It's all bullshit, anyway

Twice in recent memory, I've encountered the same crossword clue, which was simply "bull fighter", and both times the answer was different. At some point earlier this evening, midway through my umpteenth hour behind the wheel with nought but my own thoughts for company, I wondered why I'd never looked into the difference in meaning for both answers.

The two terms called for were matador and toreador, and I've finally decided to ascertain the meanings behind them.

Firstly, a bullfighter - in Spanish - is referred to as a Torero. It was only through the opera Carmen that the term toreador was adopted by English speakers.

Matador, however, would be the term I'd argue more of us - particularly English speakers - are more familiar with, and not just because they manufacture BBQ's. Formally, the title given to master bullfighters is matador de toros, which makes sense, given that it's the literal translation for "killer of bulls".

From what I can piece together, bullfighting appears to be a bit of a team sport, and it's only the leader of the entourage - and generally the most experienced and decorated - bears the title of matador. The toreros (and others, including the picadores and banderilleros) appear to perform their role as bullfighters, before the matador finally comes in to finish off and kill the bull.

The key word to consider from the above is perform, as bullfighting is considered as more of a performance art than a sport, which I would probably be able to appreciate a whole lot more if a bull being killed wasn't the central prop. It's not an entirely one-sided performance, though - since the 1700's, over 500 professional bullfighters have been killed in the ring (and Christ knows how many amateurs). The risk of being gored is apparently quite central to the honour and appeal of the profession itself. Probably not something you accountants out there can relate to, but each to their own I guess.

I've never actually been to a bullfight, and even out of pure curiosity, I still don't think I could stomach it. Regardless, I definitely have an appreciation for the cultural significance of bullfighting in Spanish history, though it appears to be a dying art.

Next time you're faced with "bullfighter" as your crossword clue, and "matador" doesn't fit, try toreador, and thank me later.