Wheat est le sens américain. Les Britanniques l’appellent corn. Ce qui est la source de bien des quiproquos. On raconte que pendant la première guerre mondiale, le gouvernement français a commandé aux Américains du blé dont la France manquait cruellement, notamment pour le pain. Or les fonctionnaires français en charge du projet parlaient anglais, pas américain. Ils firent donc la commande de tonnes de « corn » ce qui aux US correspond au « maize » des britanniques et donc reçurent des tonnes de maïs. C’est ainsi que, pendant des mois, les Français durent s’accoutumer au pain de maïs.
During WWI, there was a misunderstanding between the French government and the USA. The French lacked wheat (US) [corn (UK)] to make their famous French bread. Therefore, they ordered « corn » (UK) to the US government…
But they received « maize » (UK) : « Indian corn » instead. So, for several months, the French people had to deal with Indian corn / maize bread.
I’d have said wheat field. Equally, I’d not complain if you said it was a corn field. If it held barley, I’d also accept it as a ‘corn’ field. IMHO corn is the generic, wheat the specific.
I like the photograph though Eric. « Ripe » is the word that comes to mind!
This is interesting. English is complicated when it comes to differenciate what is specific to the British and the Americans.
My good old Webster dictionary says: Corn:
British : the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (as wheat in Britain and oats in Scotland and Ireland); also : a plant that produces corn
You’re right to point out that corn is generic. I wanted to stress the misunderstanding between the French and the US governments about corn.
About French names meaning, check out the previous post about « Les Arcs ».
Wheat est le sens américain. Les Britanniques l’appellent corn. Ce qui est la source de bien des quiproquos. On raconte que pendant la première guerre mondiale, le gouvernement français a commandé aux Américains du blé dont la France manquait cruellement, notamment pour le pain. Or les fonctionnaires français en charge du projet parlaient anglais, pas américain. Ils firent donc la commande de tonnes de « corn » ce qui aux US correspond au « maize » des britanniques et donc reçurent des tonnes de maïs. C’est ainsi que, pendant des mois, les Français durent s’accoutumer au pain de maïs.
During WWI, there was a misunderstanding between the French government and the USA. The French lacked wheat (US) [corn (UK)] to make their famous French bread. Therefore, they ordered « corn » (UK) to the US government…
But they received « maize » (UK) : « Indian corn » instead. So, for several months, the French people had to deal with Indian corn / maize bread.
Corn field. :-)
I’d have said wheat field. Equally, I’d not complain if you said it was a corn field. If it held barley, I’d also accept it as a ‘corn’ field. IMHO corn is the generic, wheat the specific.
I like the photograph though Eric. « Ripe » is the word that comes to mind!
This is interesting. English is complicated when it comes to differenciate what is specific to the British and the Americans.
My good old Webster dictionary says:
Corn:
British : the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (as wheat in Britain and oats in Scotland and Ireland); also : a plant that produces corn
You’re right to point out that corn is generic. I wanted to stress the misunderstanding between the French and the US governments about corn.
About French names meaning, check out the previous post about « Les Arcs ».