Readers of a certain age – not old, just “certain” – will no doubt remember words like abetal, ambigú, sinsustancia and calbote. These are some examples of words that have gradually been disappearing from the Spanish language and its vocabulary but that are still used in some towns.
Spanish is not the only language have lost words over the years. For example, an English computer engineer designed a program that predicted the English words with the highest probability of dying out. Words like squeeze, stick and bad were predicted to fall into disuse in just a few years (and, with what is happening today, I really don’t understand why the word “bad” has to disappear!).
Anyway, we don’t want to get nostalgic, but … it is a bit of a shame that the Spanish words that accompanied us for so many years are gradually being lost, words that are an intrinsic part of our memories, of our life.
So today, at Okodia, we want to pay a small tribute to some of the Spanish words that have almost disappeared.
| Acocharse | To squat, crouch. |
| Babieca | Simple minded person. |
| Calbote | Roasted chestnut. |
| Descular | Get to the bottom of. Unravel. . |
| Embeleco | A trick, deception. |
| Fierabrás | Bad and depraved person |
| Ganapán | Rude and rough man. |
| Hopo | Tuft or lock of hair. |
| Introito | The first thing the priest said at the altar when starting mass. |
| Jacarear | Walking through the streets singing and disturbing everyone. |
| Katiuska | Wellington boot. |
| Liróforo | Poet. |
| Malandrín | Evil, wicked, scoundrel. |
| Nocherniego | A night wanderer. |
| Ñiquiñaque | Very despicable person or thing. |
| Ófrico | Dark, gloomy. |
| Paparote | Simpleton, unintelligent. |
| Quitameriendas | Plant from the Liliaceae family. |
| Recórcholis | Crumbs! |
| Sancirole | Thick person, simpleton. |
| Tenguerengue | Wobbly. |
| Uncir | Tie or attach oxen, mules or other beasts to the yoke. |
| Vivalavirgen | Happy-go-lucky person. |
| Yeyé | Type of music for young people that became fashionable in the 1960s. |
| Zamborrotudo | Rough, thick and badly formed. |
Anyway, as you can see, this is a small selection of our favourite old words. And you? Do you have any words in danger of extinction, in Spanish or any other language, that you want to share with us?
