De pive a pibe chorro. El uso de pibe en el español rioplatense

Abstract

The etymology of the word pibe, often used in the Río de la Plata, has been the subject of controversy: Spanish antiphrasis or slang italinism? Derivation of pevet or pivetto? Witnessed for the first time in the Rio de la Plata in 1894 in The Language of Crime by Antonio Dellepiane, the word pibe was included in later Lunfardo dictionaries and in literary works that recreated the popular speech of the first half of the twentieth century. The link to this jargon is ofted attributed to an Italian origin. Corominas refutes this etymology since pibe is a word widely used in Río de la Plata Spanish and not only restricted to Lunfardo speakers. However, the extension of this word is not contradictory to its use as lunfardism and its possible etymology of Italian. The analysis of the presence of pibe in lexicographical works and in literary texts, graphic media and songs allows us to observe that the broadening trend of this word coincides with the loss of the pejorative nuance that was initially attributed to it when it was employed to designate young people. This presence also exhibits its productivity to integrate the current tumbero slang and to acquire new uses in colloquial speech.