1998  Practica vs practice

Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 10:34:19 -0800
From: Carlos Lima <amilsolrac@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Practica vs practice

As used in English-speaking North America, a tango "practica" (name borrowed
from Castilian by tangueros, and thing itself borrowed from Argentines) is
not just any practice; it is any sort of "practice milonga" (here's some more
Spanish), and a venerable tango institution.

Other kinds of practice sessions, e.g., a one-on-one by a regular dancing
couple, or by husband and wife at home, or a small group of friends, etc, are
not "practicas" in English. (Let's have a practica before going to bed? ...
No go.)

So the borrowing affords us an easy way of making this useful distinction,
and probably arose because people do need to make the distinction. Of course
the distinction can be made in any language, but not always in this
particular way.

Cheers,