Gretchen: I was looking up other languages’ word for “cheese,” and I saw the Dutch “kaas” (/kaːs/), which, I don’t speak any Dutch, but there’s one Dutch word that I know which is “pindakaas,” and “pindakaas” literally translates as “peanut cheese.” Lauren: Oh. Oh, hang on. Like peanut butter? Gretchen: Yeah, so the Dutch word for “peanut butter” is literally translated as “peanut cheese,” which at first seems like, “This is maybe an interesting dish,” but then you’re like, “Is ‘peanut butter’ really any better as a term for it?” Because it’s still a dairy metaphor. Lauren: Yeah, because I was like, “That’s a weird choice,” but actually, it’s not that different. Gretchen: It’s really not that different at all. Especially, if you think of a cream cheese, which is like a creamier cheese, maybe? Peanut butter is kind of creamy sometimes. Lauren: I’m still gonna eat it no matter what it’s called.
Excerpt from Lingthusiasm episode ‘Why do C and G come in hard and soft versions? Palatalization’
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