The Chabacano Calcetin and Medias
In
Camins' Chabacano dictionary, the distinction between calcetin
and medias is very
clear. The former is socks
and the latter is stockings.
Growing
up, I have always heard my parents use calcetin
for socks but later on
(and I believe this is influenced by the predominantly Tagalog
television), I started hearing more and more people use medias
and so today I use both words (albeit I use medias
more because it is more readily understandable). In Tagalog, the term
medyas stands for
socks.
The
2010 Chabacano dictionary of Santos acknowledges this shift and
defines calcetin
(spelled as calcitin in
the dictionary) as
socks while medias
as socks and hose.
The
English to Chabacano dictionary recently published by the city hall also lists
both medias and
calcetin for the word
socks.
I always use "Calcetin" regardless...
ReplyDeleteThat's no excuses to me. I'm a Zamboangueño and I will always speak and write in my own language CoRRECTly.
"Medias" is just as correct in Spanish; it's literally the "Latin American" version of "calcetín". However "calcetín" can be seen as the "mainstream" Spanish word and you should use that when speaking with native Spanish-speakers so that there isn't any confusion between "socks" and "stockings"
DeleteMuchas gracias!
DeleteIn Spanish, calcetín means socks in most Spanish-speaking regions. However, medias also means socks, mainly in various parts of Latin America.
ReplyDeleteThe Diccionario de americanismos says that media means:
* ES, Ni, CR, Pa, Cu, RD, PR, Co, Ve, Ec, Pe, Bo, Ch, Py, Ar, Ur. Calcetín, prenda que cubre el pie y llega hasta la pantorrilla.
I'd say that it definitely connects to the Tagalog word "medyas", which means exactly the same thing as calcetín.
Both are obviously correct, though with "medias" you may get confused looks from other native Spanish speakers who think it means "stockings" (because that is another legitimate definition of "medias" in Spanish apart from "regular socks")
Muchas gracias!
Delete