collect, collection false friends

Question

The noun "colección" exists in Spanish.
Tengo una colección de libros antiguos.
The verb "coleccionar· also exists.
Yo colecciono libros antiguos.

but I collected the bill is not "coleccionar" Yo cobré la cuenta.( the verb is cobrar) The teacher collected the student's tests.(not coleccionar) El maestro recolectó los tests de los alumnos. (the verb is recolectar or recoger)

As you may see "colección" and "coleccionar" is mostly used as when you collect as a hobby like stamps, old toys, etc.

When you collect money for charity it could be "recolectar dinero para caridad" .
Also "colección " could be used for a famous designer:" la colección de Christian Dior " but you can't use it for the money you collect especially for charity.

You would say something like " el dinero recolectado" and you could use the noun "colecta"
Hubo una" colecta" en el escuela para "recolectar" fondos .Haremos un desfile para mostrar la "colección" del famoso diseñador francés Paul Durand. Con lo que "cobremos" por las entradas haremos una gran fiesta de fin de año para niños y padres.

What made me realize about this problem was the thread of "collections agency".

Answer 1

Although it may sound odd and not being the more usual word, I've found multiple results searching that use the word "colección" related to debt collection. At this point I would not say it's incorrect. May be regional.

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Odd? I would agree with that.

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Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Link 4

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And the list can go on and on........

To be fair, I would also say that the RAE dictionary does not list the use of the word in this way.

Excelente los links pero mi intuición me dice que son diarios que aparecen en EEUU.. Es un contagio del inglés. Si, a nototros como mínimo nos parece "odd" - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Ya lo hemos visto con verbos como "ordenar" y "pedir" en restaurantes. Bueno los idiomas cambian y toman nuevas formas, vocabulario etc. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Un ejemplo es "aplicar" para una beca cuando sería "postularse" para una beca. Paciencia, los idiomas son entes vivos, cambian, se adaptan. Hay que aceptarlo o morir en el intento. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

I think colección must be common in the Americas. In Spain, it's cobro de morosos or agencia de cobro. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

I agree with all you are saying. May be an anglicism. - 00fac92a, Jul 8, 2017

American Spanish is heavily influenced by US English due to proximity. While, Peninsular Spanish is influenced by European words due its origins. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

I like this "agencia de cobro" or " agencia de cobro de morosos". It's very easy to understand. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Yes, Spanish from Spain must be more influenced by British English or French. For example "ordenador" for a computer. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

That is mostly true. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

And in Latin America I suppose the nearer to the US a country , the more similar it is to American English. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

In the Southern Cone we are not so influenced by US. It's like a balance between US and Europe - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

I'm pretty sure everybody would understand it in Mexico. I've heard them say "llámame para atrás" for call me back so many times. - 00fac92a, Jul 8, 2017

Oh, my God!!!!! - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Fortnight = quince días or Row = una bronca o una pelea. Fortnight & row (that rhymes with chow) are British English. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

When I went to high-school we had four year of French and only two years of English. Now it's unthinkable. The prestige of French culture and its influence was enourmous. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Yes, in advanced English courses we have some lessons about the difference between British and American English. Lift and elevator, ground floor and first floor, etc. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

There are so many surprising words in British English especially. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

French language was dominant in the Napoleonic era (1800s) up to the end of the Second World War. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

I'm not that old ! lol - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Je vais me coucher . Is this correct. Au revoir. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

I'm going to bed. Correct! https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/je-vais-me-coucher.1289120/ - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

lol - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Answer 2

I was also thinking about another use of "cobra".

A parent telling their child after behaving badly.

Despúes de haber hecho esto por supuesto vas a cobrar.

This means a punishment.

Cobrar to charge. Cobrar palos is an idiom with 2 meanings: (paliza) to get a beating (crítica) to get or receive a lot of criticism. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

Si NKM cobrar puede ser una paliza o una palmada o crítica, un castigo por algo mal hecho. No tiene nada que ver con que nos den dinero sino todo lo contrario. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

Answer 3

Hello!

Here's an information I found on wordreference regarding collections agency.

• collection agency
• debt collection agency
• collection agency

Hope this helps.

Regards!

thanks - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

If it's an agency that has the information of people who owe money, we call it "clearing de informes", yes "clearing" in English. - polenta1, Jul 8, 2017

In English, it can be repay a loan or pay off one's debt. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017

When you are paying off a person, it's illegal or another word for bribery. - NKM1974, Jul 8, 2017