Foreign Word of the Day: Sobremesa

There are words we need to borrow from other languages.  From Spanish, that word of the day is “sobremesa”.  “Sobremesa” comes from “sobre”, meaning “over” or “upon”; and “mesa”, meaning “table”.  Thus, the literal translation of “sobremesa” is “over the table”.  “Mesa” which is a Portuguese and Spanish word, is also the origin for “meja”, the Malay word for “table”. 

“Sobremesa” is an idiomatic term, meaning more than its literal meaning.  It references a cultural norm of the Spanish.  This tradition involves time spent relaxing after a meal, drinking coffee or liquor, catching up with others.  This has taken on the tone of a cultural ritual, the consequence of the Spanish habit of having a heavy lunch, involving two courses, and a desert.  This is the habit of the affluent.  The poor have no such luxury in time and food.  If at home, this may be followed by a short siesta.