I recently learned a new word in English and when I did I immediately thought of sharing it with you all here on the blog 🙂   I love it when I learn a new word for something, that I previously did not know had a word of its own.  The new word I learned is: busker.

A busker is a person.  The verb for what a busker does is: to busk, i.e. busking, busked, etc.

So, what is a busker?
A busker is a street performer who does some type of performance in a public place for free with the hope of earning tips, donations, or gratuity in exchange for their show or performance.  Another phrase that can be used to describe buskers is: street performers.  The art of street performance dates back to antiquity and is something that is found all over the world.  Buskers can and will do just about anything that people find entertaining in order to earn a little money.  But there is also a great deal of art in these performances.  The various types of buskers working on the streets around the world includes: acrobats, balloon twisting, clowning, performing card tricks, fortune-telling, juggling, miming, storytelling, creating street art, snake charming, fire breathing, magic shows, and more.

The term “busking” was first used in the English language in the 1860s in Great Britain. Before then, buskers were more commonly called “minstrels.”  The word “busk” in English comes from the Spanish root-word “buscar,” meaning “to seek” as often buskers are seeking fame and fortune.  Busking was particularly common among some Gypsies in Europe.  Gypsies and Roma’s brought the word “busk” to England, and thus the English language, during their travels over generations along the Mediterranean coast, through Spain, and up the Atlantic ocean to England.

Although just learning this new word is a great thing in and of it self, I think there is a lot more wonderful new vocabulary we can explore around the art of busking.  In my next few posts I will be highlighting a few types of busking practices that I bet you have seen or heard before and some of the English vocabulary related to these arts.

Have you learned a new word in English recently has interested you?  If so please tell us about it in the comments to this post or on the accompanying English Language Transparent Language Facebook page.  Remember you are trying to learn English Transparent Language has a lot of great resources to help you, be sure to check them out.