handcuffs and wives

Question

por qué en castellano 'handcuffs' se llaman 'las esposas'?

welcome to the forum! ^^ - Zizoun, Feb 22, 2010

Answer 1

esposa

Cuando un comerciante de la antigua Grecia hacía un acuerdo con algún proveedor, sellaba el contrato vertiendo unas gotas de vino en el altar de alguno de sus dioses. La palabra griega para ese gesto era spendo (derramar una bebida), pero debido al hábito impuesto por los comerciantes, spendo fue adquiriendo poco a poco el sentido adicional de ‘hacer un acuerdo’ o ‘firmar un contrato’.

A partir de spendo se formó en latín el vocablo sponsus, usado para nombrar a la persona que asume algún compromiso, así como hoy el que se compromete a patrocinar alguna iniciativa es designado frecuentemente con la palabra tomada del inglés espónsor (tal vez más que con la española ‘patrocinador’).

Y si un hombre que se compromete a casarse con alguien es un sponsus, la mujer que hace lo mismo es una sponsa, palabra que llegó a nuestra lengua como esposa.

El nombre de esposa dado a las manillas con que se aprisionan las muñecas de alguien es una metáfora que data de la Edad Media, por la cual se vinculan las ideas de matrimonio y de falta de libertad.

El texto fue extraído del libro La fascinante historia de las palabras, de Ricardo Soca.

Answer 2

There are societies (well, at least one, though I can't remember which) in which the prospective couple's hands are tied together (much as though they were handcuffed together) to symbolize their interdependence/inseparability.

Answer 3

Samdie said

There are societies (well, at least one, though I can't remember which) in which the prospective couple's hands are tied together

Hi Samdie

Here´s a link to what you mentioned.

Celtic Ceremony

Thanks, Eddy. - samdie, Feb 23, 2010

Answer 4

By the way, searching for something else, I came across another thread that deals with this very subject.

You can follow it here: handcuffs

Answer 5

for me having one esposa y worst than having two esposas!!!

Answer 6

Supporting mediterrunio's interesting entry from Ricardo Soca's book, I found this explanation in another Spanish language forum. In it, someone has posted a similar question:

las esposas = handcuffs la esposa = wife

Weird coincidence, or do the Spanish regard the two as similar?

And another fellow answered based on an entry in Larousse:

---

Both terms share the same etymological root. They come from the latin term spondere (to promise).

According to Larousse's dictionary: Esposo/sa: Voz patrimonial del latín sponsus ‘prometido’, participio de spondere ‘prometer’; a lo largo de la historia del español ha pasado de ‘prometido’ a ‘persona que ha contraído esponsales’.

Here the link: wives and handcuffs

Answer 7

Probably because "handcuffs" are plural. If you have more than one wife ie "esposas", you will find yourself in trouble with the law, hence handcuffs, hehe.

Answer 8

For the same reason that "type" can mean two different things.

I can type a letter.

I'm not that type of person.

El ladron no se puede escapar de las esposas.

Las esposas de mis amigos están cocinando.

It's all about the context in which the words are used.

actually you are right according to the magnific explanation written by mediterrunio, the association of marriage and lack of freedom is the reason. - juluque, Feb 22, 2010

Answer 9

Because when you get married your freedom gets locked up too (just kidding xD)

I don't know for sure, guess is just the language hehe

Las esposas=handcuffs La esposa=the wife

As far as I know you can only have one wife at the same time no? cause you need to separate in order to get a new one

Answer 10

Reading La isla bajo el mar by Isabelle Allende, I am looking up a lot of words! Having just read through this thread....having, in fact, just posted to this thread, imagine my surprise at the coincidence when I came across this entry for "grillos":

1 (=insecto) cricket

2 (Bot) (=brote) shoot, sprout

and then:

3 grillos

• (=cadenas) fetters, shackles
• (=esposas) handcuffs
• (=estorbo) shackles