This story reminded me of a similar experience. In Australia, fish and chips shops are very similar to the British variety: typically small, independent fast food shops that serve deep-fried battered fish and potato chips (fat fries), amongst other things, cooked to order. Though they are independent, they typically have similar menus with similar prices, so you know what to order even if you have never been to that shop before.
I’m visiting my newish boyfriend, who moved from interstate a short while before we started dating. He and his friends haven’t had dinner, so he and a mate are heading out to get fish and chips for everyone. I’ve eaten, but I love me a deep-fried scallop (shellfish), so I ask for two of them.
They return with a single butcher paper parcel containing all the food the group ordered. It’s tightly wrapped to keep everything warm, and they open it in the middle of the table. I am scanning the spread to find my delicious morsels. Everything is deep-fried, and most of it is battered, so I have to go by size and shape. There are several fillets of fish, a lot of chips, a handful of dim sims (do not ask!) and some “potato cakes”, which are thin slices of potato, battered and deep-fried. I am not a fan. Nothing looks like a scallop.
Me: “Where are my scallops?”
[Boyfriend] points to the potato cakes.
Me: “Um, I wanted scallops, not potato cakes.”
Boyfriend: “Oh! In Queensland, we call them ‘potato scallops’ or just ‘scallops’. Sorry.”
So, I think, “Isn’t language interesting? Every day, I learn something new.” Well, it’s time to put that learning to use.
Me: “Ah! So, in Queensland, what do you ask for if you want the shellfish?”
Boyfriend: “Scallops.”
I learnt to be very specific with food orders with him. I also refused to call peanut butter “peanut paste”. We must have standards.
Related:
Chipping Away At The Confusion