated language to make his meanin' clear, ' and has little patience with the man who 'spouts words that run eight to the pound.' Perhaps the strength and originality in his speech are due to the solitude, the nearness of the stars, the bigness of the country, and the far horizons-all of which give him a chance to think clearly and go into the depths of his own mind. Wide spaces 'don't breed chatterboxes.' On his long and lonely rides, he is not forced to listen to the scandal and idle gossip that dwarf a man's mind. Quite frequently he has no one to talk to but a horse..." -from the author's Introduction

Over 450 entries provide information on cowboy history, culture, and myth of both North and South America.

"Defines the usage, meaning, and background of words and phrases from the language of the Western frontier." -- Amazon.com viewed December 11, 2020.