Espárragos by any other name. A technical colloquial term.

Question

So here I am in Tijuana installing machinery. I am discussing things in Spanish with my superintendent.

I ask him what is his plan for leveling the 100 meter long steel trenches we must install into the existing concrete floor to meet the " benchmark" level requirements.

He says to me "nosotros usamos esparragos¨" para nivelar los"

Now Damas y Caballeros , dime, cual es "esparragos" in an industrial setting. Certainly we are not putting vegetables under the machinery.

I had quite a good laugh when my superintendent drew the picture of it and how it was used .

Perfectly logical, why did I not think of that.

See what you can do with this " Méxicanismo"

Quióbole mi amigo... a few observations: "tecHnical" and "colloqUial".... and here I thought you were retired, ¿que no? :) - cristalino, Oct 12, 2011

Also espárragos [accent on "a"] - gintar77, Oct 12, 2011

Good grief so many typos uff! I must have been tired when Posted it ! - pacofinkler, Oct 12, 2011

Answer 1

En España un esparrago es un tornillo largo pero sin cabeza No sé si es lo mismo.

Si´ Heidi " varilla roscada con tuercas y arandeles" - pacofinkler, Oct 17, 2011

Answer 2

Well, I looked up "metal asparagus" and found that the Eiffel Tower is called that as a nickname...go figure!!

Answer 3

How about re-bar? It's long and thin and you would use it to reinforce a concrete structure.

I like it! - --Mariana--, Oct 12, 2011

Answer 4

Esparragos is a pole to supprot an awning,

Hi and welcome to the forum! - Nicole-B, Oct 11, 2011

You sound more confident with your answer so I think it deserves a vote. :) - Nicole-B, Oct 11, 2011

"support" for our ELL's... :) - cristalino, Oct 12, 2011

Answer 5

I'm wondering if it is a certain type of screw, perhaps similar in shape to asparagus?

I don't know why, but after ten years of working in high rise apartments with Mexican painters and construction workers, this is bringing back some type of memory....although a very faded memory.

Answer 6

Hey Paco! Why don't we just rely on our own site?! Found this little gem from 2009:

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espárragos

And good answers there Chris - pacofinkler, Oct 12, 2011

So, did you utilize them as "shims" more or less? - cristalino, Oct 12, 2011

An adjustable suspension method ! - pacofinkler, Oct 17, 2011

Good Link Chris! - pacofinkler, Oct 17, 2011

Answer 7

There are too many serious (and probably correct) answers on this thread, so I'm going to go with a laser level with a green beam.

Asparagus green, no less, Renz? :) - cristalino, Oct 12, 2011

No less for sure. - pacofinkler, Oct 17, 2011

Answer 8

Here is a web site that sells esparragos tornillos y birlos just to make things interesting.

link text

San, funny how you can highlight "birlos" and it gives the meaning as "studs" - which is one meaning, I believe - but our very own dictionary has no entry, not counting the verb "birlar"! ;-) - cristalino, Oct 12, 2011

Answer 9

Would esparrago be like metal studs used to hold something in place. For example, years ago when I worked in the locomotive shop, we would install a new engine and after everything was lined up and perfect, we would drill holes in the foot of the engine and the mounting pads on the locomotive. Then we would have studs cut to size and they would be pressed in. It does remind me of asparagus in a way :~)