You're dumber than a sandal!

According to the Alcover-Moll (DCVB), the expression "eres más tonto que una alpargata" means "to be short of understanding." We all know that an alpargata is a type of "footwear with a braided hemp sole and an upper made of grain or thick cloth, generally with two grains that are tied at the ankle" (Dictionary of the Institute of Catalan Studies, DIEC). But why is a blessing attributed to alpargatas? This fact should not surprise us if we consider that the words "corto," "bendito," or "nonsense" are often associated with clothing: being "more stupid than a shoe" or being "shorter than a vest sleeve."

If we wanted to investigate the origin of the expression, it would be convenient to know that the word 'alpargata' has another meaning according to the DIEC: "Echinoderm animal of the class of holothurians, with an elongated body, with a flattened ventral surface and feet with. This animal, specifically, is called sea espadrille and is also known by the names of longo, longuet, sole, Moor's sparrow or sea cucumber. It is an invertebrate animal highly appreciated in gastronomy that has historically been fished and consumed on the coasts of the Mediterranean, especially in the Països Catalans. Only the longitudinal muscles of this animal are eaten, yellowish and whitish, reminiscent of a razor. The sea espadrille is an animal with a basic and rudimentary biological structure and complexity, so much so that it does not even have a brain. Perhaps that is why when we say "dumber than a "alpargata" we refer, unknowingly, to the sea espadrille and not to footwear.

Other idioms

If we visit the DCVB we will see that the espadrille also appears in other idioms such as:

1. "El día lleva alpargatas": it is said in autumn, when the days get much shorter, meaning that they wear light footwear and walk a lot.
2. "Wearing your espadrilles well fastened": doing a lot of good work, or being well prepared for the work and difficulties that may arise.
3. "To fasten (or tie, or put on) one's espadrilles well": to be well prepared, to prepare properly for a difficult undertaking.
4. "More burned than an espadrille": very irritated, burning with anger.
5. "Espadrille Company": a company that dissolves for any selfish reason.

How is it that the espadrille is so present in our everyday conversations, expressions, and insults? If we consider the history and tradition of this footwear in our linguistic domain, we'll understand the roots of this word in our everyday speech. The word 'alpargata' comes from Latin. 'spartum' either 'sparton', which in turn comes from the Greek 'spartoso'In Catalan, we call it esparto, referring to the plant from which the material used to make ropes, footwear, and baskets is extracted. Logically, and as expected, esparto grass sandals are made. This footwear is a derivation of the sandals worn by the Romans and which then became popular among peasants and soldiers in our region. The first text that mentions esparto grass in Catalan-speaking territories dates back to the 13th century. Since the Middle Ages, they have been used for walking, dancing, strolling, or working in the fields. Esparto grass sandals were the footwear of the infantry troops of the Crown of Aragon. At the end of the 17th century, the Spanish infantry adopted them, and later, the Carlist troops. During the Civil War, the esparto grass sandals of the Republican army became a symbol of resistance against fascism. Even today, espadrilles are part of the full dress of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Spanish police officers). Their popularity is due to the fact that espadrilles are comfortable, flexible, and lightweight footwear. These shoes are still available on the market today, and are still on the feet of anyone who wants to wear them.

Espadrilles are made using strong cotton canvas with esparto rope soles and are sewn with cotton thread. They can be made with or without laces that tie around the ankle. In the past, espadrilles were made in small family workshops, where the man made the esparto sole and the woman was in charge of the braids and sewing the fabric to the toe and heel of the sole. 'Espardenyers' was the name given to the artisans who made espadrilles in small family workshops. Today, it is an almost extinct profession.

Varieties

After so many centuries of history, it shouldn't surprise us that there are so many varieties of espadrilles. The DCVB (Spanish National Council of Valencian Culture) has registered around twenty espadrilles with different names depending on their nationality, appearance, or manufacturing technique. According to the nationality, we have: the Catalan espadrille, the Barcelona espadrille, the Tarragona espadrille, the Vic espadrille, the Valls espadrille, and the Russian espadrille. According to the shape: full espadrille, high-leg espadrille, covered espadrille, round espadrille, inset espadrille, spike espadrille, wide-faced espadrille, with a fin, baby espadrille, and priest espadrille. According to the manufacturing technique: one-stitched espadrille and two-stitched espadrille.

Now that we know the history of the espadrille, perhaps, from now on, we'll feel bad about pronouncing the phrase "dumber than an espadrille." Perhaps, as a result of this article, new idioms related to our protagonist will be coined. Having "more sisters than an espadrille" or being "older than an espadrille" could be some options. Who knows if these expressions will one day become popular? Be that as it may, it's clear that the espadrille, rather than representing a blessing, should rather be a symbol of history, culture, and identity.