Dicho vs Refrán

[SPX]

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre las palabras "dicho" y "refrán"? ¿Ellos son mismos o no?

[swr999]

Qué sugieres tu?

[SPX]

I don't understand your question. . .

What do I suggest?

[Don José]

I was wondering...


I've looked up in the DRAE but the difference is not clear.

Here I found something that makes sense:

refrán s. m. Frase o dicho de uso común que suele encerrar una advertencia o enseñanza de tipo moral

dicho. Palabra o conjunto de palabras mediante las cuales se dice una cosa o se expresa una idea, especialmente si tiene gracia o contiene una sentencia. decir.

http://es.thefreedictionary.com/

By the way:

¿Ellos son mismosiguales o no?

[SPX]

Originally Posted by Don José

I was wondering...


I've looked up in the DRAE but the difference is not clear.

Here I found something that makes sense:

refrán s. m. Frase o dicho de uso común que suele encerrar una advertencia o enseñanza de tipo moral

dicho. Palabra o conjunto de palabras mediante las cuales se dice una cosa o se expresa una idea, especialmente si tiene gracia o contiene una sentencia. decir.

http://es.thefreedictionary.com/

Well I can't say that I can't read all that.

I got an e-mail today titled, "Dichos, refranes y citas." But when I looked up dicho and refrán in the dictionary is translated them both as "saying." So I am perplexed. . .

Originally Posted by Don José

By the way:

¿Ellos son mismosiguales o no?

Hmm. . .

But doesn't "mismo" mean "same"?

For instance, "Es lo mismo" = "It's the same."

[swr999]

Originally Posted by swr999

Qué sugieres tu?

Originally Posted by SPX

I don't understand your question. . .

What do I suggest?

I was just wondering if you yourself had any particular thoughts on the question of your original post. I guess I should have said ¿qué opinas tu? instead.

[SPX]

Ha ha. Well I have no idea. Hence, I defer to those who are much greater than myself.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

In Mexico both words are used as synonyms, although according to the dictionary, the difference is that a "refrán" has an extended use and most of the times some history and message, while a "dicho" does not need to be of common use and doesn't have to "teach" anything.
"Refrán" and "dicho popular" are perfect synonyms for me.

[Rusty]

A dicho is more like an idiomatic expression. An idiomatic expression is a group of words that take on a different meaning. Just knowing what all the words mean isn't enough to make sense of the expression. There's more to an idiomatic expression than meets the eye.

A refrán is usually a saying, quite often a sentence or a sentence fragment, that has a particular meaning attached. It will often consist of a play on words or rhyming words. This teaches a concept in a memorable fashion.

That said, both words are often interchanged. I try to keep them in perspective, though. "Meets the eye" is a dicho. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is a refrán. "Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder" is a chiste.


As to your other question:
¿Son iguales? = Are they the same?
¿Son los mismos? = Are they the same?

[SPX]

Cool, thanks for the detailed explanation.

And beauty is certainly in the eye of the beer holder, lol. Speaking of which, I made sure that cerveza was one of the first Spanish words I ever learned. Had to get the important stuff out of the way first!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by SPX

Cool, thanks for the detailed explanation.

And beauty is certainly in the eye of the beer holder, lol. Speaking of which, I made sure that cerveza was one of the first Spanish words I ever learned. Had to get the important stuff out of the way first!

Of coors.

[Don José]

I agree with Rusty explanation, but then I thought of another word: proverbio. In English, as far as I know, a proverb is the same that a refrán '(Whe in Rome, do as the Romans'). But in Spanish, when I hear of a proverbio it sounds as having a deeper content. If somebody is going to say a refran, I'd think: 'OK, folk stuff"; if talking about a proverbio: 'Oh, high level philosophy! (I'm exaggerating a bit). I may be wrong, it's just my impression.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Don José

I agree with Rusty explanation, but then I thought of another word: proverbio. In English, as far as I know, a proverb is the same that a refrán '(Whe in Rome, do as the Romans'). But in Spanish, when I hear of a proverbio it sounds as having a deeper content. If somebody is going to say a refran, I'd think: 'OK, folk stuff"; if talking about a proverbio: 'Oh, high level philosophy! (I'm exaggerating a bit). I may be wrong, it's just my impression.

Correct. So in order of importance:

dicho, refrán and proverbio/parábola

I would say is right. Right?