Hamburger vs hamburg

[Jewls2u]

This is my first time posting to this message board, but I found this
definition for hamburger in the American Heritage Dictionary and thought I
would share:

"Because the world has eaten countless hamburgers, the origins of the name
may be of interest to many. By the middle of the 19th century people in the
port city of Hamburg, Germany, enjoyed a form of pounded beef called Hamburg
steak. The large numbers of Germans who migrated to North America during
this time probably brought the dish and its name along with them. The entrée
may have appeared on an American menu as early as 1836, although the first
recorded use of Hamburg steak is not found until 1884. The variant form
hamburger steak, using the German adjective Hamburger meaning “from
 Hamburg,” first appears in a Walla Walla, Washington, newspaper in 1889. By
1902 we find the first description of a Hamburg steak close to our
conception of the hamburger, namely a recipe calling for ground beef mixed
with onion and pepper. By then the hamburger was on its way, to be
followed—much later—by the shortened form burger, used in forming
cheeseburger and the names of other variations on the basic burger, as well
as on its own."

Julienne

P.S. Ketchup is fine for a hot dog, but only mustard (good mustard) will due
on a braut.

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Rudolph C Troike
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 10:50 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Hamburger vs hamburg


I would be interested to know if there was a wider contrast than one I
encountered in NW Illinois in the early 1950s. The first time I was up
there from South Texas, I only knew of "hamburgers", and stopped in a
local drive-in eatery (remember those? only Sonic reproduces those
today) and started to order from my car. I forget whether there was an
outside menu or not, but "hamburg" was listed for the lowest price, with
"hamburger" at a higher price. Being in impecunious college student, I
went for the "hamburg", which was delivered as a beef patty on a dry bun.
When I asked about other normal (Texas) appurtenances, the girl serving me
laughed and said, "Oh, that's a hamburger".

        Rudy

P.S. Thanks to Beverly for remembering Abrahams & Troike; it has lots of
still-useful papers in it.