I mentioned glasses in the last post and specifically the “ponteira”, which is the part that loops round the back of the ear. Like a lot of objects, even if you know what the thing itself is called, we don’t often learn the names of the parts. I’ve done bikes and hands before, but this seems like a good excuse to do the same for specs. Specs usually consist of a frame (armação) and lenses (lentes)
You can see a diagram of a pair of glasses and all the little bits and pieces on this (brazilian) optician’s Website, and the vocabulary breaks down like this:
- Lente = lens
- Aro = the front parts of the frame – the bit that actually holds the lenses. Other uses of this word, not specific to glasses include things like “rim”, “hoop” and “collar”
- Haste = arm or spoke – the bit that hugs your face, basically
- Armação – the whole of the frame, Aro, Haste and all
- Ponteira = earpiece
- Ponte = the bridge that links the two halves of the frame above the nose
- Plaquetas = the plastic pads that sit on your nose
- Charneira = hinge, aka “dobradiça”.
- Mola = spring, might be included in the hinge to make it more flexible
- Parafuso = screw
Luso 