Deschutes Public Library

The language of food, a linguist reads the menu, Dan Jurafsky

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-227) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The language of food

bibliography

869437848

Dan Jurafsky

a linguist reads the menu

"In The Language of Food, Stanford University professor and MacArthur Fellow Dan Jurafsky peels away the mysteries from the foods we think we know. Thirteen chapters evoke the joy and discovery of reading a menu dotted with the sharp-eyed annotations of a linguist. Jurafsky points out the subtle meanings hidden in filler words like "rich" and "crispy," zeroes in on the metaphors and storytelling tropes we rely on in restaurant reviews, and charts a microuniverse of marketing language on the back of a bag of potato chips. The fascinating journey through The Language of Food uncovers a global atlas of culinary influences. With Jurafsky's insight, words like ketchup, macaron, and even salad become living fossils that contain the patterns of early global exploration that predate our modern fusion-filled world. From ancient recipes preserved in Sumerian song lyrics to colonial shipping routes that first connected East and West, Jurafsky paints a vibrant portrait of how our foods developed. A surprising history of culinary exchange - a sharing of ideas and culture as much as ingredients and flavors - lies just beneath the surface of our daily snacks, soups, and suppers."--Jacket

How to read a menu -- Entrée -- From sikbāj to fish and chips -- Ketchup, cocktails, and pirates -- A toast to toast -- Who are you calling a turkey? -- Sex, drugs, and sushi rolls -- Potato chips and the nature of the self -- Salad, salsa, and the flour of chivalry -- Macaroon, macaron, macaroni -- Sherbet, fireworks, and mint juleps -- Does this name make me sound fat? : why ice cream and crackers have different names -- Why the Chinese don't have dessert