The Language of Food

Ketchup began as a fermented fish sauce from China’s Fujian province: ke for fermented fish, tchup for sauce. The British were the first to add tomatoes to their anchovy “catsup” in 1817. A century later, Heinz changed the spelling again—and added sugar. In The Language of Food, Dan Jurafsky opens a panoramic window onto everything from the modern descendants of ancient recipes to the hidden persuasion in restaurant reviews. Combining history with linguistic analysis, Jurafsky uncovers a global atlas of premodern culinary influence: why we toast to good health at dinner and eat toast for breakfast and why the Chinese don’t have a word for "dessert". Engaging and eclectic, Jurafsky’s study reveals how everything from medieval meal order to modern menu design informs the way we drink and dine today. Tuck in!

Ketchup began as a fermented fish sauce from China’s Fujian province: ke for fermented fish, tchup for sauce. The British were the first to add tomatoes to their anchovy “catsup” in 1817. A century later, Heinz changed the spelling again—and added sugar. In The Language of Food, Dan Jurafsky opens a panoramic window onto everything from the modern descendants of ancient recipes to the hidden persuasion in restaurant reviews. Combining history with linguistic analysis, Jurafsky uncovers a global atlas of premodern culinary influence: why we toast to good health at dinner and eat toast for breakfast and why the Chinese don’t have a word for "dessert". Engaging and eclectic, Jurafsky’s study reveals how everything from medieval meal order to modern menu design informs the way we drink and dine today. Tuck in!