Legal Writing

Curbs and Sidewalks

By Maeve Maddox

Rod poses the question:

In Spanish the words curb and sidewalk are interchangeable. Is it the same in English?  

In U.S. English, the word sidewalk refers to a paved footpath alongside a street or a road. The sidewalk is usually raised above the level of the road. The curb is a stone or concrete edging between the road and the sidewalk.

In British usage, curb is spelled kerb. What Americans call a sidewalk, British speakers call the pavement.

Merchants that Americans call “street vendors” or “sidewalk vendors” are called “kerb-merchants” or “kerb-vendors” by British speakers.

Curious about the alleged lack of distinction between sidewalk and curb in Spanish, I looked the words up in my New World Spanish Dictionary and found the following:

acera: sidewalk; Mexican banqueta
encintado: curb (of a sidewalk)
bordillo:curb
borde de acera: curb

Comments from Spanish speakers welcome.

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Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on July 07, 2010 (boomark / email).