Western Words: A Dictionary of the Old West

by Ramon F. Adams

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

Genres: Reference, Westerns, Nonfiction, History

212 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1981

Reviews

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great information in this book if you're writing a western story. I read through it quickly the first pass to get some ideas, and I've had it on my desk every since whenever I go back to writing a western short story or novel. Paging through and reading some of the entries is also inspiring me for story ideas, too.

[Derrick Jeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramon Adams was a noted expert on cowboy culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For anyone doing research into this period—and wants to get the language right—this is a must resource.

[Zoe Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional resource for any author writing in the Western genre.