What is meant by the phrase “Spanish Main”? - Jinx
From www.m-w.com (the Merriam-Webster dictionary)
Main Entry: Spanish Main
Pronunciation: 'mAn
Usage: geographical name
1 the mainland of Spanish America especially along N coast of S. America
2 the Caribbean Sea & adjacent waters especially at the time when region was infested with pirates
The master addresses this very issue!
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_017a.html
The Spanish themselves of course called it Tierra Firme (the mainland), to distinguish it from the Caribbean Islands.
- Colibri, posting from the Spanish Main.
The Main? In Spain?
Falls mainly on the plain
Or so I heard it!
And I don’t doubt it.
The Main in Spain is mainly in the plain.
Sorry. ;j