Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Why cow meat is called beef

50 views
Skip to first unread message

Ed Pawlowski

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 11:04:06 AM6/28/18
to

https://tinyurl.com/y99dt63e

When you stop and think about it, it’s actually quite strange that pig
meat is called “pork,” cow meat is called “beef,” sheep meat is called
“mutton,” and deer meat is called “venison.” What’s even stranger is
that chicken meat is still called “chicken,” and fish is “fish.” So what
gives?

The answer actually involves a rather complicated lesson in etymology,
but we’ll try to put it as simply as possible.

According to eGullet, it all goes back to the Norman conquest of Britain
in 1066. When the French took over England, there became two ways of
saying a whole lot of words, and from a gastronomic standpoint the
French won out (as they usually do). This is likely because the
lower-class Anglo-Saxons were the hunters (so we get the animal names
from them), and the upper-class French only saw these animals on the
dinner table (so we get the culinary terms from them).

So the Anglo-Saxon pig became the French porc, which was Anglicized to
pork; the Anglo-Saxon cow became the French boeuf, which became beef;
and sheep became mouton, (later mutton). Even chicken got a new culinary
name: pullet, which is the Anglicized version of the French poulet, and
is now only used to refer to a young hen. All of those French terms are
still the French words for those animals (as well as their meat) today.
As for fish, we most likely still call it fish because the French term
for it, poisson, is too close to the English word poison.

The reason behind calling deer meat “venison” is slightly more
complicated, but still has to do with the Norman Invasion (deer in
French is cerf, which doesn’t sound much like “venison”). According to
Yahoo, the word venison derives from the Latin word venor, meaning “to
hunt or pursue.” Following the invasion and the establishment of the
Royal Forests, any hunted animal was called “venison” after it was
killed; because more deer were hunted than any other animal, the name stuck.

The Norman invasion’s effect on the English language really can’t be
understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them thanks to
French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the Norman desire, ask
to inquire, and hide to obscure.

Dave Smith

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 12:13:45 PM6/28/18
to
On 2018-06-28 11:04 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> The Norman invasion’s effect on the English language really can’t be
> understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them thanks to
> French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the Norman desire, ask
> to inquire, and hide to obscure.

My nephew's wife studied linguistics and explained some of the split in
the roots of the English language. She said that many of the official
words, those used in government and the courts are French based and that
the words of the heart are Germanic.... heart, house, cook, man, cheese..

I have been to Denmark a few times and had little trouble communicating
even with non English speakers. My native language is English, but I
also know some French and German. Between the English and German I
could understand a lot of Danish, written and spoken.




Cindy Hamilton

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 12:50:07 PM6/28/18
to
On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 12:13:45 PM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2018-06-28 11:04 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> > The Norman invasion’s effect on the English language really can’t be
> > understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them thanks to
> > French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the Norman desire, ask
> > to inquire, and hide to obscure.
>
> My nephew's wife studied linguistics and explained some of the split in
> the roots of the English language. She said that many of the official
> words, those used in government and the courts are French based and that
> the words of the heart are Germanic.... heart, house, cook, man, cheese..

I've always divided those words by social class. The Saxon serf
raises the cow but but the Norman lord eats the beef.

Cindy Hamilton


Druce

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 2:54:43 PM6/28/18
to
But the lord sits at the table -which is a French word- and so does
the serf.

ZZyXX

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 3:08:25 PM6/28/18
to
On 6/28/18 8:04 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> So the Anglo-Saxon pig became the French porc, which was Anglicized to
> pork; the Anglo-Saxon cow became the French boeuf, which became beef;
> and sheep became mouton, (later mutton). Even chicken got a new culinary
> name: pullet, which is the Anglicized version of the French poulet, and
> is now only used to refer to a young hen. All of those French terms are
> still the French words for those animals (as well as their meat) today.
> As for fish, we most likely still call it fish because the French term
> for it, poisson, is too close to the English word poison.

this raises the question of how did boeuf become the french word for cow
meat, same thing for porc, mouton and poulet?

