lamprea
I have seen a recipe using Lampreas which translates as lamprey - what is it'
19 Answers
I agree with James, I have never heard it used in any other way either. I don't have almost 50 years of native experience, but I have almost 30 years experience.
lazarus1907 said:
Interestingly:
delicatessen
orig. U.S.
a. Delicacies or relishes for the table; esp. attrib., in delicatessen shop, store.
b. ellipt. A delicatessen shop.
1889 Kansas Times & Star 7 Nov., Burglars broke into Blake's delicatessen store... 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 7 July 5/1 Home Cooked Meats and Delicatessen Goods in Great Variety. 1969 P.O. Directory: London Yellow Pages Classified (North) 62/3 Delicatessens and Cooked Meats.
Oxford English Dictionary
Who's next?
That would be me.
Samdie might not want to say the lexicographers got it wrong, but I will. In nearly 50 years as a native English speaker, I have never, not once, heard delicatessen used to mean anything other than a shop that sells cold cuts, cheese, sandwiches, etc. And to my American ear, the way Heidita used the word sounds completely wrong, and it should be delicacy.
In modern American English, a delicatessen is a store, and eel is a delicacy that can be bought at a delicatessen. Period.
I agree with samdie and Janice here . . . I have never heard delicatessen used to mean the food, only the shop. The American Heritage Dictionary on my desk says this:
delicatessen. A shop that sells cooked or prepared foods ready for serving.
That's it. I don't think the "delicacy" meaning is (very') current in the US.
I agree, indeed, and intended to be pointing out such in the post. In fact, I think that Random House was intending to point out such with the "informal" designation before the word. But with your example, you have made it far clearer.
samdie said:
Janice said:
"We are having delicatessen for dinner."
To me, that sounds like the same kind of construction as "We're having Chinese for dinner." or "We're having take-out for dinner."I do not take "Chinese" nor "take-out" as defining what we will be eating but, rather, the source/origin/cuisine of the food.
>
Oh yes, I see. Thank you. There seem to be quite a number of good sources for delicatessen as a synonym for delicacy.....still....it is not as though this is some obscure word that only academics deal with. My gut feeling remains...the lamprey is a delicacy.
Miguel said:
Janice said:
I think I might want to check a dictionary rather than wikipedia, Miguel.
I explained the spanish meaning for "delicatessen", then I gave you Real Academia Española's dictionary definition. Later you asked "Would you post the source for the quote about "delicatessen" Heidi'", Heidi took it from Wikipedia, so that's why I gave you this source
>
I took note that in the two entries from American newpapers (one even from my home state
, delicatessen refers to either a store or is being used as an adjective to describe "goods". In the London directory entry, however, we do read "delicatessens" used as a plural noun referring surely to the food itself. Still, I am willing to bet that the items of food that they are referring to are not delicacies. I still vote with Samdie that the better translation for Mr. Corbett is "... a fish, typical for the north of Spain. Considered a delicacy."
lazarus1907 said:
Interestingly:delicatessenorig. U.S.a. Delicacies or relishes for the table; esp. attrib., in delicatessen shop, store.b. ellipt. A delicatessen shop.1889 Kansas Times & Star 7 Nov., Burglars broke into Blake's delicatessen store... 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 7 July 5/1 Home Cooked Meats and Delicatessen Goods in Great Variety. 1969 P.O. Directory: London Yellow Pages Classified (North) 62/3 Delicatessens and Cooked Meats.Oxford English DictionaryWho's next?
>
Janice said:
I think I might want to check a dictionary rather than wikipedia, Miguel.
I explained the spanish meaning for "delicatessen", then I gave you Real Academia Española's dictionary definition. Later you asked "Would you post the source for the quote about "delicatessen" Heidi'", Heidi took it from Wikipedia, so that's why I gave you this source
Janice said:
"We are having delicatessen for dinner."
To me, that sounds like the same kind of construction as "We're having Chinese for dinner." or "We're having take-out for dinner."
I do not take "Chinese" nor "take-out" as defining what we will be eating but, rather, the source/origin/cuisine of the food.
lazarus1907 said:
Interestingly:
delicatessen
orig. U.S.
a. Delicacies or relishes for the table; esp. attrib., in delicatessen shop, store.
b. ellipt. A delicatessen shop.
