olcso husnak hig a leve (Hungarian) cheap meat produces thin gravy (Hungarian) cheap meat produces thin gravy

Hunting, shooting...

In many parts of the world putting together a meal isn't always simply a matter of making a quick trip to the local supermarket: ortektes (Khakas, Siberia) to hunt together for ducks (Khakas, Siberia) to hunt together for ducksgeragai (Malay) a hook for catching crocodiles (Malay) a hook for catching crocodilessumpit (Malay) to shoot with a blowpipe (Malay) to shoot with a blowpipetu'utu'u (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) to hit the mark time and again (shooting with arrows) (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) to hit the mark time and again (shooting with arrows)ajawy (Wayampi, Brazil) to hit the wrong target (Wayampi, Brazil) to hit the wrong target

... and fishing Fishing can be equally labour-intensive: ta'iti (Cook Islands Maori) to catch fish by encircling a rock with a net and frightening them out (Cook Islands Maori) to catch fish by encircling a rock with a net and frightening them outkapau'u (Hawaiian) to drive fish into a waiting net by splashing or striking the water with a leafy branch (Hawaiian) to drive fish into a waiting net by splashing or striking the water with a leafy branchlihnaka inska wauhwaia (Ulwa, Nicaragua) to slap the water and cause the fish to jump into a boat (Ulwa, Nicaragua) to slap the water and cause the fish to jump into a boatnono (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) fish thrown onto the beach by the waves or which jump out of the water into a boat (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) fish thrown onto the beach by the waves or which jump out of the water into a boatkusyad (Persian) hard black stone thrown into the water to attract fish (Persian) hard black stone thrown into the water to attract fishfiskevaer (Norwegian) good weather for fishing (Norwegian) good weather for fishingah chamseyah chay (Chorti, Guatemala) someone who fishes with dynamite (Chorti, Guatemala) someone who fishes with dynamitepau heoheo (Hawaiian) a person who returns from fishing without any fish (Hawaiian) a person who returns from fishing without any fish

Global gastronomy When it comes to the extraordinary things that people around the world enjoy putting in their mouths, it's certainly true that one man's meat is another man's poison: ptsha (Yiddish) cow's feet in jelly (Yiddish) cow's feet in jellyporonkieli (Finnish) reindeer tongue (Finnish) reindeer tonguekokorec (Turkish) roasted sheep's intestines (Turkish) roasted sheep's intestinesnama-uni (j.a.panese) raw sea urchin (j.a.panese) raw sea urchinBeuschel (German) stewed calves' lungs (German) stewed calves' lungsacitron (Mexican Spanish) candied cactus (Mexican Spanish) candied cactussomad (Sherpa, Nepal) cheese that is old and smelly (Sherpa, Nepal) cheese that is old and smellycalimocho (Spanish) a combination of Coca-Cola and red wine (Spanish) a combination of Coca-Cola and red wineGummiadler (German) tough roast chicken (literally, rubber eagle) (German) tough roast chicken (literally, rubber eagle)marilopotes (Ancient Greek) a gulper of coal dust (Ancient Greek) a gulper of coal dustampo (Malay) edible earth (Malay) edible earth

Menu envy In some cases, though, it's the unfamiliar word rather than the food itself that may alarm the outsider: flab (Gaelic) a mushroom (Gaelic) a mushroommoron (Welsh) a carrot (Welsh) a carrotaardappel (Dutch) a potato (literally, earth apple) (Dutch) a potato (literally, earth apple)bikini (Spanish) a toasted ham and cheese sandwich (Spanish) a toasted ham and cheese sandwichgureepufuruutsu (j.a.panese) a grapefruit (j.a.panese) a grapefruit

Can't cook...

We all know the benefits of lumur lumur (Malay), smearing ingredients with fat during cooking. But even that doesn't always prevent (Malay), smearing ingredients with fat during cooking. But even that doesn't always prevent kanzo kanzo (Hausa, Nigeria), burnt food stuck to the bottom of the pot. Perhaps it would help to know the right moment for (Hausa, Nigeria), burnt food stuck to the bottom of the pot. Perhaps it would help to know the right moment for nisar-qararat nisar-qararat (Persian), cold water poured into a pot to stop it getting burnt. The only failsafe way of escaping this is to buy your food (Persian), cold water poured into a pot to stop it getting burnt. The only failsafe way of escaping this is to buy your food boli boli boli boli (Aukan, Suriname) already cooked. (Aukan, Suriname) already cooked.