Cindy Hamilton

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 3:11:57 PM6/28/18
to
Table is a Germanic cognate, too, as you should know.

Cindy Hamilton

Cindy Hamilton

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 3:14:12 PM6/28/18
to
From Latin.

Cindy Hamilton

Druce

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 3:18:39 PM6/28/18
to
On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 12:11:52 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
Table comes from Latin tabula. I'm not saying that you're wrong by the
way, just that it may not always work.

Leonard Blaisdell

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 6:48:15 PM6/28/18
to
In article <CN6ZC.188976$pg3....@fx29.iad>, Ed Pawlowski
<e...@snet.net> wrote:

> The Norman invasionıs effect on the English language really canıt be
> understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them thanks to
> French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the Norman desire, ask
> to inquire, and hide to obscure.

If only there had been a William the Defeated. Things would be very,
very different now. Spelling would be a hell of a lot easier.

[ObFood] Wieners, Polish sausage and Nathan's sauerkraut incorporating
two apples and some celery seed. Oh, and a few slices off of a large
Dutch crunch roll from the supermarket.
That ought to last me for three days. I don't know how to cook for one
or probably more than two.

leo

dsi1

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 7:31:04 PM6/28/18
to
On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 6:50:07 AM UTC-10, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> I've always divided those words by social class. The Saxon serf
> raises the cow but but the Norman lord eats the beef.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

Last week we ate at the Cattle Company Steakhouse. The name denotes good, clean, American-Western, values.

In Japan, a slab of cow meat is called "bifuteki."

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 10:55:19 PM6/28/18
to
On Thu 28 Jun 2018 03:48:09p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?

--

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~

~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~

**********************************************************

Wayne Boatwright

Druce

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 11:01:35 PM6/28/18
to
On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 02:55:16 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
<waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:

>On Thu 28 Jun 2018 03:48:09p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>
>> In article <CN6ZC.188976$pg3....@fx29.iad>, Ed Pawlowski
>> <e...@snet.net> wrote:
>>
>>> The Norman invasionıs effect on the English language really canıt
>>> be understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them
>>> thanks to French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the
>>> Norman desire, ask to inquire, and hide to obscure.
>>
>> If only there had been a William the Defeated. Things would be
>> very, very different now. Spelling would be a hell of a lot
>> easier.
>>
>> [ObFood] Wieners, Polish sausage and Nathan's sauerkraut
>> incorporating two apples and some celery seed. Oh, and a few
>> slices off of a large Dutch crunch roll from the supermarket.
>> That ought to last me for three days. I don't know how to cook for
>> one or probably more than two.
>>
>> leo
>>
>
>Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?

Maybe it's a roll filled with Dutch baby, cooked in a Dutch oven by a
Dutch uncle?

Leonard Blaisdell

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 11:08:27 PM6/28/18
to
In article <XnsA90FCAA5B9EBEwa...@85.214.115.223>, Wayne
Boatwright <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:

> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?

It looks like a regular French bread with a scabby, crusty, crunchy
surface. This link has a good representation of it.
<https://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/food/dutch-crunch-best-sandwich-bread-y
ouve-never-heard>.
I thought everyone knew the term until now. I didn't know it's a
"thing". At any rate, they're sold in Reno/Sparks, and I prefer them
for sandwiches and anything else French bread is used for that I can
think of.

