Local Knowledge can be helpful

I can sort of see an argument for calling potato chips "crisps" but that seems more appropriate for some sort of puffed cracker and things like Funyuns. Calling French fries "chips" just seems nuts. Potato chips are made by "chipping off" thin slices. But you don't "chip" French fries off the potato.

But I suppose it depends on your perspective. Language constructs often seem illogical without the history.

I've read weird stories claiming Belgium was involved. But it seems more likely that the answer is that deep frying in oil was called "French frying" in North America for a long time. As far as I know it still is.
 
In Canada if you order "chips and gravy " at a cafe, you will get French fried potatoes, with beef gravy on top. Order "Fish and Chips " and you will get French fried potatoes with your battered and fried fish . Ask at the corner store for "A bag of chips " and you will get potato chips in a foil bag . Isn't English a simple language ? Ask for poutine in Canada, and you will get French fried potatoes, covered with beef or chicken gravy, with squeeky white cheddar cheese crumbled on top. Best late night snack, on the way home from the bar. Jimb.
 

When I first moved to the US……

I asked where the lift was and no one knew what I was talking about.

I was asked if I wanted a biscuit with my veal and I was excited thinking I was getting dessert as well.

I couldn’t understand how jelly could stay on the peanut butter sandwich.

When I asked the grocery guy where the rock melon was he was clueless.
 
Ronni said:
When I first moved to the US……

I asked where the lift was and no one knew what I was talking about.

I was asked if I wanted a biscuit with my veal and I was excited thinking I was getting dessert as well.

I couldn’t understand how jelly could stay on the peanut butter sandwich.

When I asked the grocery guy where the rock melon was he was clueless.
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What is a biscuit served with veal?
 
I'm sorry, all you UKers, it's fries and chips. It's nice about the history of "crisps", but it's still fries and chips.
No McDonalds, in the US, every asked, "Do you want "chips" with that?" Since the first burger hit the grill, it's been, "fries"- you can't argue with that kind of history, especially from McDonalds.
BTW, in the US, we eat fish and chips, so go figure. 🤔
 
I agree. When in Melbourne, I went to a restaurant the offered a "box of shrimp". I thought it would be like a basket of fried shrimp. To my shock, I was given a box of cooked shrimp still in the shell with the heads still on!

IMG_5549.JPG
 
Warrigal said:
What is a biscuit served with veal?
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A biscuit is a mix of flour, salt, baking powder, butter or lard, pince of sugar & buttermilk to form a soft dough with no kneading required. Depending on the recipe, it can be either rolled & cut out with a round cutter & put on a baking sheet, dropped in large spoonfuls on a baking sheet or made into floured balls & put in a hot cast iron skillet or baking pan. They are baked until fluffy, golden brown & served hot. You can serve them with any meal or have them as a snack w/butter & jam during the day.

At breakfast, they can take the place of toast with eggs, bacon or whatever else you want. You can also split them & make a breakfast sandwich with them.

The cream gravy that is served with biscuits is made out of fried sausage crumbles that made with whole milk & thickened with flour & seasoned to taste with salt & pepper. Some people add red pepper flakes or hot sauce it, but I pass on that.

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jimintoronto said:
Biscuits in Canada look like this....Link. McVitie's Canada Americans would call them cookies. Isn't English a simple language ? JimB.
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As you say, and also in the UK, a biscuit is as the link you provided. A typical British 'biscuit' is hard and can be 'snapped' in half. Traditional British biscuits were baked twice to remove moisture so they would last longer in storage, particularly when being kept on board a British Royal Navy sailing ship.

The word 'biscuit' is then appropriate when taking this into account: 'biscuit,' bis-cuit, meaning twice-cooked.

In the UK, there is pottery called 'Biscuit ware,' named so because it is pottery that is fired twice in a kiln. I never understood why the US calls something that is soft and fluffy a biscuit.
 
Warrigal said:
You may not always receive what you think you asked for.

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Yup, that's how Papa ended up emphasis on British English growing up, but then turned both main languages into International parlez!

Just the now, I was online looking for stationary that I'd used at work in Canada. Unfortunately, had to use the British term in order to find item I was specifically looking for 🤣🤣🤣

A simple search for "Index Cards" turned into "Lined Cards" which I finally found at Poundland hehehe. The subtlety of twang, lingo, slang and all.

Add to that the local just to our area French, then the French from relatives from The Netherlands and adding the regional parts of French from France and it's a Babylon Tower all over again.

Everyday, I have to think rapidly into which item I'm looking for. Example, two days ago went to butcher. Explaining which baked meat pastry I was looking for.

So, I said... "It definitely had puff pastry, minced beef and onions. Although not certain if it had swedes and/or mashed potatoes..."

He said... "Cornish Pastie?" Nope, I said. Then "Bridie's?" Yes! I've now a butcher for life. The Bridies were sublime lol!
 
Supernatural said:
Yup, that's how Papa ended up emphasis on British English growing up, but then turned both main languages into International parlez!

Just the now, I was online looking for stationary that I'd used at work in Canada. Unfortunately, had to use the British term in order to find item I was specifically looking for 🤣🤣🤣

A simple search for "Index Cards" turned into "Lined Cards" which I finally found at Poundland hehehe. The subtlety of twang, lingo, slang and all.

Add to that the local just to our area French, then the French from relatives from The Netherlands and adding the regional parts of French from France and it's a Babylon Tower all over again.

Everyday, I have to think rapidly into which item I'm looking for. Example, two days ago went to butcher. Explaining which baked meat pastry I was looking for.

So, I said... "It definitely had puff pastry, minced beef and onions. Although not certain if it had swedes and/or mashed potatoes..."

He said... "Cornish Pastie?" Nope, I said. Then "Bridie's?" Yes! I've now a butcher for life. The Bridies were sublime lol!
Click to expand...
Where did you live in Canada ? Jim inToronto.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I'm sorry, all you UKers, it's fries and chips. It's nice about the history of "crisps", but it's still fries and chips.
No McDonalds, in the US, every asked, "Do you want "chips" with that?" Since the first burger hit the grill, it's been, "fries"- you can't argue with that kind of history, especially from McDonalds.
BTW, in the US, we eat fish and chips, so go figure. 🤔
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McDonalds did not invent fries!
The Belgians did that in the 17th century.
American soldiers brought the word "fries" back to the US
after the war.
 
Magna-Carta said:
As you say, and also in the UK, a biscuit is as the link you provided. A typical British 'biscuit' is hard and can be 'snapped' in half. Traditional British biscuits were baked twice to remove moisture so they would last longer in storage, particularly when being kept on board a British Royal Navy sailing ship.

The word 'biscuit' is then appropriate when taking this into account: 'biscuit,' bis-cuit, meaning twice-cooked.

In the UK, there is pottery called 'Biscuit ware,' named so because it is pottery that is fired twice in a kiln. I never understood why the US calls something that is soft and fluffy a biscuit.
Click to expand...
Oh, hard tack!
 
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