Bon appet.i.t Now we're ready to eat...

protintheuo (Ancient Greek) to pick out the dainty bits beforehand, to help oneself first (Ancient Greek) to pick out the dainty bits beforehand, to help oneself firstmuka (Hawaiian) a smacking sound with the lips, indicating that the food is tasty (Hawaiian) a smacking sound with the lips, indicating that the food is tastypakupaku (j.a.panese) to eat in big mouthfuls or take quick bites (j.a.panese) to eat in big mouthfuls or take quick bitesparmaklamak (Turkish) to eat with one's fingers (Turkish) to eat with one's fingerssikkiwok (Inuit) to drink with your chin in the water (Inuit) to drink with your chin in the waternusarat (Persian) crumbs falling from a table which are picked up and eaten as an act of piety (Persian) crumbs falling from a table which are picked up and eaten as an act of piety

Boring food The j.a.panese are emphatic about how dull food can be: suna o kamu yo na suna o kamu yo na means 'like chewing sand'. They even have an evocative term for rehashed food: means 'like chewing sand'. They even have an evocative term for rehashed food: nibansenji nibansenji, meaning 'brewing tea for the second time using the same tea-leaves'.

Cupboard love Those who have food on the table will always be popular: giomlaireachd (Scottish Gaelic) the habit of dropping in at meal times (Scottish Gaelic) the habit of dropping in at meal timesaimerpok (Inuit) to visit expecting to receive food (Inuit) to visit expecting to receive foodluqma-shumar (Persian) one who attends feasts uninvited and counts the number of mouthfuls (Persian) one who attends feasts uninvited and counts the number of mouthfuls

Snap, crackle, pop!

Is it the way they hear it? Or is it simply what sells the product? The sound of Rice Crispies crackling and popping is very different across Europe: French: Cric! Crac! Croc! Cric! Crac! Croc!German: Knisper! Knasper! Knusper! Knisper! Knasper! Knusper!Spanish: Cris! Cras! Cros! Cris! Cras! Cros!

Rice In j.a.pan, gohan gohan (literally, honourable food) comes in a bowl and means rice that is ready for eating. But it's also a general name for rice and even extends in meaning to 'meal'. At the other end of the spectrum is (literally, honourable food) comes in a bowl and means rice that is ready for eating. But it's also a general name for rice and even extends in meaning to 'meal'. At the other end of the spectrum is okoge okoge, which is the scorched rice stuck on the bottom of the pan.

False friends prune (French) plum (French) plumgin (Phrygian, Turkey) to dry out (Phrygian, Turkey) to dry outkorn (Swedish) barley (Swedish) barleysik (Ukrainian) juice (Ukrainian) juicegla.s.s (Swedish) ice cream (Swedish) ice creamp.r.i.c.k (Thai) pepper (Thai) pepperchew (Amharic, Ethiopia) salt (Amharic, Ethiopia) salt

Hawaiian bananas Hawaii's traditional cuisine is based on quite a restricted list of ingredients: fish (there are 65 words alone for describing fishing nets), sweet potato (108 words), sugarcane (42) and bananas (47). The following are among the most descriptive words for this fruit: mai'a kaua lau a banana, dark green when young, and yellow and waxy when mature a banana, dark green when young, and yellow and waxy when maturekapule a banana hanging until its skin has black spots a banana hanging until its skin has black spotspalaku a thoroughly ripe banana a thoroughly ripe bananamaui to wring the stem of a bunch of bananas to cause it to ripen to wring the stem of a bunch of bananas to cause it to ripenpola the hanging down of the blossom of a banana palm or a bunch of bananas the hanging down of the blossom of a banana palm or a bunch of bananashalane a large bunch of bananas a large bunch of bananashua'alua a double bunch of bananas a double bunch of bananasmanila a banana tree not used for fruit but for rope fibre a banana tree not used for fruit but for rope fibrelele a tall wild banana placed near the altar, offered to the G.o.ds and also used for love magic a tall wild banana placed near the altar, offered to the G.o.ds and also used for love magic

