Common usage of Caballero?
The word of the day, El Caballero, is defined as gentleman; knight; nobleman; sir -
but in common usage, isn't it also Cowboy?
I know you can't believe everything you see on TV but I was so enamored with the Old West in my youth that I missed nary an episode of Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, Zorro, the Cisco Kid, etc (x3) and a day didn't go by that Caballero wasn't used and usually a number of times.
Usually, he was well dressed ... so I can see the connection now, but the emphasis was on being on horseback. The king pin back at the estancía was usually the Don.
And in more than one 4th of July Parade, we followed a group called the Spanish Caballeros, whose horses would leave little brown presents to be delicately stepped around.
Of course, I've heard of vaqueros, gauchos, charros ... but the popular, most frequently used, was Caballero.
The question sent me to DRAE where I saw a connection to Cavalry, but I am still confused ... Caballero and Cowboy not the same?
Edited 31 Aug 2010:
Thank you one and all. I apologize if I sounded argumentative, It's one of those things that I have believed I knew most of my 60-some years. It's not a big deal, but it is still a little scary: what else am I convinced I know, but don't, for having connected the wrong dots?!! ...Still learning! Thanks.
11 Answers
DICCIONARIO DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA
Caballero, ra.
(Del lat. caballar?us).
adj. Que cabalga o va a caballo. Caballera en un rocín. Caballero en una mula.
adj. Dicho de una persona: Obstinada, que no se deja disuadir por ninguna consideración. Caballero EN propósito, EN empeño, EN porfía, EN opinión.
m. Hidalgo de calificada nobleza.
m. Hombre que pertenece a una orden de caballería.
m. Hombre que se porta con nobleza y generosidad.
m. Persona de alguna consideración o de buen porte.
m. señor (? término de cortesía).
m. Baile antiguo español.
m. Depósito de tierra sobrante colocado al lado y en lo alto de un desmonte.
m. Mil. Obra de fortificación defensiva, interior y bastante elevada sobre otras de una plaza, para mejor protegerlas con sus fuegos o dominarlas si las ocupase el enemigo.
m. ant. Dueño de una caballería (? porción de tierra adjudicada a los caballeros que habían contribuido a su conquista).
m. ant. Soldado de a caballo.
caballero andante, o ~ aventurero.
m. El que andaba por el mundo buscando aventuras y sirvió de prototipo de los libros de caballerías.
m. coloq. Hidalgo pobre y ocioso que andaba vagando de una parte a otra.
I looked up cowboy in the Oxford New Spanish Dictionary and it's translation is
noun: vaquero (m)
My western art depicts the cowboys, their horses and livestock, and their land. Through my cowboy paintings and prints, I invite you to join me in appreciation of our great American West.
In the West, we have a rich heritage of events that shaped our country. And, in California, that heritage is especially colorful with the early influence of the Spanish and Mexican dons and vaqueros. Growing up in Southern California, exposure to that culture permeated most of my everyday life. Now in later years I appreciate the extent to which that culture has contributed to our ranching history. --- Lorna Dillion ---
Aside from Lates dictionary definitions, what about common usage?
Technically speaking, a cowboy is a caballero, because he rides horses. In common, modern usage, however, "caballero" means "gentleman": as in a polite, educated person, rather than a mounted warrior.
cab·al·le·ro - n. pl. cab·al·le·ros 1. A Spanish gentleman; a cavalier. 2. A man who is skilled in riding and managing horses; a horseman.
[Spanish, from Late Latin caballrius, horse groom, from Latin caballus, horse.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
This gentleman is with his sweetheart. Riding double does take skill!!
In Spain Cowboy is "vaquero", and not the same. Caballero-> gentlemen or knight if reference medieval era.
On flights to Latin American countries, the flight attendants use "caballeros" when addressing the gentlemen.
'Damas y caballeros' - ladies and gentlemen!
The way I understand it, cowboy is not someone who rides a horse (well they all do of course ) but someone who tends cows.
So if I hear the word caballero a cowboy comes not in mind 
If you look at history during the middle ages in Europe, you´ll see that it was mostly the wealthy who could afford to own horses. So I think this is where Caballero started to become associated with knights and gentlemen, as it was considered in those times that only a noble could ever be a gentleman - never a peasant.
Cowboy and Vaquero came way after those times in the Americas and denotes someone who works with cattle. The fact that this work is performed while on a horse has nothing with the name Cowboy and has nothing to due with being or not being a gentleman.
Please disregard and have a great day!
Aside from Lates dictionary definitions, what about common usage?
If a term is used by the populus, then it is worth considering. Many slang terms eventually get accepted, why not this one?