leo

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 28, 2018, 11:42:37 PM6/28/18
to
On Thu 28 Jun 2018 08:08:22p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
Thanks, Leo. That's something I would like. I've never seen the in
a store.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:16:55 AM6/29/18
to
On 2018-06-28 9:01 PM, Druce wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 02:55:16 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
> <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 03:48:09p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>>
>>> In article <CN6ZC.188976$pg3....@fx29.iad>, Ed Pawlowski
>>> <e...@snet.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The Norman invasion¹s effect on the English language really can¹t
>>>> be understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them
>>>> thanks to French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the
>>>> Norman desire, ask to inquire, and hide to obscure.
>>>
>>> If only there had been a William the Defeated. Things would be
>>> very, very different now. Spelling would be a hell of a lot
>>> easier.
>>>
>>> [ObFood] Wieners, Polish sausage and Nathan's sauerkraut
>>> incorporating two apples and some celery seed. Oh, and a few
>>> slices off of a large Dutch crunch roll from the supermarket.
>>> That ought to last me for three days. I don't know how to cook for
>>> one or probably more than two.
>>>
>>> leo
>>>
>>
>> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?
>
> Maybe it's a roll filled with Dutch baby, cooked in a Dutch oven by a
> Dutch uncle?
>
...who speaks double-dutch.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:20:46 AM6/29/18
to
On 2018-06-28 9:42 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 08:08:22p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>
>> In article <XnsA90FCAA5B9EBEwa...@85.214.115.223>,
>> Wayne Boatwright <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?
>>
>> It looks like a regular French bread with a scabby, crusty,
>> crunchy surface. This link has a good representation of it.
>> <https://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/food/dutch-crunch-best-sandwich-br
>> ead-y ouve-never-heard>.
>> I thought everyone knew the term until now. I didn't know it's a
>> "thing". At any rate, they're sold in Reno/Sparks, and I prefer
>> them for sandwiches and anything else French bread is used for
>> that I can think of.
>>
>> leo
>>
>
> Thanks, Leo. That's something I would like. I've never seen the in
> a store.
>
I have made it. You coat the risen dough with a flour and water paste
before baking.

John Kuthe

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:21:36 AM6/29/18
to
I call my BBQ ribs "porcine intercostals" but I'm an RN. Sick nursing humor I guess.

John Kuthe...

Druce

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:27:33 AM6/29/18
to
On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 22:16:52 -0600, graham <g.st...@shaw.ca> wrote:

>On 2018-06-28 9:01 PM, Druce wrote:
>> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 02:55:16 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
>> <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 03:48:09p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>>>
>>>> In article <CN6ZC.188976$pg3....@fx29.iad>, Ed Pawlowski
>>>> <e...@snet.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The Norman invasionıs effect on the English language really canıt
>>>>> be understated. Other words that now have two ways of saying them
>>>>> thanks to French influence include the Anglo-Saxon want to the
>>>>> Norman desire, ask to inquire, and hide to obscure.
>>>>
>>>> If only there had been a William the Defeated. Things would be
>>>> very, very different now. Spelling would be a hell of a lot
>>>> easier.
>>>>
>>>> [ObFood] Wieners, Polish sausage and Nathan's sauerkraut
>>>> incorporating two apples and some celery seed. Oh, and a few
>>>> slices off of a large Dutch crunch roll from the supermarket.
>>>> That ought to last me for three days. I don't know how to cook for
>>>> one or probably more than two.
>>>>
>>>> leo
>>>>
>>>
>>> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?
>>
>> Maybe it's a roll filled with Dutch baby, cooked in a Dutch oven by a
>> Dutch uncle?
>>
>...who speaks double-dutch.

But only if he has enough Dutch courage.

Leonard Blaisdell

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:46:44 AM6/29/18
to
In article <wbdnrcxi...@sqwertz.com>, Sqwertz
<swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> Dutch Crunch is pretty much only found west of the Rockies, in my
> experience. And only sold at actual bakeries. It can't be
> packaged, not even in paper, and must be sold in "open-air".

Ours is baked daily in Raley's supermarket along with the French bread
and slid into a paper sleeve. It has been available for a couple of
years. I had no idea that it was a regional thing.

leo

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 1:34:53 AM6/29/18
to
On Thu 28 Jun 2018 09:20:42p, graham told us...
Thaks, Graham. I'll give that a try.

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 2:06:01 AM6/29/18
to
On Thu 28 Jun 2018 09:46:38p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
It must be somewhat regional. I've never seen or heard of it in any
state where I've lived. Wish I had!

