The Cowboy Code is interesting to read, but I have no doubt that like common conceptions of Chivalry and Bushido it is and was mostly glamorized by people not actually out on the battlefield or range, covered in blood or cow shit, and trying to stay alive.
I've always liked the, possibly much more modern: Saddle your own horse, cull your own herd, and bury your own dead. posted by Science! at 11:18 AM on March 3 [2 favorites has favorites]
Saddle your own horse, cull your own herd, and bury your own dead
and don't squat with your spurs on posted by JParker at 11:46 AM on March 3
omg, you know im gonna start adding some of these to my repertoire... posted by Rhodamine at 12:03 PM on March 3
If you're at all like me, the first thing you looked up was 'consarnit' as sputtered by Gabby Johnson in "Blazing Saddles". Sadly, it was nowhere to be found. posted by digsrus at 12:06 PM on March 3
I'm curious to know how they vetted these phrases as "Western". I heard a few of them growing up in the South in the '70s. I distinctly remember my grandfather saying someone was so mean he could hunt bear with a switch, and as kids we used several of the "S/He's so ugly...." phrases ("uglier than homemade sin" remains a favorite). posted by magstheaxe at 12:52 PM on March 3
I'm just sad that "Rutting" wasn't a euphemism/ replacement for the term "fucking" after all. Clearly Firefly has led me astray. posted by quin at 12:55 PM on March 3
I always figured "western" meant anything not European or the settled parts of the Northern Eastern US. For instance, I've heard New Yorkers refer to Chicago as "west." People think of Little House on the Prairie as part of the Old West genre, and that's Missouri! posted by small_ruminant at 1:02 PM on March 3
Citations, please.
Exactly. Sites like this are fun, but I don't trust 'em far as I can throw a bull by the tail. (Samuel G. Blythe, The Fakers, George H. Doran, 1914, p. 152.) posted by languagehat at 1:17 PM on March 3 [4 favorites has favorites]
People think of Little House on the Prairie as part of the Old West genre...
Yankees greener'n a dead sherriff's star shore do. posted by cmoj at 1:18 PM on March 3
Minnesota is part of the Great Northwest. One of our locally produced beers, Hamms, is the brew that grew with the Great Northwest. So we're all, like, lumberjacls and gold miners and shit. posted by Astro Zombie at 1:30 PM on March 3
JoanArkham: "Anything west of I-95 is cowboy country, yes?"
Yes. Anything east is pretty much fancy pants people pretending they're still in Europe.
Also, Hamms is $4 for a 12 pack here in Kansas, I drank a few then saw a hipster drinking it on a front stoop and refused to buy it again. True story. posted by Science! at 1:35 PM on March 3
It must be, because there's a section of western Massachsetts called "The Pioneer Valley." I never go that far west, but we can safely assume that it's full of people in covered wagons wearing hoop skirts and coon skin caps, as well as hostile indians. posted by Mayor Curley at 1:44 PM on March 3
I never go that far west, but we can safely assume that it's full of people in covered wagons wearing hoop skirts and coon skin caps, as well as hostile indians.
Coon skin caps would be most frowned upon in Northampton. posted by cerebus19 at 1:50 PM on March 3
Where's "all hat and no cattle"?
Some of these are still in use where I'm from. Still, it's nice to see an effort to compile some Western US lingo. I never knew "necktie party" was specific to the West, though... posted by Grrlscout at 2:06 PM on March 3
I'm pretty sure "All hat and no cattle" is ascribed to Texas, accurate or no. posted by christhelongtimelurker at 2:24 PM on March 3
Science!, that hipster is totally crying now and refuses to drink Hamms either, so you're free to get back on the Hammswagon. Thanks. posted by theefixedstars at 2:40 PM on March 3 [1 favorite has favorites]
All Beer and Skittles - Unpleasant, not so happy
I could have sworn this phrase meant the opposite.
I think it's supposed to be preceded by "not".
Agreed that while this site is fun, it would be much improved by literary references. posted by theefixedstars at 2:44 PM on March 3
They forgot "peckerwood".
There's a word that should be used a lot more often. posted by bwg at 4:28 PM on March 3
I like old western stuff, one of my favorite old photos was of cowboys eating ice cream while skating in a rollerskating rink.
Men was men in those days. posted by Iron Rat at 8:21 PM on March 3
I love old western slang more than I can possibly convey. Although for some reason this list reminded me of prison slang. posted by UsernameFilter at 4:03 AM on March 5
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posted by hifiparasol at 10:13 AM on March 3 [1 favorite has favorites]