Thread: Wowzers..
View Single Post
  #33   Report Post  
posted to rec.boats
JustWait[_2_] JustWait[_2_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,333
Default Wowzers..

On 9/5/2012 6:00 PM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Wed, 5 Sep 2012 13:09:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

That's a very narrow definition... and he didn't use the term "cowboy" as you did in your search.

It seems the much more widely known and used version(outside of Florida) is the one I suggested. Perhaps this may enlighten you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_(pejorative)

The cowboy theory get but one small mention in the many possibilities.


===

Florida cracker: a Florida native descended from early pioneer
settlers.

The early pioneer settlers were mostly cattle ranchers (cowboys in
some circles), although cowboy may also be a pejorative of sorts.
The story goes, at least here in south Florida, that the name came
from the cracking noise made by their bull whips. Bull whips, of
course, are used to herd cattle.

These days it is generally used to refer to someone who lives out in
the country in an old fashioned kind of way.


I guess, and we could argue that the word "Cracker" is probably used
more to refer to a small crunchy snack, than any of our meanings.... but
for the context of "this" conversation, a "cracker" is:

Noun. Slang word used to refer to those of European ancestry. The word
is thought to have either derived from the sound of a whip being cracked
by slave owners, or because crackers are generally white in color.

But if you want to think that guy is thinking of some nice cowboy when
he calls you a cracker, go ahead.. snerk