Spanish for Gunfighters?
- Thread starter Overman
- Start date
Mannlicher
New member
more useless advice................
I think most folks intuitivly understand what is meant when you point your .45 at them and yell "Drop it ###hole".
I think most folks intuitivly understand what is meant when you point your .45 at them and yell "Drop it ###hole".
Greenfurniture
New member
I would have to agree. When you're showing them your pill thrower, they're going to understand.
Of course in a gun fight there is very little, if any, time for conversation.
Of course in a gun fight there is very little, if any, time for conversation.
Superhornet
New member
Bang, bang, bang....Peligro
Remember the Cisco Kid and Pancho?
When I was a boy, I used to watch the Cisco Kid and Pancho on TV. Kind of a Mexican Lone Ranger and Tonto. Lots of good Spanish there, I think. Sure were a lot of TV shows about good guy gun fighters when I was a kid! Gunsmoke, Paladin, Hopalong Cassidy, Wyatt Earp, the Rifleman, Johnny Mack Brown, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the list goes on. Those were the "good old days!"
When I was a boy, I used to watch the Cisco Kid and Pancho on TV. Kind of a Mexican Lone Ranger and Tonto. Lots of good Spanish there, I think. Sure were a lot of TV shows about good guy gun fighters when I was a kid! Gunsmoke, Paladin, Hopalong Cassidy, Wyatt Earp, the Rifleman, Johnny Mack Brown, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the list goes on. Those were the "good old days!"
BreacherUp!
New member
Overman brings up a valid point. I have read countless times, on this forum, where everyone has their words/phrases before shooting. Should it be any different for another language? I don't think so. In many of the scenarios posted right here on TFL, people have had to make some sort of verbal confrontation that either leads to a trigger from orange to red, or a safety (de-escalation). Being in yellow may also mean knowing that English is just not working.
Other language "Halt"
This is a meaningless thread because we all know foreigners only come here to pick fruit, dig ditches and work in the computer industry. No chance of their ever performing forced entry and bodily harm.
The ones to fear are the WASP's, especially the radicals who work and go to church as a cover. They will all speak Oxford style English.
This is a meaningless thread because we all know foreigners only come here to pick fruit, dig ditches and work in the computer industry. No chance of their ever performing forced entry and bodily harm.
The ones to fear are the WASP's, especially the radicals who work and go to church as a cover. They will all speak Oxford style English.quiettype1
Inactive
spanish
I've learned alot of spanish over the past 25 years.Spent a few years in south america(Colombia).Let me know specifically what you want to say and I'll try to help.
I've learned alot of spanish over the past 25 years.Spent a few years in south america(Colombia).Let me know specifically what you want to say and I'll try to help.
Is it really going to matter what you say, as much as how you say it? If you're holding a gun on somebody and saying anything loudly in an authoritative voice, they're either going to put down a weapon, use it on you, or run away.
I suppose he might stand there and stare blankly at you, but that's 'cause he's drunk or on drugs, and that happens no matter what language is involved.
Suppose you take the position that your adversary must understand you. If you are going to take this position consider this: Let's say you use spanish to speak to someone who looks "hispanic". What do you when when you shoot them and find out they didn't undertand you, because they never understood a word of spanish?
Of course the above is my opinion of what a regular guy stopping an attack should be concerned with. LEO would be arresting somebody at gunpoint and that would be a little more complicated, and may neccessitate more specific commands.
I suppose he might stand there and stare blankly at you, but that's 'cause he's drunk or on drugs, and that happens no matter what language is involved.
Suppose you take the position that your adversary must understand you. If you are going to take this position consider this: Let's say you use spanish to speak to someone who looks "hispanic". What do you when when you shoot them and find out they didn't undertand you, because they never understood a word of spanish?
Of course the above is my opinion of what a regular guy stopping an attack should be concerned with. LEO would be arresting somebody at gunpoint and that would be a little more complicated, and may neccessitate more specific commands.
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1) Duxman: at the risk of sounding racist (which i most definately am NOT...my best friend i've ever had is hispanic), down here in Texas, you can usually guess with pretty accurate results who you can speak english to and who needs spanish... I realize that may not be the case in VA.
