tendero/tendera y abacera/abacero
I recently looked up these words (one led me to the other), and reading the definitions of them led me to wonder something about them. First, here are the words and their definitions along with my attempted translation of them:
Abacería Tienda del abacero
(Translated to store/shop of the abacero or abacero shop)
Abacero, ra Persona que vende comestibles: aceite, vinagre, bacalao, etc.
(Translated to a person that sells foods: oil, vinegar, cod, etc)
Now, before anyone gives me a hard time for asking about this: Yes, I do understand that two words can have the same or similar meaning.
Now, as for my question. I have always heard of a shopkeeper/grocer called "el tendero." Every definition (for abacero) that I found, moreover, (I used three different sources) used the same goods in the definition (i.e. oil and vinegar).
My question is this. It appears that both words (tendero and abacero) seem to denote someone who sells edible foodstuffs (i.e. groceries), but what is the difference in connotation (if there is one) between these two words?
If I went to an abacería should I expect a different shopping experience than if I were to go to a tienda?
If you could explain to me the differences in connotation between these words, I would be grateful.
2 Answers
My question is this. It appears that both words (tendero and abacero) seem to denote someone who sells edible foodstuffs (i.e. groceries), but what is the difference in connotation (if there is one) between these two words?
"Tendero" is applied for anyone working in any shop, although it is mostly used for food shops. This includes fishmongers, fruit shops,...
"Abacero" is only used for "abacerías", where you only can get very specific types of food. This shop is not exactly a grocery, for groceries can sell things abacerías don't.
The words "abacero/ría" are rarely used today in Spain, where these shops are almost living museums.
Did you happen upon this article about the influence of Arabic on the Spanish language, Izanoni? Arabic_influence_on_the_Spanish_language
It gives a list of words in Spanish of Arabic origin with just a bit of their etymology.
abacero: owner of an abacería, small food shop. From Andalusi Arabic SaHb azzád (???? ?????) "owner of the supplies."
My guess is that this small grocery is more often than not in Andalusia (where I have never been, nor of which I know practically nothing other than what I have learned since taking up this language!). And I guess one would more likely run into a "tendero or tendera" in the North.
Here I turn off my wild guessing and wait with you for an answer from someone who knows Spain well.
...oh - I suppose that you always get the list of grocery items such as olives, wine, vinegar, etc., because those are typical grocery items for the cuisine in that part of Spain in which the word originates. And I could even guess some more, but...it's late, and I would not be able to sleep well waiting to find out whether or not I had guessed/presumed correctly.
