The Tuna Lexicon, a Mediterranean Sociocultural Creation

The tuna lexicon is a slang created by professionals involved in the process of catching and processing tuna fish. This social work-related group, made up of humble communities, has historically faced discrimination from other social strata, a factor which has contributed to the construction of their own lexicon. Another significant contribution in the configuration of trap-netting words has come from groups of migrant fishermen who speak different languages, which also distinguishes these professionals from other speakers. Thus, the study of the terms that make up this lexicon, and of its social and historical context, will allow us to visualize the relationships of cooperation and cultural, technological, economic and linguistic intervention made by some communities in others, making the tuna lexicon a symbol of Mediterranean culture.