Cindy Hamilton

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:26:57 AM6/29/18
to
I'm guessing the Teutoni didn't use tables until they met the Romans.

Cindy Hamilton

Druce

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:42:01 AM6/29/18
to
On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 03:26:53 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
Would you like it if I pointed out more often when you're wrong? You
might get used to it. Face your fears!

S Viemeister

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 7:13:37 AM6/29/18
to
On 6/29/2018 11:41 AM, Druce wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 03:26:53 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
>> On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 3:18:39 PM UTC-4, Druce wrote:
>>> On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 12:11:52 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
>>>> Table is a Germanic cognate, too, as you should know.
>>>
>>> Table comes from Latin tabula. I'm not saying that you're wrong by the
>>> way, just that it may not always work.
>>
>> I'm guessing the Teutoni didn't use tables until they met the Romans.
>
> Would you like it if I pointed out more often when you're wrong? You
> might get used to it. Face your fears!
>
What was she wrong about?

Druce

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 7:18:39 AM6/29/18
to
It doesn't matter whether the Teutons used tables.

Cindy Hamilton

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 9:09:49 AM6/29/18
to
I never said I wasn't wrong. I quipped about the eating habits
of the Germanic tribesmen.

Cindy Hamilton

penm...@aol.com

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 11:29:46 AM6/29/18
to
All foods are regional, especially baked goods.

penm...@aol.com

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 11:34:10 AM6/29/18
to
On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:13:32 +0100, S Viemeister
<firs...@lastname.oc.ku> wrote:

Druce embodies the classic Paranoid Schizophrenic.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 12:32:04 PM6/29/18
to
On 2018-06-28 11:34 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 09:20:42p, graham told us...
>
>> On 2018-06-28 9:42 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 08:08:22p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>>>
>>>> In article
>>>> <XnsA90FCAA5B9EBEwa...@85.214.115.223>, Wayne
>>>> Boatwright <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?
>>>>

>>> Thanks, Leo. That's something I would like. I've never seen the
>>> in a store.
>>>
>> I have made it. You coat the risen dough with a flour and water
>> paste before baking.
>>
>
> Thaks, Graham. I'll give that a try.
>

Here's the recipe I followed. In fact, you could use AP flour if it is
12% protein in your area.
https://www.bakingmad.com/recipe/tiger-bread-by-allinson

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 1:20:52 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri 29 Jun 2018 09:32:00a, graham told us...
Thank you, Graham!

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 1:36:27 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri 29 Jun 2018 09:32:00a, graham told us...
Hmm... I'm not sure what the US equivalent to golden brown caster
sugar would be, unless it's like our "light brown sugar". When I use
a recipe calling for caster sugar, I use US granulated sugar and
pulse it a few times in the food processor.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 2:21:26 PM6/29/18
to
On 2018-06-29 11:36 AM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Fri 29 Jun 2018 09:32:00a, graham told us...
>
>> On 2018-06-28 11:34 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 09:20:42p, graham told us...
>>>
>>>> On 2018-06-28 9:42 PM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>>> On Thu 28 Jun 2018 08:08:22p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>>>>>
>>>>>> In article
>>>>>> <XnsA90FCAA5B9EBEwa...@85.214.115.223>, Wayne
>>>>>> Boatwright <waynebo...@xgmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Whhat is a Dutch crunch roll?
>>>>>>
>>
>>>>> Thanks, Leo. That's something I would like. I've never seen
>>>>> the in a store.
>>>>>
>>>> I have made it. You coat the risen dough with a flour and water
>>>> paste before baking.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Thaks, Graham. I'll give that a try.
>>>
>>
>> Here's the recipe I followed. In fact, you could use AP flour if
>> it is 12% protein in your area.
>> https://www.bakingmad.com/recipe/tiger-bread-by-allinson
>>
>>
>
> Hmm... I'm not sure what the US equivalent to golden brown caster
> sugar would be, unless it's like our "light brown sugar". When I use
> a recipe calling for caster sugar, I use US granulated sugar and
> pulse it a few times in the food processor.
>
I wouldn't worry about that. It is in many of my UK recipes and I've
never seen it here. I've thought about bringing some back when I visit
there but I would use the light brown sugar, which is quite fine anyway.
It'll have plenty of time to dissolve. Demerara is too coarse.
Also, I don't see the need for the yeast in the topping paste.