2)Overman: as a kid i had a job as a lifeguard at our local city pool. as a lifeguard you spent about 60% of your time telling kids to stop running. do to local demographics, we had a large number of hispanic kids who couldnt understand our english commands. i finally started using the command ALTO! when i needed to stop one of them... I found that a loudly shouted ALTO got nearly every hispanic person at the pool to freeze in their tracks and look up at me... worked pretty darn well i should say!!! while the two situations arent nearly the same thing, alto worked so well for me, if i ever had to shout spanish while pointing a gun, i think alto would be my one-size-fits-all word...
2)Overman: as a kid i had a job as a lifeguard at our local city pool. as a lifeguard you spent about 60% of your time telling kids to stop running. do to local demographics, we had a large number of hispanic kids who couldnt understand our english commands. i finally started using the command ALTO! when i needed to stop one of them... I found that a loudly shouted ALTO got nearly every hispanic person at the pool to freeze in their tracks and look up at me... worked pretty darn well i should say!!! while the two situations arent nearly the same thing, alto worked so well for me, if i ever had to shout spanish while pointing a gun, i think alto would be my one-size-fits-all word...
Double Naught Spy
New member
I seem to have trouble worrying about folks coming to the US, not knowing English, and me having to issue commands in a language I don't know.
It is the responsibility of the crook/bad guy to know the predominate language of the land. In the US, that is English. It isn't my fault if he fails to comply with my commands. I don't have time to make a language assessment of each member of the opposition in a life or death situation and if I have my gun drawn, it is turning into a life or death situation as I undboubtedly feel threatened.
When it comes to the bad guys, ignorance of the law isn't a valid excuse, nor is ignorance of the language.
In the words of my boss, there are inherent risks in going outside, to which I would add, when you don't know the language and are breaking the law.
It is the responsibility of the crook/bad guy to know the predominate language of the land. In the US, that is English. It isn't my fault if he fails to comply with my commands. I don't have time to make a language assessment of each member of the opposition in a life or death situation and if I have my gun drawn, it is turning into a life or death situation as I undboubtedly feel threatened.
When it comes to the bad guys, ignorance of the law isn't a valid excuse, nor is ignorance of the language.
In the words of my boss, there are inherent risks in going outside, to which I would add, when you don't know the language and are breaking the law.
I am not looking to learn a few choice phrases to make any BG's life easier, or to relieve him of the responsibility to learn the language of the land. My intentions are purely selfish, and tactical.
I don't care WHOSE fault it is. I'd rather be able to de-fuse a bad situation with a few choice words than have to end up shooting the SOB and end up with THAT mess (lawyers, possible arrest, reporters with an agenda, a sheriff who hates civilian CCW, etc.) If a half-hour of learning a few choice phrases can make that difference, I couldn't care LESS if the bad guy really should be better educated. As a tactician, who is looking to get out of a bad situation with minimal harm to myself or my wallet or my freedom, that just makes sense.
chris in va
New member
Boy I tell ya. We've got some real prizewinners here in N. VA. Just today I was out fishing off a pier at a local lake with my friend's teen girls. They went off to get some sodas at the shack, only to have 5 spanish guys cut them off asking their names and preventing further progress. They ran toward one of the park employees hoping the guys would get the message to go away, and they did eventually.
This trash just doesn't care about American ways and can't wait to 'take advantage' of everything, including young girls.
I need to learn some commands in spanish soon, but I refuse to learn their language.
This trash just doesn't care about American ways and can't wait to 'take advantage' of everything, including young girls.
I need to learn some commands in spanish soon, but I refuse to learn their language.
So, your friend's teenage daughters speak Spanish then? 
From the people that I work for I understand that "Alto" is used by Mexican police. It is very effective as "Alto" is usually quickly followed by gunfire (outside the cities especially) so compliance is usually very swift.
Alto--stop
levante sus manos--raise your hands
ahora mismo-immediately; right now
From the people that I work for I understand that "Alto" is used by Mexican police. It is very effective as "Alto" is usually quickly followed by gunfire (outside the cities especially) so compliance is usually very swift.
Alto--stop
levante sus manos--raise your hands
ahora mismo-immediately; right now
You might remember Alto in an adrenaline situation, you might not. I doubt if you are going to remember a string of words unless you are already very very familiar with them.
Try practicing this: "STOP, ALTO" followed by the click of the safety coming off. I think the click will be universal enough.
Try practicing this: "STOP, ALTO" followed by the click of the safety coming off. I think the click will be universal enough.