I grew up calling those white flowering florets wrapped in plastic at the grocery store call-ah-flower.
Now I can’t say if it just took me 45+ years to notice it, or it’s because it sounds so different it struck me to pay notice now. But sometimes, I hear English-as-a-first-language people refer to it as cuh-lee-flower.
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that everything you can replace with cauliflower is now in high demand so there’s a grand influx of people having cauliflower discussions making the usage more prominent.
Usually, the only time you would say that word in a small talk discussion was over making a veggie tray.
Now there’s radio ads promoting the latest pizza crust sensation or wings.
But still.
Cuh-lee-flower? Why I have never heard that before?
I even tease my husband because we grew up in very similar style towns and backgrounds yet his teeth has gooms and his dad drives a motorsickle.
My pappy wears a toboggan on his head when it’s cold and I use a shopping buggy at the WalMart.
I say potato, you say pototoe – for sure.
If you grow up saying something you learned as part of your language, I think your cuh-lee-flower is simply precious. If it’s because you heard it said like that in college and decided you liked it, too… that’s weird.
Or is it?
That’s what I wonder.
When someone I know for several years all the sudden refers to their processes as their process-sees I get a little vomit in my throat.
Yet language, especially English, is constantly evolving. We learn new words and apply them to our word bank of communication.
Side thought – it would be interesting to review differences in words I used to be able to say as endearment or innocence that are now forbidden.
I love the point Tosh makes about cussing and how society is so judgmental and even taboo when it comes to cuss words, even though over the years some get more accepted into mainstream media and new ones get added into censorship. Weird! Isn’t it?!
Considering those words and societal shame of using them didn’t start until a few centuries ago, I’d say it’s open debate on how or why we call things differently over the years.
As I adapt to new words in my mouth like charcuterie boards or nonbinary omnigender I should probably give people a break who go with the herd and start calling things in new dialects because it rrrrrolls off the tongue new. That’s your perogative. I suppose language is similar to bell bottom jeans and instapots of trends.
Who am I kidding. I just want us to get along and talk like we used to.
That’s about it.
Oh, and it’s a damn meat and cheese tray. Always has been.
Looks like a great night for call-ah-flower rice.
Thanks for reading.
Heather
