Spanish dialects

riverfrog, Well you got the spelling correct (for Mexico), and I didn't. There is only a subtle pronunciation difference (to aging gringo ears) between pinces and pinzas when pronounced the Mexican way, and I was perhaps remembering the French spelling. Neither one appears in the DRAE, but I did find a dictionary that said that pinzas were ice or sugar tongs or tweezers. Still quite a ways from pliers.

As far as popote goes, my kids say I must not have been paying attention! They tell me that it's MORE common than pajilla.

For the chaqueta vs chamarra thing, the kids say they are interchangeable, but that among themselves they use chaqueta, with parents and "older" folks they use chamarra.

So much for my learning by listening skills! Back to the books!

I've always been told by Mexicans (mostly young) to never use the word chaqueta, because it means masturbation. The best word to use, I've been told, is chamarra.

OP, the light suddenly dawned (about chaqueta). I'll bet your Mexican youths are in the United States! There, chaqueta would sound suspiciously like "jack-off"! chaqueta -- jacket -- jack off !!!

Edit: pinche TT4, won't recognize ANY characters not on a normal QUERTY keyboard. This sucks!!!

from: Lima, Los Angeles

"vos" instead of "usted": vos only if traveling in El Salvador or Argentina, usted in formal situations, otherwise tu

how do you say:

t-shirt: un polo
pants: pantalones
shoes: zapatos
sandals: sandalias
drinking straw: una pajita
socks: medias
wrist watch: un reloj
swimming pool: una piscina
belt: una correa

Native speaker from Mexico City, Mexico

Usted when talking with elder people (over 65 aprox.), never vos

jacket: saco (like in a suit or blazer), chamarra (like a windbreaker or a biker jacket)
t-shirt: camiseta
pants: pantalones
shoes: zapatos
sandals: sandalias or huaraches or chanclas (depending on what type of sandals)
drinking straw: un popote
socks: calcetines
wrist watch: un reloj
swimming pool: una alberca
belt: un cinturon

Edited by: palindroma

Mazgringo, this is what RAE's dictionary has to say about "pinza". It doesn't give any regional reference so it's suposed to be used normally in the Spanish-speaking world. In Argentina it's the most usual and general way of calling any tool or instrument of that kind, like pliers or pincers.

pinza. (Del fr. pince, tenaza).
1. f. Instrumento cuyos extremos se aproximan para sujetar algo.
2. f. Último artejo de algunas patas de ciertos artrópodos, como el cangrejo, el alacrán, etc., formado con dos piezas que pueden aproximarse entre sí y sirven como órganos prensores.
3. f. Pliegue que se cose en la tela para darle una forma determinada.
4. f. pl. Instrumento de metal, a manera de tenacillas, que sirve para coger o sujetar cosas menudas.

Thank you, Loscar! Being an anglohablante nativo I never thought to check the singular, since the usage is pinzas, the plural. I just assumed it would be listed under the plural, as English dictionaries do for plural (only) nouns. Disculpeme! y muchisimas gracias para corregirme!

Ahora conozco por que no me la halle en DRAE, nunca!

Thanks to everybody who replied to this. For the record, I learned about "chaqueta" from a group of 20-something Mexican students from Guanajuato (definitely NOT Mexican-Americans). I met them in Córdoba, Argentina, where they were spending a semester abroad. When I asked if they could give me a moment so I could get my "chaqueta," they all burst out laughing and explained it to me. I later noticed that Tenoch and Julio in the movie "Y Tu Mamá También" use "chaqueta" to mean masturbation, and that's exactly how it's translated on the subtitles.