In the everyday use of language, the word recado has two different meanings. On the one hand, it is a short message that is transmitted by word of mouth to another person. In this sense, the message or notice can be made directly, in such a way that there is a communication between two individuals (I gave you a message on the phone last night) or indirectly through the mediation of a person ( Juan sent a message to his father through Irene). In another sense, an errand is a specific management destined to fulfill an order and that normally implies going out to the street to fulfill it.
In the second sense, recado is equivalent to mandado, a very common term in Spanish that is spoken in America but is not used in Spain.
Technology as the new transmission medium
Although the idea of transferring a message to another person is very common, this reality has varied substantially over time. Before the appearance of some means of communication (especially the telephone), the message was an essential means of communication. With the emergence of SMS, WhatsApp or voice messages, the traditional message has adapted to new technologies.
The person as a messenger
An obvious proof that the idea of an errand has evolved is the fact that we no longer speak of the messenger, the person who has the function of running errands (in some Latin American countries a messenger is a sparrow). The figure of the messenger has practically disappeared and is more typical of other times, in which some young people performed this type of task, especially in the world of work. However, it continues to be used in the form of expression (I am not anyone's messenger).
Colloquial language versus cultured language
There are almost always two different ways of communication: one more informal, conversational and direct, and the other more cultured. This is what happens with the term errand. In a formal or official context, the word procedure or diligence is more appropriate than message, which should be used in everyday situations, for example in communication between friends, neighbors or relatives.
There is no specific rule regarding when a colloquial or cult language should be used, as both are equally valid. However, in the case of the word message, its use depends on common sense (for example, it would be very inappropriate to leave a message in the field of official communication and it would also be atypical to resort to a diligence or a request to communicate with someone you trust ).
