escá

Galician

Etymology

From Hispanic Late Latin scala (“bowl”) attested in Isidore of Seville, probably from Suevic, from Proto-Germanic *skēlō (“bowl”). Cognate with German Schale and Dutch schaal (“bowl”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /esˈka/

Noun

escá f (plural escás)

1. (historical) esca, a traditional unit of dry measure equivalent to about 6–9 L depending on the substance measured
2. (historical) esca, a box formerly used for measuring grain
   • 1962, Xaquín Lorenzo, Etnografía: cultura material, Buenos Aires: Nós, page 207:

     A escá e o ferrado son dúas medidas de madeira que se empregan pra medí-los graus.

     The escá and the ferrado are two units of measurement made in wood, used for measuring the grain.

3. (archaic) Synonym of cunca, a bowl
   • 1286, Miguel Romaní (ed.), La colección diplomática de Santa María de Oseira (1025-1310). 3 vols. Santiago: Tórculo Edicións (1989, 1989, 1993), page 1131:

     et huna escaa de manteyga et dous queygios

     and one bowl of butter and two cheeses

Coordinate terms

• (unit of dry volume): cuartillo (¹⁄₁₂ escá), cunca (¹⁄₆ escá), ferrado (2 escás), fanega (10 escás)

References

• “escaa” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
• “esca” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “escá” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.