la colcha/ el edredón
My friend told me that la colcha is a down quilt in English and that el edredón is a quilt without down (feathers) but the dictionary suggests it is the other way around. Does anybody know the difference?
2 Answers
Just to have a more satisfying answer appear below the dictionary entries (this is the only thread under "edredón") :
Un edredón es un tipo de cubierta compuesta por una funda suave tradicionalmente rellena de plumón o material sintético que se utiliza en la cama como manta. Hoy en día, los edredones también se llenan de lana o fibras artificiales como poliéster.
- m. Cobertor relleno de esta clase de plumón, o de algodón, miraguano, etc.
La colcha es la cubierta textil que se coloca sobre la ropa de cama.
- f. Cobertura de cama que sirve de adorno y abrigo.
Therefore "edredón" would appear to be the appropriate term to use for a down comforter or any stuffed comforter. It is still not clear to me if "colcha" would only apply to unstuffed bedspreads or is a more general term for any bedspread.
Well my dictionary says that a "colcha" is a bedspread and and "edredon" is a comforter or duvet. It does say that duvet is the North American usage. Since mostly neither of these would contain down or feathers these days, I suggest that you just use whichever word comes first to mind without opening up the seams to find out what's inside. LOL
