27 February 2006

Lost in Translation -- Once Again

I've discussed here before how some foreign words just don't work in English. The offenders du jour are menu items.

We're fickle creatures when it comes to food. No matter how tasty and satisfying, if a dish isn't named well we're considerably less tempted by it. Just a minute ago I had cause to read the following words off a fax:

1. Goulash
2. Stroganoff

Do these terms sound descriptive of vomit to anyone else? As I read them, their straining heave-iness and splatteriness just struck me. I'm happy enough to eat these meals, but please, if my name is on your guest list, humour me and call them casserole.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm with you on the Goulash, but Stroganoff has always had an *ahem* sexual sound to it... so not quite as unappetizing as perhaps it should be.

Mrs Robot said...

I've pondered this for five minutes or so, and I'm still at a loss. Stroganoff? Sexual.....?! I think we've learned something rather significant about both of us here today.

Unknown said...

Stroganoff = "stroke-it-off"
::shrug::

Mrs Robot said...

LOL!! Oh, I see. Kind of reminds me of military slang; the Airforce officer rank "Flying Officer" is abbreviated "FLGOFF", so they are, unsurprisingly, universally known as "Flog Offs". Quite appropriate in many cases.

Fatuous One said...

I don't agree - love both those words. Maybe because I associate them with the food. Yum.

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