One third of the real cowboys were Mexican, another third were Black. Cowboy was a terrible job, and they were mostly despised as "saddle tramps' until the sheep herder/cattle rancher wars. The ranchers, and later Wild West shows, played up the romance of the cowboy.
I am a fluent English speaker (in the US for a few decades) who knows Spanish (native speaker of Portuguese which also uses vamos), and thinks about etymology all the time - it never occurred to me lol. I just thought it was some weird old timey american thing lol
1829, "move off or away, get out," American English slang, of unknown origin, perhaps related to British dialectal mose about "go around in a dull, stupid way." Or perhaps from some abbreviation of Spanish vamos (see vamoose). Related: Moseyed; moseying.
Funny thing related to this: I've heard that the Chevy Nova (car) was put out for sale in Mexico. No one bought it because "Nova" = "No va" = no go. No one wanted the "no go" car.
26 Comments
Dagwood222@lemm.ee · 50 pts · 2y
One third of the real cowboys were Mexican, another third were Black. Cowboy was a terrible job, and they were mostly despised as "saddle tramps' until the sheep herder/cattle rancher wars. The ranchers, and later Wild West shows, played up the romance of the cowboy.
capt_wolf@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 2y
We literally got the entire western film genre as a result.
See the entire sub-plot of Oklahoma or McClintock for more details.
Dagwood222@lemm.ee · 4 pts · 2y
Not an expert, but I'd bet that there were absolutely no TV or movie Westerns about a brave sheepherder.
edit = Apparently, there was at least one, 'The Sheepman' with Glen Ford. Thanks to Capt. Wolf for the link.
For a movie from [a slightly] Indian perspective, check out 'Little Big Man.'
https://youtu.be/7K4l5ZZe4-k
capt_wolf@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 2y
Apparently not true! The Sheepman came out in '58 with a pretty insane cast no less!
Dagwood222@lemm.ee · 4 pts · 2y
You got me, partner. There was one. And you're right, that's a great cast.
But do yourself a favor and see 'Little Big Man.'
capt_wolf@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
I think I saw it quite a few years ago, but I'll have to refresh my memory.
Dagwood222@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
Enjoy
ultranaut@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
The book it's based on is supposed to be very good too.
PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks · 2 pts · 2y
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PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks · 3 pts · 2y
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Oklahoma
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Monkeyhog@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 2y
Ain't that pretty fucking obvious?
someguy3@lemmy.ca · 17 pts · 2y
TYL not everyone is well acquainted with Spanish.
redbr64@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 2y
I am a fluent English speaker (in the US for a few decades) who knows Spanish (native speaker of Portuguese which also uses vamos), and thinks about etymology all the time - it never occurred to me lol. I just thought it was some weird old timey american thing lol
Kusimulkku@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 2y
I thought it funniest that "vamoose" is even considered a separate thing and not just Americans using a Spanish word
Akasazh@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 2y
In retrospect, yes, very.
ivanafterall@kbin.social · 6 pts · 2y
Come on, vamonos, everybody let's go!
totallynotarobot@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
I think varmints are necessarily li'l, not little.
BenLeMan@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 2y
Same with "mosey," I think.
someguy3@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 2y
Seems a little long reach to vamos.
PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks · 3 pts · 2y
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vamoose you little varmint.
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Nyoka@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
No one tell them about "hoosegow".
LongbottomLeaf@lemmy.nz · 0 pts · 2y
Buckaroo, vaquero, vaccine!
guyrocket@kbin.social · -11 pts · 2y
Funny thing related to this: I've heard that the Chevy Nova (car) was put out for sale in Mexico. No one bought it because "Nova" = "No va" = no go. No one wanted the "no go" car.
Lith@lemmy.sdf.org · 29 pts · 2y
Sticky073@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 2y
Thank you for spreading the good word
Dagwood222@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 2y
Print the legend...