Comments on: Syllable and sustenance http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/ A blog about all things food by Cynthia Furey Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:59:57 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cynthia Furey http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-437 Cynthia Furey Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:13:19 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-437 Thanks for the comments, guys! Ack, sorry if I offended anyone who actually IS familiar with the language! I'm just a hapa trying to get in touch with her Viet side -- and this is where my imagination took me. I love the mental image I get of my grandfather, squatting over a cutting board and hacking words apart with the cleaver he somehow managed to bring over from Vietnam. There are still a million and one things I don't know about this side of my family and the Vietnamese culture, but posts like these are helping me explore it (and my writing). Anyway, thanks for reading! Thanks for the comments, guys! Ack, sorry if I offended anyone who actually IS familiar with the language! I’m just a hapa trying to get in touch with her Viet side — and this is where my imagination took me. I love the mental image I get of my grandfather, squatting over a cutting board and hacking words apart with the cleaver he somehow managed to bring over from Vietnam. There are still a million and one things I don’t know about this side of my family and the Vietnamese culture, but posts like these are helping me explore it (and my writing). Anyway, thanks for reading!

]]> By: Wandering Chopsticks http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-435 Wandering Chopsticks Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:08:28 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-435 They're compound words, not to make it more palatable, but because each word has meaning -- separately and together. Take for instance, ice cream. It's composed of ice and cream, but ice cream together has its own meaning. Viet = Vietnamese people Nam = South Viet Nam = Nation of Vietnamese people, south of China. Which used to be the geographic reference point. Not because it's easier to say, but because each word, separately and together, has its own meaning. They’re compound words, not to make it more palatable, but because each word has meaning — separately and together. Take for instance, ice cream. It’s composed of ice and cream, but ice cream together has its own meaning.

Viet = Vietnamese people

Nam = South

Viet Nam = Nation of Vietnamese people, south of China. Which used to be the geographic reference point. Not because it’s easier to say, but because each word, separately and together, has its own meaning.

]]> By: Tangled Noodle http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-434 Tangled Noodle Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:53:20 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-434 Pearl said it - an insightful connection between food and language. It made me stop and consider other cuisines and their attendant languages - French, Japanese, etc. This would make a great topic for cultural anthropology! I may have to ask your permission to pursue it someday. 8-) Pearl said it – an insightful connection between food and language. It made me stop and consider other cuisines and their attendant languages – French, Japanese, etc. This would make a great topic for cultural anthropology! I may have to ask your permission to pursue it someday. 8-)

]]> By: Cynthia Furey http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Cynthia Furey Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:11:54 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-374 Ha, Pearl, you're right. I've just been so used to saying it in the Vietnamese way, where it's pronounced like two syllables. Thanks! Ha, Pearl, you’re right. I’ve just been so used to saying it in the Vietnamese way, where it’s pronounced like two syllables. Thanks!

]]> By: Pearl http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Pearl Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:08:16 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-371 That's a beautiful correlation between language, culture and food. I always thought, though, that Vietnam was three syllables: Vi-Et-Nam. Learn something new everyday :) That’s a beautiful correlation between language, culture and food.

I always thought, though, that Vietnam was three syllables: Vi-Et-Nam.

Learn something new everyday :)

]]> By: Kathleen http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2009/03/syllable-and-sustenance/comment-page-1/#comment-367 Kathleen Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:38:26 +0000 http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/?p=725#comment-367 LOVE YOUR WRITING. keep on girl, keep on! LOVE YOUR WRITING.

keep on girl, keep on!

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