Concept in Definition ABC

Although Spanish is one of the official languages ​​in more than twenty nations and has 500 million speakers worldwide, there are certain words that are identified with a nation concrete. The adjective boludo is a singularity of the Argentineans.

An insult that is sometimes used in a friendly way

On beginning, boludo is an insult that is equivalent to fool, stupid, cretin, fool or idiot. Logically, the actions or words related to a jerk become a jerk. Despite its initial pejorative meaning, it can also be used in a friendly tone and without any connotation contemptuous.

The context of language is what makes the difference in its assessment and interpretation

Thus, if a person addresses a stranger and calls him a jerk, it is very likely that the person in question considers it an insult and an offense. Instead, two friends can use this adjective in a humorous tone or even use it as a greeting.

On the other hand, the tone of voice used also plays an important role.

Its origin could be associated with another typically Argentine word, asshole

During the war of the independence from Argentina the gauchos from Montoneros played a prominent role.

In front of the Spanish troops well equipped and in military clothing conventional, the gauchos wore ponchos, sifted underpants and their characteristic boots.

Their combat weapons were very simple and rudimentary: blunderbuss, spears, ball-shaped stones and stone balls that were lined with leather and were thrown with a boleadora.

The gauchos were organized in a training of three rows: the first was made up of those who carried balls (the assholes), the second by those who carried spears (the spearmen) and the third by those who carried their balls (the jerks).

Thus, assholes and jerks faced the Spanish cavalry and with their skill managed to unbalance the horses so that the riders fell to the I usually. At that time the spearmen intervened attacking the killed soldiers.

The stupid and asshole gauchos were brave men, but they risked their lives on the battlefield. His fearlessness had a component of stupidity and in this way the words idiot and asshole began to be used as a synonym for stupid.

There are other interpretations about its origin. It is said that on one occasion the politician and military man Manuel Belgrano tried to use a boleadora and ended up hitting himself (his act of clumsiness caused by some balls turned into stupidity).

Also, it is stated that its remote origin comes from the Greek term bolo, which means ball (just as balls are kicked, jerks end up being "balls" in the hands of the clever).

Fotolia photos: evilratalex / blambca / matiasdelcarmine

Topics in Boludo