U.S. Janet B.

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 2:38:20 PM6/29/18
to
I haven't seen the yeast used here very often but I have seen it more
than once. I've been meaning to do a side by side test to see.
Another project for this winter.
Janet US

Druce

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 3:11:48 PM6/29/18
to
Lol, that's a new one. I've been called a few things, but not that
yet.

Druce

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 3:12:33 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 06:09:45 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
Sorry, I missed that.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 4:04:25 PM6/29/18
to
I think that I may have left out the yeast in the topping paste as it's
made from rice flour. Here's what mine looked like:

https://postimg.cc/image/vpvb3rlij/

Hank Rogers

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 4:25:38 PM6/29/18
to
Druce wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 11:34:06 -0400, penm...@aol.com wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:13:32 +0100, S Viemeister
>> <firs...@lastname.oc.ku> wrote:
>>
>>> On 6/29/2018 11:41 AM, Druce wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 03:26:53 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
>>>>> On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 3:18:39 PM UTC-4, Druce wrote:
>>>>>> On Thu, 28 Jun 2018 12:11:52 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
>>>>>>> Table is a Germanic cognate, too, as you should know.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Table comes from Latin tabula. I'm not saying that you're wrong by the
>>>>>> way, just that it may not always work.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm guessing the Teutoni didn't use tables until they met the Romans.
>>>>
>>>> Would you like it if I pointed out more often when you're wrong? You
>>>> might get used to it. Face your fears!
>>>>
>>> What was she wrong about?
>>
>> Druce embodies the classic Paranoid Schizophrenic.
>
> Lol, that's a new one. I've been called a few things, but not that
> yet.
>

By god, I think Popeye has gotten himself a brand new shtick! This is
the first time he's used that insult in lieu of his standard screaming:
*faggot*

That little sailor man is smarter than I realized. Or maybe "the wife"
finally got him accepted into an adult edumacation class for old pissy
sailors.

Pretty soon, Admiral Popeye won't have to take his shoes off to count
past 10!





dsi1

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 4:37:37 PM6/29/18
to
On Friday, June 29, 2018 at 10:04:25 AM UTC-10, graham wrote:

> I think that I may have left out the yeast in the topping paste as it's
> made from rice flour. Here's what mine looked like:
>
> https://postimg.cc/image/vpvb3rlij/

That's a nice looking loaf. That bread is sold in stores here but I've never found it to have much crunch. Mostly, I'm disappointed. Jeez, that's a nice looking loaf...

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 5:48:25 PM6/29/18
to
Thanks! It's not difficult to make.

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:07:01 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri 29 Jun 2018 01:04:21p, graham told us...
It looks better than the recipe/webpage!

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:07:52 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri 29 Jun 2018 11:21:21a, graham told us...
That all makes sense.

graham

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:36:42 PM6/29/18
to
Thanks!! It is quite easy to make but not in 40C+ temperatures:-)

Wayne Boatwright

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 6:54:18 PM6/29/18
to
On Fri 29 Jun 2018 03:36:41p, graham told us...
It is 105°F. as I write this, but the past several weeks have been
110°F. every day. Of course we live in the desert, so that's what
one would expect. We would die without A/C. I can bake with no
qualms as our electric range is vented to the outside. :-)

Cheri

unread,
Jun 29, 2018, 7:50:52 PM6/29/18
to
<penm...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:5vjcjdl5vqne1k5ft...@4ax.com...
They had Dutch Crunch at S-Mart CA today, in a plastic type bin for baked
bread and rolls, no paper. I almost bought it, but changed my mind.

Cheri

0 new messages