Replete As the meal enters its final stages, a sense of well-being descends on the diner unless, of course, you're suffering from bersat bersat (Malay), food that has gone down the wrong way... (Malay), food that has gone down the wrong way...

uitbuiken (Dutch) to take your time at dinner, relaxing between courses (literally, the expansion of the stomach) (Dutch) to take your time at dinner, relaxing between courses (literally, the expansion of the stomach)nakkele (Tulu, India) a man who licks whatever the food has been served on (Tulu, India) a man who licks whatever the food has been served onslappare (Italian) to eat everything, even to the point of licking the plate (Italian) to eat everything, even to the point of licking the plate'akapu'aki'aki (Cook Islands Maori) to belch repeatedly (Cook Islands Maori) to belch repeatedly

Post-prandial After it's all over, what are you left with?

femlans (Ullans, Northern Ireland) the remains of a meal (Ullans, Northern Ireland) the remains of a mealsunasorpok (Inuit) to eat the remains of others' food (Inuit) to eat the remains of others' foods.h.i.tta (Persian) food left at night and eaten in the morning (Persian) food left at night and eaten in the morning

Food poisoning Visitors to Easter Island would be advised to distinguish between the Rapa Nui words hakahana hakahana (leaving cooked food for another day) and (leaving cooked food for another day) and kai hakahana kai hakahana (food from the previous day that is starting to rot). (food from the previous day that is starting to rot).

Hunger Food cannot always be taken for granted. h.o.m.owo h.o.m.owo is a Ghanaian word that means 'hooting at hunger'. Local oral tradition recalls a distant past when the rains failed and there was a terrible famine on the Accra Plains, the home of the Ga people. When a good harvest finally came and there was more than enough to eat once again, the Ghanaians celebrated by holding a festival, still celebrated to this day, that ridiculed hunger. is a Ghanaian word that means 'hooting at hunger'. Local oral tradition recalls a distant past when the rains failed and there was a terrible famine on the Accra Plains, the home of the Ga people. When a good harvest finally came and there was more than enough to eat once again, the Ghanaians celebrated by holding a festival, still celebrated to this day, that ridiculed hunger.

Daily Bread Food often figures in colloquial sayings and proverbs, as this selection from Spain shows: quien con hambre se acuesta con pan suena whoever goes to bed hungry dreams of bread (to have a bee in one's bonnet) whoever goes to bed hungry dreams of bread (to have a bee in one's bonnet)agua fria y pan caliente, nunca hicieron buen vientre cold water and hot bread never made a good belly (oil and water never mix cold water and hot bread never made a good belly (oil and water never mixpan tierno y lena verde, la casa pierde fresh bread and green firewood lose the house (two wrongs do not make a right) fresh bread and green firewood lose the house (two wrongs do not make a right)vale bolillo it's worth a piece of bread (it doesn't matter) it's worth a piece of bread (it doesn't matter)con su pan se lo coma may he eat it with bread (good luck to him) may he eat it with bread (good luck to him)

Quenched After all this talk of food and eating, it's hard not to feel thirsty: gurfa (Arabic) the amount of water scooped up in one hand (Arabic) the amount of water scooped up in one handtegok (Malay) the water one can swallow at a gulp (Malay) the water one can swallow at a gulpqamus (Persian) [a well] so abundant in water that the bucket disappears (Persian) [a well] so abundant in water that the bucket disappearsyewh-ma (Wagiman, Australia) to sc.r.a.pe out a hole in the sand to collect fresh water (Wagiman, Australia) to sc.r.a.pe out a hole in the sand to collect fresh waterjabh (Persian) arriving at a well and finding no water (Persian) arriving at a well and finding no water

Bakbuk bakbuk bakbuk Like the English expression 'glug glug glug', the Hebrew word for bottle, bakbuk bakbuk, derives from the sound of liquid being poured from it.

