The Language of Food

The Language of Food by Dan Jurafsky

Ketchup began as a fermented fish sauce from China’s Fujian province: ke for fermented fish, tchup for sauce. The British were the first to add tomatoes to their anchovy “catsup” in 1817. A century later, Heinz changed the spelling again—and added sugar. In The Language of Food, Dan Jurafsky opens a panoramic window onto everything from the modern descendants of ancient recipes to the hidden persuasion in restaurant reviews. Combining history with linguistic analysis, Jurafsky uncovers a global atlas of premodern culinary influence: why we toast to good health at dinner and eat toast for breakfast and why the Chinese don’t have a word for "dessert". Engaging and eclectic, Jurafsky’s study reveals how everything from medieval meal order to modern menu design informs the way we drink and dine today. Tuck in!

"His [Jurafsky's] decoding of food-related texts is the most original aspect of a work that is entertaining and revealing throughout" -- The Economist
"...hugely entertaining book..." -- The Independent
"Deliciously erudite." -- Nature
"This book won’t put dinner on the table, but it just might improve how you order in a restaurant." -- Tony Turnbull, Christmas Round-ups 2014 - The Times

Dan Jurafsky, a recipient of a MacArthur "Genius Grant," is professor and chair of linguistics and professor of computer science at Stanford University. He and his wife live in San Francisco.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780393240832
ISBN 10	0393240835
Title	The Language of Food
Author	Dan Jurafsky
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	WW Norton & Co
Year published	2014-09-30
Number of pages	272
Prizes	Short-listed for James Beard Foundation Book Awards (Writing on Food) 2015
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable