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Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
In message , "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" writes [] I had fun trying to ID nisperos in English- as I only ever knew them by the spanish name. It's loquat, but the Italian nespole (that's what they were called in a market when we bought them in Rome) translates as medlar fruit, which I don't think is the same thing- though related IIRC? You can think of a medlar (Mespilus) as a giant haw (Crataegus); loquats (Eriobotrya) are also pome fruits, but so are apples, pears, serviceberries, and quite a few other plants. Interesting- I wonder why the 'confusion' in various language dictionaries about this. One fruit I particularly like but don't see much in the UK shops is grenadilla (is there an English name?). Divine! Lidl (of all places!) was selling them a while back... Yes, there is an English name; it is granadilla. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granadilla Ah, thanks. I'd only referred to it before when talking in Spanish, and it's the same spelling- my mistake! -- (*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website "He can't be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush" |
#2
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Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
In message , "David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)" writes Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" writes [] I had fun trying to ID nisperos in English- as I only ever knew them by the spanish name. It's loquat, but the Italian nespole (that's what they were called in a market when we bought them in Rome) translates as medlar fruit, which I don't think is the same thing- though related IIRC? You can think of a medlar (Mespilus) as a giant haw (Crataegus); loquats (Eriobotrya) are also pome fruits, but so are apples, pears, serviceberries, and quite a few other plants. Interesting- I wonder why the 'confusion' in various language dictionaries about this. Googling tells me that loquats have also been known as Japanese medlars. That's probably the source of the confusion. One fruit I particularly like but don't see much in the UK shops is grenadilla (is there an English name?). Divine! Lidl (of all places!) was selling them a while back... Yes, there is an English name; it is granadilla. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granadilla Ah, thanks. I'd only referred to it before when talking in Spanish, and it's the same spelling- my mistake! James Nicoll's epigram applies - "The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary" -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
#3
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Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
In message , "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" writes Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote: In message , "David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" writes [] I had fun trying to ID nisperos in English- as I only ever knew them by the spanish name. It's loquat, but the Italian nespole (that's what they were called in a market when we bought them in Rome) translates as medlar fruit, which I don't think is the same thing- though related IIRC? You can think of a medlar (Mespilus) as a giant haw (Crataegus); loquats (Eriobotrya) are also pome fruits, but so are apples, pears, serviceberries, and quite a few other plants. Interesting- I wonder why the 'confusion' in various language dictionaries about this. Googling tells me that loquats have also been known as Japanese medlars. That's probably the source of the confusion. Ah, interesting- thanks! Certainly, I found an online discussion where what were clearly loquats (in Italy) were being called medlars in English, nespole in Italian. -- (*) ... of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate http://www.davidhorne.net - real address on website "He can't be as stupid as he looks, but nevertheless he probably is quite a stupid man." Richard Dawkins on Pres. Bush" |
#4
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Trying to ID a mysterious fruit
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
James Nicoll's epigram applies - "The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary" Superb! |
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