Coming from the Italian carrozza , the term float can refer to a large horse- drawn carriage, which stands out for its ornamentation . It is, in this case, a type of carriage.
Created in the 11th century , carriages were always luxurious vehicles, used by rich or powerful people. Many times they were pulled by more than four horses, unlike other carts or carriages that could be moved by a single animal.
Used by royal families, floats were created with gold decorations and velvet covers. Nowadays, floats are often used in important ceremonies to transport the members of a monarchy.
Without a doubt, one of the most important and well-known floats in the world of literature and cinema is Cinderella's. It is that vehicle that her fairy godmother created by doing magic using various elements. Thus a pumpkin became the float and several mice became beautiful horses that pulled it.
Thanks to that vehicle, young Cinderella was able to go to the prince's ball to meet him and for love to arise between them. Of course, being a magical float it had a uniqueness: when the clock struck twelve at night it would once again become what it was, a pumpkin and rodents.
The hearse is also often called a carriage: the vehicle used to take a body to the cemetery. Hearse carriages have an extensive chassis that allows them to load the coffin and transport the floral arrangements that are placed next to the deceased as a tribute.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that the term float is also used to refer to each and every one of the vehicles that are part of a parade. Thus, floats are the vehicles of different sizes and appearance that make up the parade of the Three Wise Men and so are those that make up the Gay Pride parade in Madrid, for example.
Tractors, trucks, buses or vans thus become floats and they do so because they are transformed aesthetically speaking.
In the field of nautical , the frame that is covered with a cover to protect certain sectors of a boat from the elements is called a float. These floats are usually made of wood or iron and have a canvas that provides protection from the rain.
The concept of a float, on the other hand, appears in the titles of several artistic works. “Chariots of Fire” , for example, is a British film that was released in 1981 and won numerous awards. “Waiting for the float,” for its part, is a famous Uruguayan play that had a film adaptation in Argentina .
In the same way, we cannot ignore that in Spain the term float is used in a popular and colloquial way with another meaning. Specifically, it is used as a synonym for the elderly person and even for “carca.” An example would be the following: Luis is already a coach and does not understand youth.