Straw or Popote?

Question

I've always said popote for straw not paja. Paja was today's word. Would this be an indigenous word? Anyone? Anyone? Thanks

Answer 1

i know bombilla is the 'special' straw used with mate or chimaro

Answer 2

It (the plant) seems to be a particular variety of straw.

popote.

(Del nahua popotl).

1. m. Paja semejante al bálago, aunque su caña es más corta y el color tira a dorado, usada en México para hacer escobas.

2. m. Méx. Pajilla para sorber líquidos.

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Answer 3

I've always heard paja used in reference to the type of straw you'd use for animal bedding or for thatching a roof.

Answer 4

Mexicans only say "popote" for straw, nothing else more.

Answer 5

This is one of those highly regional words. Depending on where I am, I have heard the following words for drinking straw:

Pajita

Pajilla

Popote

Pitillo

Sorbete

Sorbeto

Bombilla

Caña.

I have never heard it called "Paja".

Typically also, the other words are either meaningless, or mean something altogether different in each given country or region. For example, in Spain "pitillo" means "cigarette", and in most places outside Mexico, "Popote" means absolutely nothing. Outside Argentina and possibly Chile, "bombilla" means a light bulb, and so on.