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smacarol

Jan 4, 2003, 10:57 PM

Post #1 of 22 (4486 views)

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Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Ive' been using "la criada" but have been told that the word derives from "creature" and is demeaning. "Empleada" is better, but she's not really my employee, her services are provided through our landlord.

Also, I see several words used for "mop" in various dictionaries--which one is the best for your common, everyday mop for house floors?

Thanks,

Carol Schmidt

REY

Jan 4, 2003, 11:18 PM

Post #2 of 22 (4302 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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maid=criada or sirvienta (servant)

criada also means "raised" ...ex: "ella fue criada asi desde niña." = "she was raised like that since she was a kid."

I don't know why someone would say that "criada" derives from "creature"..."creature" in spanish is "criatura" (which is also used to mean "kid" hehe)

you can use "trapiador" for "mop".

Hope that helps

Carlos

Jan 4, 2003, 11:53 PM

Post #3 of 22 (4254 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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It derives from how one is raised as children. "Eres malcriado/a" "You have been raised wrong!"
"Creatura" is creature (as in underage?). "Atiende a esa creatura, por favor" "Watch your child, will ya?"
IMOHO, la criada is a derrogatory term to address the woman who maintains a household.
I prefer "el servicio" o "la muchacha"
In the region I reside, mop is trapeador.

"Be kind to your servicio. They know where you live"

esperanza

Jan 5, 2003, 6:25 AM

Post #4 of 22 (4276 views)

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Re: [Carlos] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Mop...el trapeador

Person who works for you...I usually say, 'la muchacha que me ayuda en la casa'...the young woman who helps me in the house. Although she does much more than help me.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

smacarol

Jan 5, 2003, 3:21 PM

Post #5 of 22 (4201 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Thanks, everybody. I start intensive Spanish classes tomorrow at a place called the Warren Hardy Institute here in San Miguel de Allende and will probably be coming here often for help.

Carol Schmidt

quevedo

Jan 5, 2003, 5:16 PM

Post #6 of 22 (4190 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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In Reply To

will probably be coming here often for help.

Muy bienvenida sea usted aquí, estimada Carol.

Un saludo cordial,

Quevedo

REY

Jan 6, 2003, 6:11 AM

Post #7 of 22 (4182 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Yup, "la muchacha" is a very good way to say "maid"...even if she's not too muchacha anymore :Þ

Rey

esperanza

Jan 6, 2003, 6:35 AM

Post #8 of 22 (4184 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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La que me ayuda en la casa está muy muchacha hasta la fecha...solo tiene veintitantos añitos. Y además es muy uraña la chica y se ve más jovencita que su edad real. Pero sí te entiendo mi Rey...si estuviera más avanzada de edad, le dijera 'la señora que me ayuda en la casa'. Pero también con esto se puede meter la pata~imagínate si era señorita! Qúe escándalo! El chiste es siempre saber.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

jennifer rose

Jan 6, 2003, 11:21 AM

Post #9 of 22 (4172 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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All right, I'll admit that I'm the least politically correct of y'all, and I view "chilango" and "gringo" as neutral descriptors. But "muchacha" just has overtones which sound demeaning as a label for a housekeeper, particularly one past the age of 18 and who is vested with the substantial responsibility of maintaining the household. My vote goes to "empleada domestica" or "sirvienta."

(This post was edited by jennifer rose on Feb 16, 2003, 9:58 AM)

quevedo

Jan 6, 2003, 12:31 PM

Post #10 of 22 (4163 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] How about...

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... calling a person by that person's name?

María, Lupita, Tere, Fernanda, la persona que nos ayuda en casa.

Longer, more complicated: yes.

Un saludo latino y complicado,

Quevedo

(This post was edited by quevedo on Jan 7, 2003, 2:08 PM)

REY

Jan 6, 2003, 12:33 PM

Post #11 of 22 (4139 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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just look at the want ads...what do they call for? (I don't know...don't have any mexican newspaper)

when someone is looking to work as a maid, they'll check the classifieds...if they apply for a job that calls for a "criada", then she'd be expected to be called as such...no? (using "criada" as an example here)

my two cents

Mereja

Jan 6, 2003, 12:58 PM

Post #12 of 22 (4134 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Just because I might have looked in the newspaper to find someone to clean my house, or be a maid doesn't mean I have to call her by that. I have a someone come to my house once a week or every two weeks and I don't call her my maid. I call her by her name. What they do for a living doesn't necesarily define who they are. If it is someone married, with children and 40 years old would you still call them "muchacha"? That reminds me of what they use to call slaves in the US years ago, "boy".

