gavacho

gavacho

Galician

Alternative forms

• gabacho

Etymology

Attested since 1808 during the Peninsular war. Ultimately from Occitan gavach, originally ‘bird’s crop, goitre, swelling’, later ‘mountain-dweller, northerner, peasant’ (because of the high incidence of disease in these populations). Influenced by gabar (“to boast”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡaˈβat͡ʃʊ]

Adjective

gavacho m (feminine singular gavacha, masculine plural gavachos, feminine plural gavachas)

1. arrogant; boastful

Noun

gavacho m (plural gavachos, feminine gavacha, feminine plural gavachas)

1. (vulgar, ethnic slur, slang, derogatory) Frenchy
   • 1808, anonymous, Un labrador que foi sarxento:

     Si eu fora alá, meus queridos, por esta Cruz volo xuro, con mil cabezas francesas, había de vir, moi rufo; Esto con ser xa tan vello; mais vós, con catro estornudos, non deixarés un Gabacho, si poñedes ben os puntos; Ide á guerra, meus garridos, Dios vos axude, meus rulos, e aquel Patrón das Españas, que ten o pelo moi rubio

     If I go there, my loved ones, I swear on this cross that with a thousand French heads I would return, sound and healthy. And this being myself as old as I am. But you, with just four sneezes, won't leave a Frenchy left, if you put the points correctly. Go to war, my fine youngsters, God help you, my darlings, and that patron of the Spains who is so blonde!

References

• “gavacho” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “gavacho” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “gabacho” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.