Techo

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Well, I think if you go with DRAE, and learn and understand the definitions, you cannot go wrong in any area of the Spanish-speaking map... although I am sometimes very surprised at things... Here are a couple of DRAE definitions,
techo. (Del lat. tectum).
1. m. Parte superior de un edificio, que lo cubre y cierra, o de cualquiera de las estancias que lo componen.
2. m. Cara inferior del techo, superficie que cierra en lo alto una habitación o espacio cubierto.

cielo 4. m. Parte superior que cubre algunas cosas. El cielo de la cama, del coche.
(By extrapolation, you can say "techo" = "cielo", per this definition 4.)

tejado.
1. m. Parte superior del edificio, cubierta comúnmente por tejas.

And that reminded me a tongue twister that may be useful for you... (I include 2 versions) (The second one is the one I remembered from childhood, the first one is the first one I found on a Google search.)

María Chucena su choza techaba,
un techador que atento miraba
le dijo: «¿Qué haces, María Chucena,
techas tu choza o techas la ajena?»
«No techo mi choza
ni techo la ajena,
techo la choza
de María Chucena.»

María Chucena su techo techaba
y un techador que por allí pasaba
le preguntó:
María Chucena, ¿tú techas tu choza o techas la ajena?
Yo no techo mi choza ni techo la ajena,
yo techo la choza de María Chucena.

Also, at least in Spain, the film "Fiddler on the Roof" is "El violinista en el tejado" (Probably there are some version with "El violinista en el techo"?)

Okay, it took me a while to work through this, but it was very valuable for me. Thanks, JPablo!

It seems to me that "techo" is quite a generic term with a wide variety of uses. I like that it's flexible.

Question about one of the phrases that was in the RAE definition of "cielo": El cielo de la cama. - does this mean something like a bed spread or blanket or quilt or something that is put on top of the rest of the covers? Or am I completely missing the meaning of that phrase?

A second question, this about your trabalenguas. I get that Maria is roofing her home. Her own home, right? And the roofer comes along and asks if she is roofing her own home or that of someone else, right? And her answer is that she is not roofing her own or anyone else's home, right? But.... "that of Maria Chucena"? Huh? I don't get that very last part.....

Thanks again! I need to spend more time in RAE.....