The Lone Ranger and "Foolish?"

B

Bill Marsh

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
1,861
As a student of words I wonder about derivation. Recently I was talking with a Mexican man about some of our old TV programs. I mentioned the "Lone Ranger and Tonto." He started laughing. He said that "tonto" means "foolish" in Mexican/Spanish.

"How about 'kemo sabe?'" I asked. (qui no sabe?)

"That means 'doesn't know!'" or "Knows nothing."

So my childhood heros called each other "foolish and clueless?"
 
:D I thought the same thing when I took my first Spanish class in High School. It hit me and I said "you mean the lone ranger's friend was named "stupid?!"

But I didn't Know the kemo sabe--that makes me feel better somehow-- that Tonto was kinda of saying "right back atcha buddy" each time they talked;)
 
Bill coming from Quebec I am blessed with enough figurative meanings to keep a man busy for several lives . Being of Irish descent doesn,t hurt either . I wonder how old Mr.Lone Ranger got his name . Sounds like someone got their revenge with a creative flair ! L:O:L
 
DannyinJapan said:
Were there rangers in states other than Texas?
Click to expand...

Contrary to popular belief, there was actually only ONE texas ranger...or ranger of any state in all of history.
His name was John Wayne.
While he was born in 1907, John Wayne could actually travel through time. He went back and policed the old west well before his movie career took off. That's why he was hired for so many films. He was a natural. In 1977 he went as far into the future as 2237 where he found that it was high fashion for grown men to wear pink dresses with bows. He shouted, "Why, that's for a bunch of sissies." Then a fist fight broke out where all the landed punches sounded like two raw hamburger patties slapping together. John Wayne obviously won and saved the future. John Wayne also traveled back to feudal europe and was given sway over several tracts of land due to his sheer awesomeness and grit. That is how he got his nickname...
john_wayne.jpg

The Duke

When I don't know something, i just google pics and bluff my way through:D

Jake
 
Steely_Gunz said:
John Wayne was a natural. In 1977 he went as far into the future as 2237 where he found that it was high fashion for grown men to wear pink dresses with bows. He shouted, "Why, that's for a bunch of sissies." Then a fist fight broke out where all the landed punches sounded like two raw hamburger patties slapping together. John Wayne obviously won and saved the future.

John Wayne also traveled back to feudal europe and was given sway over feudal tracts.
Click to expand...
..........

Now just a minute there . . . . . . Pilgrim!

WHAT?!?!?! "Pink Dresses!" "Duke?"

How about either a link or a sample of whetever you are . . . . . . . -- - -- doing.
 
Well, here's a story. The daughter of the author of the scripts for the original Lone Ranger radio programs (originating in Detroit by the way) says that Tonto's name for the Daring Masked Rider came from the name of a boy's camp in Michigan -- Camp Kee Mo Sah Bee.

This version is substantiated by the original director for the radio show, who says he picked the name, being the name of a boy's camp he attended.

Many others, uniformed of the above, have speculated on various meanings from Indian languages of the Southwest, such as the Yavapai "kinmasabeh," white man.

I suspect that "Tanto" has a similar, unromantic Detroit origin.

Or it could be "Clueless and Boy's Camp." :D

Arizona had "rangers" from 1901 until statehood in 1912 - established by the federal teritorial governor.
 
Obvioulsy there are a lot of words that sound the same from different languages and have different meanings.

The Chevrolet Nova did very poorly in Mexico because "No Va" menas "Doesn't go."

Carlos Castenada of the "Don Juan" books about the Yaqui Indians said that you should not tell anyone about yourself. Just be and let them decide.

"Casta nada" means "no breed." Or "no particular caste."

Coinicidence?

I like the Lone Ranger saying "Come on stupid," and Silverheels saying back, "Right away, Clueless!" It seemed to me that Tonto was the smarter one anyway. Maybe he understood and was just playing with the Lone Ranger.

I like to think that. Not so stupid.
 
Funny and true story:my grandma (who adopted me-she's my mom :D ) is Visayan and her and her dad used to listen to the Lone Ranger on the radio,now when ever Tonto would say "Taie Kimosabe" (and God knows I spelt that wrong) my grandma and great grandad would laugh themselves stupid....why? well.....

"Taie" means s**t in Visayan! :eek:

On another note-the ex-priminister of Pakistan Mrs. ummm Mabuto?...DO NOT say that to a Visayan.....it means c**t!!!! :eek:

I could go on...
 
Kronckew,,

It's interesting that you mentioned John Wayne's role in
"The Conqueror". It doesn't seem to be too well known,
but the cancer that he died from probably did NOT result from
cigarette smoking. Rather, it was probably due to
radioactive fallout that he was exposed to while filming
"The Conqueror" in Utah. That film was not only possibly
the worst miscasting in history, but also the most fatal to a
film crew in history

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_016.html

John
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Contrary to popular belief, there was actually only ONE texas ranger...or ranger of any state in all of history.
His name was John Wayne.
While he was born in 1907, John Wayne could actually travel through time. He went back and policed the old west well before his movie career took off. That's why he was hired for so many films. He was a natural. In 1977 he went as far into the future as 2237 where he found that it was high fashion for grown men to wear pink dresses with bows. He shouted, "Why, that's for a bunch of sissies." Then a fist fight broke out where all the landed punches sounded like two raw hamburger patties slapping together. John Wayne obviously won and saved the future. John Wayne also traveled back to feudal europe and was given sway over several tracts of land due to his sheer awesomeness and grit. That is how he got his nickname...
john_wayne.jpg

The Duke

When I don't know something, i just google pics and bluff my way through:D

Jake
Click to expand...

He was the greatest American that ever lived.
 
John Wayne didn't like ndns. Also John Wayne has a toilet paper named after him. "It's rough, it's tough, and it doesn't take any poop offa ndns, or anyone else for that matter." Can be found in most public restrooms.:( :grumpy: ;) :D
 
I remember sitting and watching some Lone Ranger episodes on VHS with my then wife and us noticing that Tonto said, "Me dig grave, kemo-sabe." so much that it was funny. I never noticed it through all the time I watched it when I was young.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Contrary to popular belief, there was actually only ONE texas ranger...or ranger of any state in all of history.
His name was John Wayne.
While he was born in 1907, John Wayne could actually travel through time. He went back and policed the old west well before his movie career took off. That's why he was hired for so many films. He was a natural. In 1977 he went as far into the future as 2237 where he found that it was high fashion for grown men to wear pink dresses with bows. He shouted, "Why, that's for a bunch of sissies." Then a fist fight broke out where all the landed punches sounded like two raw hamburger patties slapping together. John Wayne obviously won and saved the future. John Wayne also traveled back to feudal europe and was given sway over several tracts of land due to his sheer awesomeness and grit. That is how he got his nickname...
john_wayne.jpg

The Duke

When I don't know something, i just google pics and bluff my way through:D

Jake
Click to expand...

This reminds me of all those Chuck Norris "facts" that have been circulating on the Internet lately. :D

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top