Talk:Cojones

Untitled
This page was deleted after vfd talk in early 2004. The Bush/Blair story of later that month warranted its restoration. Pete/Pcb21 (talk) 20:47, 19 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Pronunciation
Who, what, why is "Kerry Easthope" at the end of lead paragraph? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.54.5.130 (talk) 09:11, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

The recent edit from "Spanish" to "with a nod to its non-English origins" is unhelpful. The word is basically pronounced as it is Spanish, except with an (American) English accent not a Spanish accent. Pete/Pcb21 (talk) 22:34, 19 Apr 2004 (UTC)


 * OK, try the revised version. But I'm not accepting "ca-hoo-nas" as "true to its Spanish origin". –Hajor 23:52, 19 Apr 2004 (UTC)


 * The only way I've ever heard it pronounced (and I've heard it from lots of wankers ... er ... erudite people) is something like kuh-HOE-naze (I'm not going to try putting this into proper phonetic symbols). Metamagician3000 09:58, 26 February 2006 (UTC)

Hemingway
I can't reference this, but I always associate the popularisation of the word in English with Ernest Hemingway. Can anyone help with this? If I'm right, it seems notable. Metamagician3000 09:51, 26 February 2006 (UTC)


 * However, it only took me a second of googling to confirm that Hemingway uses tbe word and concept all the time, and that it is even quite important in his work. I think this is notable in itself and easily demonstrable (though it would take a bit of time). I'm pretty sure that the use of the word, often a bit ironically, by educated people over a long time comes from acquaintance with Hemingway. I'll leave that thought with you, because I just don't have the time or expertise in language trends to prove most of it. Metamagician3000 00:54, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

Usage by country
Someone asked me to provide evidence that it is used outside the US. I can't do that, so now I've been challenged I won't re-edit. I see no references at all in the article to support how and where the word is used, so I'm surprised that someone is being so picky in an article that basically doesn't cite its sources. I'll just use the talk page to say for the record that I've heard this usage in Australia, albeit infrequently rather than as "popular slang", for the past 20 years. I wouldn't have thought that this was a terriby controversial claim. Ideally, the article should somehow reflect that the usage has been around for a long time, probably in all English-speaking countries, even if it has only recently become "popular". Otherwise, the article doesn't give the full picture. However, I can't prove this from written sources - I don't even know where to start in proving a point like that without relying on personal experience, so I'll let it drop as far the article itself is concerned. Maybe someone with the relevant skills in this field will be able to think about it. Cheers! Metamagician3000 00:41, 27 February 2006 (UTC)


 * FWIW, it's used in Canada, although I don't have a reference. Although in Spanish it may be considered vulgar, I've never known it to be offensive in English use.  142.59.195.50 06:32, 3 June 2007 (UTC)

A Cuban friend of mine (who lived in Cuba for 35+ years) was surprised when I used the word "cojones" (since I don't speak Spanish). He stated that it was specifically a Cuban term when referring to testicles (he said it wasn't used in Mexico, for example). He didn't believe that I heard it on TV because he thought it would be 'bleeped' because it was a vulgar term. Perhaps someone who is reading this can verify or falsify this claim.Yelocab 02:07, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * For sure not a Cuban only term. It's most widely used in Spain, but also in several other Latin American countries. It is understood in all of the Spanish speaking ones too. --Mariano (t/c) 15:23, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

I am from Cuba. In my world it was a very offensive term. (My relatives in Spain also consider it very offensive and improper.) I would not translate it as "balls," much less "courage." (Hemingwhay did not know what he was talking about.) The accurate translation, given the offensiveness of the term in Spanish, would be the equivalent of the English F word with ers at the end. If this is offensive, it is because the C word is very offensive. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.135.105.240 (talk) 20:39, 21 October 2011 (UTC)

Other languages
Although interesting, I think that the reference to other languages is pointless. In particular, there is a stress put on the Catalan term which does nothing to be with the topic: the Spanish word and how it is used worldwide.

If the reference to other languages remains, Catalan should be included (as Galician or French), but not highlighted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.184.2.156 (talk) 11:02, August 29, 2007 (UTC)

British English
The reference to "bollocks" is wrong and irrelevant, and I think should be removed. "Bollocks" in British English is a derogatory term, meaning useless or worthless, and does not have the same meaning as "balls", which is used in British English much the same as it is in the US. Lonegroover (talk) 10:17, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

HEY !! No body asked you for your opinion on the term bollocks... so can I get a neutral opion on it? Cheers

2004 WSOP: Mike Matusow at TV table vs. Greg Raymer
It's a really famous quote, shown again and again on ESPN in certain montage of clips. It should be in the popular culture for sure, noteable as the ESPN footage actually BLEEPS the word even though it's not English, but makes sense since it's equivalent to "balls" in English. Matusow said "I've got big cajones. You've got little cajones." (after bluffing the eventual winner of the Main Event). YT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hg9qzquUvo to help anyone decide if it should be included. 199.214.19.6 (talk) 22:21, 25 November 2009 (UTC)

"On to the Next One" - Jay-Z
This usage of "cajones" in Jay-Z's song, "On to the Next One," could be added to the Pop Culture section. To find a source, google something like "on to the next one jay-z lyrics." Here's the context in Jay-Z's 3rd verse:

Used to rock a throwback, ballin' on the corner.

Now I rock a Teller suit, lookin' like a owner.

No I'm not a Jonas, Brother I'm a grown up.

No I'm not a virgin, I use my cojones. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Chazthegreat (talk • contribs) 04:07, 12 February 2010 (UTC)

Move to wiktionary
This article is not about the things called cojones (testicles). It is about the word cojones and therefore should be shifted to Wiktionary. Nurg (talk) 10:45, 21 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Agreed, unless additions to the page are created, such as use in society (or something), it should be redirected to wiktionary.P0PP4B34R732 (talk) 20:43, 21 October 2011 (UTC)