It is interesting that when I started reading this thread, I asked my 11 year old daughter what she thought a maid should be called, "criada" or "sirvienta", etc and she looked at me with this funny look on her face and said "by her name". But as I continued to read, I saw that Quevedo had already said that. Interesting.

REY

Jan 6, 2003, 2:28 PM

Post #13 of 22 (4113 views)

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Re: [Mereja] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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well, I didn't mean to hit a nerve. I just thought that if you were looking for a job and see that the job you are looking for has a title, then you'd be expected to be called that (ex: I'm an engineer, I'd look under the listings for engineering, I see a job description that calls for a CAD Designer, and I'm qualified for that, I get hired, I'd be expecting them to refer to me as the CAD Designer...even if I'm an engineer). If I wanted to work as a maid and see that that particular job is listed under "criada", then I'd be expecting to be called a "criada". If I was offended by that, then I'd look elsewhere ;) and I meantioned looking at the newspaper because I really don't know what they're called in a specific region. And I also agree on just plain calling that person by their name. "Plancuarcia!! ven limpia este mugrero!!!!" hehe :Þ

final thought - try asking your hired help what they'd feel comfortable with ;)

two cents more:Þ

esperanza

Jan 6, 2003, 5:42 PM

Post #14 of 22 (4102 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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Horrors, I always call la que me ayuda en la casa by her name when I am talking to her, or about her to others. I only add the descriptor when it seems necessary for clarity in conversation with other people: 'Tú planchas tu ropa?' 'No, Fulana, la que me ayuda en la casa, me la plancha siempre.' And I always make a point of learning the names of the household help in my friends' homes and greeting them by name when I am present. 'Buenos días, Doña Fulana, como le va?' We're dealing with people, not with sticks of furniture. The Golden Rule applies, IMHO.

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Mereja

Jan 7, 2003, 11:51 AM

Post #15 of 22 (4103 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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You didn't really hit a nerve, I just wanted to get my 2 cents worth in.

Abq

Feb 16, 2003, 9:35 AM

Post #16 of 22 (4004 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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I was in that class. I wish we had met.

Chris

"El Gringo Jalapeño"

Feb 16, 2003, 10:54 PM

Post #17 of 22 (4003 views)

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Re: [smacarol] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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In Veracruz maid is usually "la sirvienta" and mop is to "pasar jerga". Do NOT under any circumstances call your maid "la gata"(the female cat which is always cleaning itself). It is extremely derrogative.
Roy B. Dudley "El Gringo Jalapeño" See more about Xalapa at www.xalaparoy.com

REY

Feb 17, 2003, 6:49 AM

Post #18 of 22 (3981 views)

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Re: ["El Gringo Jalapeño"] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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"pasar jerga"??? "Jerga" means "jargon" How does "pass jargon" relate to "mop"?

curious.....

quevedo

Feb 17, 2003, 8:40 AM

Post #19 of 22 (3983 views)

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Re: [REY] Jerga

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jerga(1). (De or. inc.). f. Tela gruesa y tosca. || 2. Colchón de paja o hierba. || estar, dejar, o poner, algo en ~. frs. coloqs. Estar solo empezado; dejarlo incompleto.

jerga(2). (Der. regres., seguramente a través del prov., del fr. jargon, y este onomat.). f. Lenguaje especial y familiar que usan entre sí los individuos de ciertas profesiones y oficios, como los toreros, los estudiantes, etc. || 2. jerigonza (lenguaje difícil de entender).

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

Un saludo cordial,

Quevedo

"El Gringo Jalapeño"

Feb 17, 2003, 9:26 AM

Post #20 of 22 (3980 views)

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Re: [REY] Need best word for "maid" and for "mop"

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"Jerga" is a very absorbant cotton cloth used to mop with, sometimes with a flat broom or with a t-shaped stick. It is more efficent when you have large areas to cover than the sponge mops from the States. Sort of loose sweat shirts from Mexico made from jerga where in style in the States about 15 years ago. I heard the word "jerga"("modismos" ó "dichos" here in Veracruz) used as jargon for the first time in Perú in 1990 when I asked about Peruvian slang. I guess words mean what you learn in differnt contexts and areas!
Roy B. Dudley "El Gringo Jalapeño" See more about Xalapa at www.xalaparoy.com

REY

Feb 17, 2003, 11:10 AM

Post #21 of 22 (3960 views)

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Re: [quevedo] Jerga

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aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! ya caigo. :)

muchas gracias

esperanza

Feb 17, 2003, 8:18 PM

Post #22 of 22 (3969 views)

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Re: [REY] Jerga

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Some Mexican friends of mine call their next-door-neighbor-the-hen-pecked-husband 'el trapeador'...pues, su mujer lo usa para trapear...

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