What is the origin of the words, 'cowpuncher' and 'cowpoke'?

Question

I worked cattle as a young man, and those terms were synonymous with our work. I now work as a counselor at a boys' ranch and was recently queried by some of the boys, as to the violent nature of those terms which, of course, didn't really apply at all. I didn't know how to respond to the questions, however.

Answer 1

PUNCH originally meant to poke or prod, especially with a stick or other blunt implement and dates back to the late 14th century.

COWPUNCHER (circa 1878) is now another word for COWBOY (1849 – the American West version), but the word actually had its origin in the days when the railroads started to haul cows from the Plains to the cities of the Midwest and East when it meant: 1) A fellow who helped push the cattle onto rail cars by poking them with a long stick (probably also giving rise to the expression COWPOKE (1881) and COWPROD(DER) for cowboy). 2) a fellow who used a prod to keep the cows standing during the railroad journey so that they wouldn’t get trampled.

Answer 2

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What is the origin of the words, 'cowpuncher' and 'cowpoke'?
I worked cattle as a young man, and those terms were synonymous with our work. I now work as a counselor at a boys' ranch and was recently queried by some of the boys, as to the violent nature of those terms which, of course, didn't really apply at all. I didn't know how to respond to...

Answer 3

Cowpuncher is synonymous with Cowboy. The term "cowpuncher" was especially popular with cowboys who worked in the Cherokee Strip since they were entitled to join the Cherokee Strip Cowpunchers Association after it was organized in 1920

Cowpoke: a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback

Thye pretty well mean the same thing.

Answer 4

Cowpuncher

Answer 5

Sometimes I love the evolution of language and sometimes I wince, particularly when I see txt-speak used inappropriately where English is required. i reely dont fink it lux gr8! Re; The Stalker, I think there is an interesting development there, he's been cloned apparently! Follow my star, as the wise man said to his donkey... FYL? Five Yellow Lemurs? Feed Your Lions? No idea TD, sorry.

Answer 6

Funny, I grew up on a cattle ranch. You have to poke them, use to be with a stick, now they use electric cattle prods, to move them on down the shute to vacinate them, etc.

Answer 7

Usama Bin Laden originated it from when he had sex with all the cows over in the middle east!!!!

Answer 8

Dallas (TV Show)

Answer 9

cow

Answer 10

yes! yes! yes!