Food and language. How food references have shaped the language we speak

The importance of food in various cultures has manifested through idioms and metaphors in languages, often reflecting the centrality of food in daily life, cultural practices, and values. These linguistic expressions can reveal a lot about a culture's relationship with food, whether it's a staple ingredient, a traditional dish, or a common eating practice. Food references can manifest as idioms, slang, and metaphors, and they often vary widely between cultures. Here are some examples:

English:

• "Piece of cake" - Used to describe something very easy, highlighting the pleasure and simplicity associated with eating cake.
• "Spill the beans" - Means to reveal a secret, possibly originating from an ancient Greek voting method involving beans.
• "In a pickle" - Describes being in a difficult situation, likely referring to the mixed and jumbled nature of pickled vegetables.
• "Bread and butter" - Refers to one's main source of income, highlighting the fundamental role of bread and butter in the traditional English diet.
• "The apple of one's eye" - Denotes something or someone cherished above all others, originating from a time when apples were considered a highly valued fruit.

Spanish:

• "Estar como un flan" (To be like a flan) - Used to describe being very nervous, possibly referring to the wobbly nature of flan.
• "Dar calabazas a alguien" (To give someone pumpkins) - Means to reject someone, particularly in a romantic context.
• "Ser pan comido" (To be eaten bread) - Means something is very easy, akin to the English "piece of cake", emphasizing the importance of bread in Spanish cuisine.
• "Estar en la sopa" (To be in the soup) - Used to describe someone who appears everywhere or is involved in everything, similar to how soup is a common and widespread dish.

French:

• "C'est la fin des haricots" (It's the end of the beans) - Signifies that a situation is hopeless or that all resources are exhausted.
• "Occupe-toi de tes oignons" (Mind your own onions) - Means to mind your own business.
• "Mettre son grain de sel" (To put one's grain of salt) - Means to give an unsolicited opinion, emphasizing the importance of salt in cooking.

Italian:

• "Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco" (Not all donuts come out with a hole) - Used to indicate that things don’t always turn out as expected.
• "Essere pieno come un uovo" (To be as full as an egg) - Describes being very full after eating.
• "Essere come il prezzemolo" (To be like parsley) - Used to describe someone who is everywhere, similar to how parsley is used in numerous Italian dishes.

German:

• "Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei" (Everything has an end, only the sausage has two) - This humorous saying is used to express that all good things must come to an end.
• "Um den heißen Brei herumreden" (To talk around the hot porridge) - Means to beat around the bush or avoid getting to the point.
• "Das ist nicht mein Bier" (That's not my beer) - Means it's not one's business or problem, showing the cultural significance of beer in Germany.
• "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" (I only understand train station) - This means one doesn't understand something at all, analogous to feeling lost or confused like one might feel in a bustling, busy place like a train station or a crowded market.

Chinese:

• "人山人海" (Rén shān rén hǎi, lit. "people mountain people sea") - Describes a huge crowd of people, reflecting the importance of human interaction in Chinese culture, often seen during festivals or meals.
• "吃豆腐" (Chī dòufu, lit. "eat tofu") - Used to describe flirtatious behaviour, where tofu symbolizes something soft or easy to take advantage of.
• "掛羊頭，賣狗肉" (Guà yáng tóu, mài gǒu ròu) - Literally "hang up a sheep's head but sell dog meat", meaning to deceive or misrepresent, akin to the concept of "bait and switch".
• "飯來張口" (Fàn lái zhāng kǒu) - Literally "When the food comes, open your mouth", used to describe someone who is spoiled or waits for others to do things for them

Japanese:

• "腹が立つ" (Hara ga tatsu, "The stomach stands") - Means to get angry, reflecting the Japanese understanding of the stomach as a center of emotion.
• "目の中に入れても痛くない" (Me no naka ni iretemo itakunai, "So dear that you could put [them] in your eye and it wouldn't hurt") - Used to describe something or someone you cherish deeply, possibly related to how precious and essential food is.

Hindi:

• "दाल में कुछ काला है" (Daal mein kuch kaala hai) - Literally means "There's something black in the dal," used to indicate that something is suspicious or not quite right.

These examples show how food, a fundamental part of daily life, permeates language and reflects cultural practices, values, and humour. The specific food items chosen for idioms or expressions often hold particular significance or commonality in the culture they originate from.