The Language of Food

The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu by Dan Jurafsky, 246 pages

In this fascinating book, Jurafsky studies the history of food specifically through language. Why do we have the same name for crunchy morning bread and a raising of glasses in someone's honor? How come macaroon, macaron, and macaroni sound so similar (and what does all that have to do with Yankee Doodle)? What does it mean when you describe meals with "exotic spices" on a menu? Jurafsky answers these and way more questions in The Language of Food. While I had a few minor quibbles with his conclusions of certain research projects, I loved learning all of the facts he brought to the table.