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Food: A Dictionary of Literal and Nonliteral Terms

✍️ Palmatier, Robert
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$90.00
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Cooking & Technique
📚 EDITORIAL REVIEW

“Curious food historians and language lovers with plenty of shelf space will adore this deep dive into culinary etymology. If you are looking for quick weeknight dinner recipes or a practical kitchen guide, you will be deeply disappointed.

— Editorial Team
🏛 Greenwood 📅 2000 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780313314360
📚 This Book in Collections

📝 Description: Food: A Dictionary of Literal and Nonliteral Terms

Each of the more than seven hundred entries in the dictionary contains a description of the historical background of each of the two types of language, literal and nonliteral, and provides an explanation for the relationship between them. Wherever possible, dates of first record in English are provided, along with the bibliographical sources of these dates; and all of the works that record those terms and expressions are given in coded form as listed in the Key to Works Cited. A Guide to Reading the Entries illustrates the typical form of an entry by analyzing an example from the dictionary that introduces five nonliteral expressions, cites thirteen bibliographical sources, and refers the reader to three other relevant entries by means of cross-references. Following the dictionary proper is a Classification of Terms According to Source, in which nearly three hundred nonliteral terms and expressions are listed under the more than four hundred literal categories from which they derive.

💎 Expert review

“
🍳
Eatbook Family editorial team
Cookbook desk
Robert Palmatier’s dictionary is a rigorous academic reference rather than a casual kitchen companion. With its heavy focus on bibliographical coding, cross-references, and structural classifications, it demands a methodical reader who delights in etymology and historical citations. It is decidedly not for home cooks seeking recipes, technique guides, or light narrative food writing. The volume's clinical precision and structured entry format make it an essential, authoritative addition for language scholars and dedicated culinary historians, even if its dense cross-referencing and reference-heavy nature will prove far too dry for general food enthusiasts.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Eatbook Family —
⭐ eatbookfamily.com editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5
★★★★★
Curious food historians and language lovers with plenty of shelf space will adore this deep dive into culinary etymology. If you are looking for quick weeknight dinner recipes or a practical kitchen guide, you will be deeply disappointed.

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Eatbook Family editorial team

Robert Palmatier’s dictionary is a rigorous academic reference rather than a casual kitchen companion. With its heavy focus on bibliographical coding, cross-references, and structural classifications, it demands a methodical reader who delights in etymology and historical citations. It is decidedly not for home cooks seeking recipes, technique guides, or light narrative food writing. The volume's clinical precision and structured entry format make it an essential, authoritative addition for language scholars and dedicated culinary historians, even if its dense cross-referencing and reference-heavy nature will prove far too dry for general food enthusiasts.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this is a linguistic dictionary exploring food-related terms and idioms rather than a practical cookbook with recipes or pictures.
Each entry breaks down the historical background of both literal and nonliteral meanings, complete with first-recorded dates and source citations.

📖 Who should read this

Curious food historians and language lovers with plenty of shelf space will adore this deep dive into culinary etymology. If you are looking for quick weeknight dinner recipes or a practical kitchen guide, you will be deeply disappointed.

📜 Historical context

This reference text explores the fascinating intersection of gastronomy and linguistics, tracing how everyday literal ingredients evolved into colorful nonliteral expressions and idioms in the English language. It maps the historical roots and documentation of food terminology without focusing on practical kitchen techniques.

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