Pythons and sponges Those who have not experienced sgriob sgriob (Scottish Gaelic), the itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whisky, may have suffered from (Scottish Gaelic), the itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whisky, may have suffered from olfrygt olfrygt (Viking Danish), the fear of a lack of ale. And it's not always a fish the world drinks like: (Viking Danish), the fear of a lack of ale. And it's not always a fish the world drinks like: beber como uma esponja (Portuguese) to drink like a sponge (Portuguese) to drink like a spongeuwabami no yo ni nomu (j.a.panese) to drink like a python (j.a.panese) to drink like a pythongeiin suru (j.a.panese) to drink like a whale (j.a.panese) to drink like a whalebjor-reifr (Old Icelandic) cheerful from beer-drinking (Old Icelandic) cheerful from beer-drinkingsternhagelvoll (German) completely drunk (literally, full of stars and hail) (German) completely drunk (literally, full of stars and hail)

Plastered To the sober, it's always intriguing to see what drunken people are convinced they can do when under the influence, such as trying to walk in a straight line (ka.n.a.le'o in Hawaiian). Perhaps it's best to bear in mind the Romanian proverb in Hawaiian). Perhaps it's best to bear in mind the Romanian proverb dac doi spun c eti beat, du-te i te culc, dac doi spun c eti beat, du-te i te culc, if two people say you're drunk, go to sleep. if two people say you're drunk, go to sleep.

The morning after at have tmmermaend (Danish) having a hangover (literally, to have carpenters, i.e. hearing the noise of drilling, sawing, etc.) (Danish) having a hangover (literally, to have carpenters, i.e. hearing the noise of drilling, sawing, etc.)

Katzenjammer (German) a very severe hangover (literally, the noise made by extremely miserable cats) (German) a very severe hangover (literally, the noise made by extremely miserable cats)

A useful excuse As they say in Aymara (Bolivia and Peru), umjayanipxitutuwa umjayanipxitutuwa they must have made me drink. they must have made me drink.

On reflection

Doormat dandy Languages are full of traps for the unwary, particularly when it comes to words that sound similar but mean very different things:Spanish: el papa el papa the Pope; the Pope; la papa la papa potato potatoAlbanian: cubar cubar ladies' man, womanizer; ladies' man, womanizer; cube cube proud, courageous girl proud, courageous girlKerja, Indonesia: aderana aderana prost.i.tute; prost.i.tute; aderna aderna perfume perfumeItalian: zerbino zerbino doormat; doormat; zerbinotto zerbinotto dandy dandyArabic: khadij khadij premature child; premature child; khidaj khidaj abortion abortionAlbanian: shoq shoq husband; husband; shog shog bald man; bald man; shop shop blockhead blockhead

Below Par

u miericu pietusu fa la piagaverminusa (Calabrian, Italy)the physician with too much pity will causethe wound to fester

Ouch!

The exclamation denoting pain has many varieties. If you touch a boiling kettle in Korea you cry aiya aiya, in the Philippines aruy aruy and in France and in France ae ae. In Russian you scream oj oj, in Danish uh uh and in German and in German aua aua.

Atishoo!

In j.a.pan one sneeze signifies praise (ichi home); two sneezes, criticism (ni-kusashi); three sneezes, disparagement (san-kenashi),

while four or more sneezes are taken to mean, quite reasonably, that a cold is on its way (yottsu-ijo wa kaze no moto). Meanwhile, in Mexico, one sneeze is answered with the word salud salud (health); two sneezes with (health); two sneezes with dinero dinero (money); three sneezes with (money); three sneezes with amor amor (love); four or more sneezes with (love); four or more sneezes with alergias alergias (allergies); laughter often accompanies four sneezes, because health, money and love are obviously more desirable than allergies. (allergies); laughter often accompanies four sneezes, because health, money and love are obviously more desirable than allergies.

Bless you!

In response to someone sneezing, the Germans say Gesundheit Gesundheit, 'health to you', and the French a tes souhaits a tes souhaits, literally, 'to your wishes'. In Sierre Leone, Mende speakers say biseh biseh, or 'thank you'; in Malagasy, the language of Madagascar, they say velona velona, 'alive', while the Bembe speakers of the Congo say k.u.ma k.u.ma, 'be well'. In Tonga a sneeze is often taken to be a sign that your loved one is missing you.

