Teacup

A cup is a drinking vessel with a handle, which is primarily used for hot drinks. Especially in parts of Austria the cup in certain cases is also called Häferl.

Etymology

The word cup is derived from the French loanword ( cup ) of Arabic origin (Arabic طاس, DMG TAS, also: TAS ( s ) a = small dish, bowl ). The word has been adopted in the 16th century into German. The Arabic word is, in turn, touch on the Persian word (pronounced tascht ) (= pool, shell ) go back. Since porcelain from the ancient China, it must be assumed that the Persian word goes back to trade with china. The term cup is usually only for the top - used - the cup. For the subset, the composition has prevailed saucer.

In Austria and southern Germany, however, can also refer to a cup and saucer or a small metal tray, as is commonly used in the Viennese coffee house. As a common variant of this, the word exists Tatz ( e) or ( as a diminutive ) Tatzl or Tatzerl, which from the Italian tazza ( = cup ) dates. This word forms denote only a subset (see the Biertatzl for the beer mat ). The Italian word also goes back to the Arab tas.

Part one is of the opinion that cup had been originally and was taken from the Italian before the 16th century and only later adapted to the French phonetics.

The Austrian word Drinkware ( in some regions, Coffee Mug ) is the diminutive of the word old harbor ( Nebenform: ports ) for a stone pot, a vessel, an enclosure. Mugs are usually rather larger cups with handles, running straight up the walls, floor, and top opening so basically the same size.

Material and use

Cups are usually used for serving hot beverages such as tea, coffee or cocoa.

The classic coffee or tea cup is made of earthenware, porcelain or ceramic, and the custom is discontinued accordingly always on a saucer ( a small plate ). Historical chocolate cups also have a lid. Compared with the coffee cup, the tea cup is mostly flat and continue to run, and also typically thin-walled. However, there are cups made ​​of other materials, such as wood, glass, sheet metal, plastic or cardboard.

A coffee service for 6 persons consists of 21 items, namely, 1 pot, 1 milk jug, 1 sugar bowl, each with 6 top and saucers and 6 cake or dessert plate. A tea service often has the same number of items, but the dishes or milk and sugar containers may be missing.

In the household is also the cup for measuring liquid or bulk material such as flour or sugar in use. The cup is therefore also a Schöpfmaß. " 1 cup " corresponds in German recipes usually one-eighth liter ( 125 ml); however, in translations from the Anglo-Saxon world, the unit " cup" be meant, the more of a liter equivalent (250 ml ) (. engl recipes in ~ 284 ml, in americ. recipes ~ 236 ml). Cup head is an old name for the cup and also means the unit of measure 1/8 liters.

Formations

The coffee service cups are small, shallow drinking vessels with 125 ml These are also referred to as a shell. Large, high (250 ml) cups are also regarded as cups or Mugs.

Cups are manufactured in different shapes and are often artistically designed. While cups are typically made ​​larger cylindrical or conical with a height to the diameter and rather simple cups are designed often freer in form and may be cylindrical, conical, bulbous or running straight up be formed. A cup is distinguished from a mug also by the fact that at her a handle is attached forever, whereas this need not be the case in the cup.

The size of a cup also depends on the nature of the beverage contained therein. Thus, the espresso cup is small because of strong coffee is usually enjoyed in small portions. The cup of coffee with milk, however, is much larger than a normal coffee mug. The French cups (actually there are shells) for café au lait typically do not have a handle. As well as the beverage contained in them, bol They are commonly called.

Lately, so-called Mugs come (English for " mug with handle " ) in fashion. This cup will be referred to, which are larger than standard coffee cups, are used without saucer and often have a handle. Some of these Mugs are also performed double-walled and provided with a lid. This is to retain its heat and ( iced tea around ) do not warm up a cold drink quickly a hot beverage in it.

As a special variant of cups has a soup cup, typically two handles.

Linguistic expressions

Common phrases that contain the word cup, are expressions in which the word does not name the actually so designated object. In the non- transferred parlance cup says another article:

• High Five! referred to as ceremonial phrase the request for collection of glasses, cups or jars that serve as drinking vessels for beer or other cold drinks.

In a figurative sense, cup refers to the head or to the mind of man:

• The metaphor Not all cups are in the cupboard means colloquially a condescending remark, in which the competency or mental health of the requested is denied or doubted.
• The metaphor slurry cup is a colloquial and more pejorative, but also jokingly to-use expression for boring ( stupid ) man.

In this case, the cup has nothing to do with the drinking vessel, but is derived from the Yiddish word Toshia, which means as much as mind.