Tag Archives: rock climbing

Rock Climbing Safety

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text:

“Dude on rock?”

“Rock on dude.”

Context:

The informant, TG, is originally from San Jose and grew up rock climbing at summer camp as a teenager. He explained that rock climbers must go through a safety procedure before they begin climbing. After all of the gear is properly equipped, the climber has a verbal exchange with person belaying them (this person controls the rope slack and tension to ensure the climber does not fall) that typically goes like this:

Climber: “On belay?”

Belayer: “Belay on.”

Climber: “Climbing.”

Belayer: “Climb on.”

[Climber begins climbing.]

TG said that this exchange is important because it signals that both people are ready and actively engaged to ensure proper safety. “Dude on rock?” / “Rock on dude” is a playful variation of this, and would take place immediately after “On belay?” / “Belay on.”

Analysis:

Rock climbing is an activity that comes with the inherent risk of serious injury. TG suggested that fun riffs on these safety procedures help the climbers to feel more casual and relaxed. The phrase is also a play on words, with rock’s double meanings as a solid mineral and as a music genre. Furthermore, TG grew up in close proximity to San Francisco, which was notable for its psychedelic rock and hippie culture during the 1960’s and 1970’s — hence the influence of the phrase “Rock on!”

Pumped, Beta and Flappers

Nationality: Irish-Italian
Age: 22
Occupation: Film Maker
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

“Can I bounce some beta off you?”

“Check out this gnarly flapper!”

“My forearms are pretty pumped, man.”

If any of these sentences mean anything to you, you are probably a rock climber.

While at the rock climbing gym with my informant, these phrases were being tossed about, back and forth between climbers.  Like other sports, there is plenty of jargon that is unique to rock climbing.  Although there are many terms that refer to particular types of rock climbing – top-roping, lead-climbing, bouldering – the terms “pumped,” “beta” and “flappers” are examples of more generalized climbing slang.

My informant, a climber who specializes in bouldering – that is, a style of climbing that is done without rope and is limited to relatively short climbs over a “crash pad,” or cushion – explained the meaning of these common rock climbing terms: “Beta’s just tips or information that we tell each other before or during a climb to help solve a route.”  Apparently “beta” can be a good and bad thing with expressions like: “I need some beta” or even, “Quit your fuckin’ beta, man!”  The latter expression is used when a fellow climber offers too much advice, which can get pretty annoying.

My informant then explained the meaning of a “flapper,” which he coincidentally got after a couple hours of climbing.  A flapper is a detached flap on a climber’s fingers, which is caused from a sharp rock, too much friction or prolonged climbing.  When my informant first started climbing, he told me that he had a flapper on each finger within two weeks.  In rock climbing, building and maintaining calluses is important in avoiding these minor, but still painful injuries.

Surprisingly, the word “pumped” in rock climbing has a much different meaning than excited, ready or adrenaline-filled.  Instead, when climbers use the term, it means that they are exhausted or weak from a strenuous climb or a long climbing day.  It is especially common for forearms to be “pumped,” since rock climbing depends on core and arm (particularly forearm over bicep) strength.

The use of these unique terms illustrates the exclusivity of the rock climbing community, basically creating a different language to convey ideas and condense conversation.  My informant explains that “these are super basic expressions, they’re really easy to pick up… If you climb and don’t use these phrases, then you’re not a real climber…”