Sneezing protocol In Brazil, they say saude saude (health) and the sneezer answers (health) and the sneezer answers amen amen. In Arabic, the sneezer says alhumdullilah alhumdullilah ('praise be to G.o.d') first, to which the other person responds ('praise be to G.o.d') first, to which the other person responds yarhamuk.u.mu Allah yarhamuk.u.mu Allah ('may G.o.d have mercy on you'). The sneezer then replies to that with ('may G.o.d have mercy on you'). The sneezer then replies to that with athabak.u.mu Allah athabak.u.mu Allah ('may G.o.d reward you'). In Iran, things are more complex. There they say ('may G.o.d reward you'). In Iran, things are more complex. There they say afiyat bashe afiyat bashe ('I wish you good health') and the sneezer replies ('I wish you good health') and the sneezer replies elahi shokr elahi shokr ('thank G.o.d for my health'). After the first sneeze Iranians are then supposed to stop whatever they were doing for a few minutes before continuing. If the sneeze interrupts a decision it is taken as an indication not to go ahead. Ignoring the single sneeze means risking bad luck. However, a second sneeze clears the slate. ('thank G.o.d for my health'). After the first sneeze Iranians are then supposed to stop whatever they were doing for a few minutes before continuing. If the sneeze interrupts a decision it is taken as an indication not to go ahead. Ignoring the single sneeze means risking bad luck. However, a second sneeze clears the slate.

Falling ill The miseries of the sick bed are universally known: smertensleje (Danish) to toss and turn on your bed in pain (Danish) to toss and turn on your bed in painfanbing (Chinese) to have an attack of one's old illness (Chinese) to have an attack of one's old illnessruttlin (Cornish) the sound of phlegm rattling in the bronchial tubes (Cornish) the sound of phlegm rattling in the bronchial tubesmiryachit (Russian) a disease in which the sufferer mimics everything that is said or done by another (Russian) a disease in which the sufferer mimics everything that is said or done by another

False friends gem (Mongolian) defect (Mongolian) defectlavman (Turkish) enema (Turkish) enemaangel (Dutch) sting (Dutch) stingbad (Arabic) amputation (Arabic) amputationbladder (Dutch) blister (Dutch) blistersanta (Egyptian Arabic) wart (Egyptian Arabic) wartt.u.r.d (Persian) delicate or fragile (Persian) delicate or fragile

Bedside manner Illness demands sympathy, but the Indonesian word besuk besuk suggests that this is not always forthcoming. It means to refuse to visit a sick person. Possibly with good reason: suggests that this is not always forthcoming. It means to refuse to visit a sick person. Possibly with good reason: bawwal (Persian) one who p.i.s.ses in bed (Persian) one who p.i.s.ses in bedosurgan (Turkish) someone who farts a lot (Turkish) someone who farts a lotdobol (Indonesian) to have a swollen a.n.u.s (Indonesian) to have a swollen a.n.u.sra'ora'oa (Cook Islands Maori) to have swollen t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es (Cook Islands Maori) to have swollen t.e.s.t.i.c.l.eskepuyuh (Indonesian) to have to urinate (Indonesian) to have to urinatejerrkjerrk (Wagiman, Australia) diarrhoea (Wagiman, Australia) diarrhoeachia.s.se (French) runs induced by fear (French) runs induced by fear

Impatient?

Perhaps the most telling word in the lexicon of sickness is the Chinese word huiji-jiyi huiji-jiyi to avoid following your doctor's advice for fear of being recognized as the sufferer of a disease. to avoid following your doctor's advice for fear of being recognized as the sufferer of a disease.

On reflection

Vowelless The Tashlhiyt dialect of Berber (North Africa) is known for its vowelless words: tzgr tzgr, she crossed, and rglx rglx, I locked. Among the longest are tkkststt tkkststt, you took it off, and tftktstt tftktstt, you sprained it. And if we accept 'r' as a consonant (which is debatable in Czech, as 'I' and 'r' function as sonorants and so fulfil the role of a vowel) then words consisting entirely of consonants are common in their language: krk krk, neck; prst prst, finger or toe; smrk smrk, pine tree; smrt smrt, death. Words beginning with five consonants are not unknown: ctvrt ctvrt, quarter and ctvrtek ctvrtek, Thursday. Likewise in Croatian/Bosnian/Serbian there are: crkva crkva, church; mrkva mrkva, carrot; trg trg, market and zrtva zrtva, vinegar.

From Cradle to Grave