1889 Kansas Times & Star 7 Nov., Burglars broke into Blake's delicatessen store... 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 7 July 5/1 Home Cooked Meats and Delicatessen Goods in Great Variety. 1969 P.O. Directory: London Yellow Pages Classified (North) 62/3 Delicatessens and Cooked Meats.
Oxford English Dictionary
Who's next?
It should come as no surprise to you that the OED was one of the two dictionaries that I checked. I'm certainly not suggesting that the lexicographers got it "wrong" (or made their definitions out of whole cloth) but, rather, that I've only heard it applied to the store (or section/counter in a supermarket). Unlike Janice, I don't think that it makes any difference if it's singular/plural.
If I wanted to express what Heidita said, I would say either "Considered a delicacy." or "Considered a delicatesse.." (and if I used the latter, it would be with jocular intent).
I think I might want to check a dictionary rather than wikipedia, Miguel. For example, in the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006 we find "1) a store selling foods already prepared etc... and then 2) Informal> the food products sold in such a store or at a counter: "We are having delicatessen for dinner." Maybe I will check a few more if I get time, but now I have to go have dinner and am wishing it could be lamprey!
Miguel said:
English wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicatessen):Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods.Real Academia Española ([url=http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual'TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=delicatessen]http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual'TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO_BU...[/url]):1. f. pl. Alimentos selectos.2. amb. Tienda donde se venden delicatessen.
>
Interestingly:
delicatessen
orig. U.S.
a. Delicacies or relishes for the table; esp. attrib., in delicatessen shop, store.
b. ellipt. A delicatessen shop.
1889 Kansas Times & Star 7 Nov., Burglars broke into Blake's delicatessen store... 1916 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 7 July 5/1 Home Cooked Meats and Delicatessen Goods in Great Variety. 1969 P.O. Directory: London Yellow Pages Classified (North) 62/3 Delicatessens and Cooked Meats.
Oxford English Dictionary
Who's next'
Well, Samdie, I had the sense that you must be right, too. But then I started thinking about it . (That is to say, I started to make up sentences in my head) And I came to the conclusion that in the singular, I may have said or heard something such as "That is a real delicatessen." Well....okay, it is a stretch and a maybe. I am not really sure I have ever heard the word used that way. Oh by the way, I sure miss those NY delicatessens...(Whew, it even sounds funny in the plural when used for the place. But I did not dare try to form the plural of "deli" because I would have no idea how to spell it. Maybe we can check with "The Grammar Girl" She recently sent a note about the plural of Blackberrys. Surely she would know this one, too.) Goes to show that Lazarus is never far off when he suggests that English spelling exhibits no rhyme or reason (that is a colloquial expression meaning "absolutely none" for those of you who are not native English speakers) -- even though we know, of course, that there is always some rhyme if not always a reason.
samdie said:
Heidita said:
>
Heidita said:
>
English wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicatessen):
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods.
Real Academia Española ([url=http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual'TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=delicatessen]http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltGUIBusUsual'TIPO_HTML=2&TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=delicatessen[/url]):
1. f. pl. Alimentos selectos.
2. amb. Tienda donde se venden delicatessen.
Would you post the source for the quote about "delicatessen" Heidi? I would be very curious. Having been born and raised in Kansas, I had never heard the word "delicatessen" before reaching the age of 18 and going out into the wider world, But then.having lived in Manhattan (NYC) a number of years, I ate lot of lunches from delicatessens - and I am now trying hard to think if I have ever heard the word employed to refer to something to eat as opposed to a place to buy that something (yummmm).
Well, let me say it out loud: "I enjoy delicatessens". Ver, maybe it is the plural the "no suona bien". I'll try again- > "Lamprey is a delicatessen." Hmmm...I suppose that In the singular it doesn't sound totally foreign. Let us ask Samdie to try the singular, too. Say, with a friend (a gourmet, I guess would be the right kind of person to try this out on
Isn't "lamprey" a kind of eel, by the way? I have eaten eel and it is, indeed, delicious. Ojalá que Mr. Corbett shares his recipe with us!
ps, reading this again, yes, I think Miguel (and your source is right for the word in the singular. But I am quite sure I have never heard the plural.
Heidita said:
I believe Miguel is right:
