The word joking is older than we imagine: this is its origin

We use this word constantly: it is a term that it means merriment, merriment. But it also has other nuances. For example, as established by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in its dictionary, joking is "lack of seriousness or rigor in a matter that requires it." The verb cachondear, admitted by the RAE, focuses on its meaning of "mocking or teasing". But what is the origin of this term?

Before going to the etymological root, according to at least some theories, a second use of the word must be qualifiedas in fact the RAE recognizes when the horny (or horny) form is used, which, in vulgar usage, means “dominated by sexual appetite or denoting sexual appetite). In fact, the dictionary states that "cachondear" in Mexico has the use of "lovingly caressing another person."

As for the origin, there are at least three theories. The first would refer to the Latin “cattulus”, which means “cub”. In this way, as the Corominas-Pacual Spanish and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary collects, this noun, with written evidence, at least since 1490, could have had a use on the festival or the merriment coming from the predisposition of the young of the animals to the game

They are use with sexual significance is documented from 1450. So for example acknowledges it, in his “General Inventory of Insults”, Pancracio Celdrán, who points to Corominas thesis: cachondo would come from vulgar Latin etymology “cattulus” and would be a voice of similar formation to "verrionda" and "torionda ": sow and cow outlets, becoming "catuonda" or "catulonda", whence "cachonda" appears. Cerdán notes that the feminine ending was the original, since the masculine was a later derivative.

Another theory about the origin of the word refers to a geographical issue. It would be the Cachón river, which flows into Zahara de los Atunes, in the province of Cádiz. It seems that on the banks of the river the fishermen gathered to do their festivities and revelries at the end of the day in the traps. The region in particular seems to have been a good school for rogues, ruffians, and people of dubious repute. Some point out that prostitutes also used to hang around looking for clients. Hence the word derived, from the name of the Cachón river, in joke.

Finally, Others point out that cachón, already in disuse as such, meant a blow from the sea. And what a joke it was when the sea became rough. The sailors said something like "it seems that there is joking around".