Tucson Jargon    

Talking to someone in Tucsonan about architecture can be an adventure. Terms like "viga" and "nicho" are tossed about as readily as "window" or "fence". If you're planning a trip to Tucson, brush up on these Southern Arizona terms to fully appreciate the local architecture.

Acequia -- Man made irrigation ditch.

Adobe -- Mud brick that is dried in the sun. The first adobe bricks were used 8,500 years ago in the Middle East.

Alameda -- Spanish for "Cottonwood Tree". This word has come to mean a road bordered by cottonwoods.

Anasazi -- Ancestral Pueblo Indians; the "Ancients."

Arroyo -- Dry riverbed that fills occasionally.

Aspen Tree -- High elevation deciduous (drops it's leaves in fall) tree with leaves that turn gold in the fall.

Banco -- A bench made of adobe and covered with plaster.

Bosque -- Low-lying area near rivers, densely forested with cottonwoods and other deciduous trees.

Camino -- "Road" in Spanish.

Canale -- A roof spout that carries water off a flat pueblo roof.

Casa -- "House" or "home" in Spanish.

Coping -- Decorative detail on the top edge of a building and around doors and windows.

Corbel -- Short sculpted beam lying on top of a post or wall.

Farolito -- "Little Lantern", typically a paper bag with a sand ballast and candle, lighted for Christmas festivities. Referred to as a Luminaria outside of Santa Fe.

Flagstone -- Flat sheets of red or white stone mined locally, used for flooring in homes and on patios.

Horno -- Freestanding adobe bread oven found at most pueblos and Indian homes.

Juniper Tree -- High-desert evergreen that seldom grows more than 15 feet tall.

Kiva -- A small "beehive-shaped" fireplace.

La Fonda -- "The Hotel" in Spanish.

La Posada -- "The Inn" in Spanish.

Latillas -- Small branches used as ceiling planking, made of Aspen, pine or cedar.

Lintel -- Wooden beam bridging window or door openings.

Luminaria -- Fire built on the sidewalk on Christmas Eve for carolers to gather around. (See also Farolito.)

Mesa -- Flattop mountain called "a table" in Spanish.

Nicho -- Small shelf carved into a wall.

Paseo -- Passage or walkway, or "to promenade."

Pinon Tree -- High-desert nut-bearing evergreen tree.

Plaza -- Public square in the center of town, site of traditional evening paseo or "promenade."

Portal -- Patio attached to a home, covered with a fixed roof supported by posts.

Puerta -- "Door" in Spanish.

Rumford Fireplace -- Tall, shallow fireplace known for great effeciency.

Saltillo Tile -- Simple fired earthen tile made in Saltillo, Mexico.

Stucco -- Final cement color coat plastered in the exterior of an adobe-style building.

Talavera Tile -- Colorful hand-decorated Mexican tile used for counter tops and trim.

Ventana -- "Window" in Spanish.

Vigas -- Round logs used as ceiling beams, either shaved or raw.