Pim wrote:
"Nobody from Spain would use the term lapicero to refer to a pen (boligrafo) ..."

I must apologize! I didn't realize that you were vested with the authority to speak for the entire (indigenous) population of Spain.

Wrong, Pim! I have heard the term lapizero used in Spain, by educated people born and raised there to refer to a ballpoint writing instrument. :p

On another subject:
We had a very animated thread going here some time ago about teaching (and using) the second person plural (Vosotros). Many of the Spanish language textbooks used in the U.S. omit that, yet when I am speaking with relatives in Madrid (Barcelona, Pontevedra or Huelva) the second person (singular or plural) is used almost exclusively. Didn't you find that unusual when you coasted thru a course in HS Spanish?
P.D.
Sorry I mis-quoted you. You may note that I corrected my quote of your statement in this edit. (i.e., 'lapicero,' not 'lapizero')

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]

Eddie,
I really don't get this. If you are so sure about the use of a word, what's the point in asking about it? please tell me, why ask in the first place? I quote: "Am I the only Spanish-speaking member who uses that term for bolígrafo?". No wonder you were surprised to see nobody else's responses mentioned lapicero(with a c).
I'm sorry if you don't like my answer to your question, but I was just trying to help!!(since I'm also an educated born and raised Spaniard).
I only 'discovered' this site and the forum three or four days ago, and I find it outstanding! So I would have never 'contributed' or said anything if I wasn't a hundred percent sure of what I said.
Saludos everyone.

Sorry. Pim! Please don't let my comments discourage your continued participation on MadridMan's message boards. You will find several other Madrileños who are regular contributors.
¡Bienvenida!
BTW
The title 'Secretary' used to mean someone proficient in shorthand (taquigrafia), and all the other administrative functions of an office. Administrative Assistant used to be a higher status than Secretary (i.e., person in charge of the Secretarial pool).

Things have changed: People who used to and may still hold a status (job title) of clerk typist or file clerk at one level or another often describe themselves as Administrative Assistants or Secretaries. It's mostly an ego thing. Once, on National Secretaries' Day, I had to 'foot the bill' for flowers for seventeen (17) lady clerical employees who processed claims in my Division.

In a Law Firm, the Legal Secretary is almost always a Soliciter (Attorney at Law).

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]

Eddi, Pim is completely right and no Spanish would use lapicero to refer to a pen (bolígrafo).
If you go to a stationery and ask for a lapicero be sure that you will never get a ballpoint.
BTW, the term lapicero is not very used and usually we talk about lapiz. In relation with "mecanical lapiz" we have another term for them: portaminas.

In some South American countries - especially in the southern parts of the continent - they use the word 'el birome' instead of 'el bolígrafo'. Quite confusing!

Eddie, it's OK, thanks so much!
Felix, ¡gracias por tu ayuda, y tienes razón!

P.D.:
¡Por Dios, pero qué frío hace hoy!
The best thing to do is to take a good siesta :p

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: pim ]

Mi felow co-citizens (Felix and Pim).

Why are you so sure on how a word is used across Spain?

I'm only sure of how the spanish of Madrid is. But I can only guess how it is used in other regions.

For example, while in almost every region the word autobús (for bus) is used, in the Canary Islands the only term for that word is guagua.

I wouldn't bet that in some corner the word lapicero is used instead of bolígrafo.

Sometimes a forgeiner may teach us some unusual usages of our own language. Keep open minded!

Fernando

Pim, I appreciated your comment about the need for a language teacher to travel and/or keep in contact with nativos. You are absolutely correct...that is why I am delighted to have folks like you posting on this board to help me stay current! I travel as much as I can, but there is no way I can go everywhere that Spanish is spoken to keep up with language variations and usage!

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: la maestra ]

OH NO!! Here we go again!
Fernando, please, I'm very open minded; however, in my just about 31-year-old life I still haven't heard anybody call a boli lapicero!
As a child I lived in San Sebastian, Santander, Valencia & Huesca for short periods of time, then Zaragoza(10 years!), and as an adult I've studied in Mallorca, and had to work in Ronda, Algeciras, Marbella & San Pedro de Alcántara. Plus of course, holidaying in Tarragona, Canarias, Alicante, etc, etc, over the years. My boyfriend is cacereño, and my best girlfriend from León/Oviedo. (I really can't believe I had to tell all this to make my point!!)
I'm positive I was able to tell the difference since I was in kindergarden and (I'm pretty sure) so were you!
A GUAGUA is an autobús for los canarios, most everybody knows that here, but guagua HAS NO OTHER MEANING, it's not the word ANYBODY uses for....let's say....furgoneta! See the difference?
Have a great weekend everyone!

[ 11-10-2001: Message edited by: pim ]