PieLilli

Per la versione italiana di questo testo, cliccate qui.

As a lifelong language lover, whenever a subject captures my interest, I enjoy researching it in different languages to see what results come up. I know… this might be a unique forma mentis of mine, but you’d be surprised how much you can discover by looking at things from various perspectives!

For instance, I adore Cross-Stitch. If you search for this technique in other languages, the results vary significantly, offering the chance to discover new patterns, artists, techniques, books, and more. In other words, new worlds open up for you to explore.

All this to say, I thought it would be useful to prepare and share a small “button glossary”. This will allow you to conduct your own research—for example, within the archives and resources I’ve mentioned in previous posts—using terms beyond just Italian or English. Sometimes, the treasure we are looking for is hidden behind a word we simply didn’t know yet. Naturally, in this first installment, I’ve included Italian, my native language, along with the three languages I have studied the most: English, Spanish, and Chinese. In future editions of this special linguistic “column,” I’ll be adding more. This way, I can have fun researching terms while also practicing my language skills!

(As I mentioned on my “About” page, I don’t claim to be omniscient. I am a passionate researcher striving for the utmost precision; however, everyone makes mistakes. If you spot any errors or have suggestions/requests, please feel free to write to me!)

To begin, I’ve divided the glossary into two tables: one for Natural Materials and another for the remaining materials, which I haven’t further categorized for the time being.

First of all, let’s find out how to say “Button” in these languages. It’s “Bottone” in Italian and “Botón” in Spanish. As for Chinese, a small note: you might come across two terms. 按钮 (ànniǔ) refers more specifically to a button you press (what we would call a “push-button”), whereas if we want to search for information or images of the buttons we love so much, the appropriate term is 纽扣 (niǔkòu).

Natural Materials

Italiano	English	Español	中文 (Pinyin)
Conchiglia	Shell	Concha	贝壳 (bèi ké)
Madreperla	Mother of Pearl	Nácar/Madreperla	珍珠母 (zhēn zhū mǔ)
Legno	Wood	Madera	木材 (mùcái)
Osso	Bone	Hueso	骨质 (gǔzhì)
Corno	Horn	Cuerno	角 (jiǎo)
Corozo	Corozo (Vegetable ivory – Tagua nut)	Corozo	象牙果 (xiàngyá guǒ)
Avorio	Ivory	Marfil	象牙 (xiàngyá)
Corallo	Coral	Coral	珊瑚 (shānhú)
Giaietto	Jet	Azabache	煤精 / 黑玉 (méijīng)/ (hēiyù)
Pelle / Cuoio	Leather	Piel/ Cuero	皮革 o solo 皮 (pígé) 真皮 (Zhēnpí)

A few small notes:

• On the Chinese term for “Wood”: I chose 木材 (mùcái) because, unlike the more common and colloquial 木头 (mùtou), it identifies wood specifically as a raw material and a construction medium. It is the term of choice for technical and craft precision.
• The allure of Coral: I decided to include this material after reading The Old Button Box, a 1951 text by experts Sally Luscomb and Ethel Cassidy. I definitely want to dive deeper into the use of coral in button-making; in the meantime, I highly recommend this post by The Victorian Needle for a fascinating look at how this material was used during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Other Materials

In the future, I plan to delve deeper into the differences between various materials and their specific roles in button production. For now, however, I am focusing on the linguistic side of the primary terms we might encounter during our multilingual research. This list, therefore, includes the main synthetic and inorganic materials, as well as metals.

Italiano	English	Español	中文 (Pinyin)
Vetro	Glass	Vidrio	玻璃 (bōlí)
Metallo	Metal	Metal	金属 (jīnshǔ)
Ottone	Brass	Latón	黄铜 (huángtóng)
Acciaio	Steel	Acero	钢 (gāng)
Argento	Silver	Plata	银 (yín)
Stagno / Peltro	Tin / Pewter	Estaño / Peltre	锡 / 锡蜡 / 白镴 (xī) / (xī là) / (báilà)
Acetato	Acetate	Acetato	醋酸纤维 (cùsuān xiānwéi) 醋酸 纽扣 (cùsuān niǔkòu) *Work in progress to find out more!
Acrilico	Acrylic	Acrílico	压克力 (yākèlì)
Bachelite	Bakelite	Baquelita	电木, 胶木 (diànmù), (jiāomù)
Celluloide	Celluloid	Celuloide	赛璐珞 (sàilùluò)
Galalite	Galalith	Galalita	酪素塑料 (làosù sùliào)
Nylon	Nylon	Nylon / Nailon	尼龙 (nílóng)
Poliestere	Polyester	Poliéster	聚酯 (jùzhǐ)
Porcellana / Ceramica	Porcelain / Ceramic	Porcelana / Cerámica	瓷 / 陶瓷 (cí) / (táocí)

A few small notes:

• Pewter, the “Second-in-Command” to Silver: I must confess my previous ignorance regarding the fascinating role of pewter in button-making! Pewter is an alloy composed primarily of tin and other metals. It was often used as a substitute for silver due to its aesthetic appeal; it is frequently found on 18th-century uniforms, among many other applications.
• The “Hybrid” Nature of Celluloid: Once again, in Luscomb and Cassidy’s invaluable book, I noticed that celluloid was categorized among materials from the vegetable kingdom. This is an important detail to highlight: while celluloid is indeed a plastic, it has a “natural soul” as it is derived from plant cellulose.
• Bakelite, the “Electric Wood”: The Chinese term for Bakelite is 电木 (diànmù). If we analyze it, we discover that 电 (diàn) means electric, while 木 (mù) refers to wood. “Electric wood,” then: a name that perfectly describes its nature—as hard and durable as wood, yet functioning as an excellent electrical insulator.