Shrimp(s) and prawns

[Bill Palmer]

On the east coast of the US they are all "shrimp", regardless of size.  As
far as I know, the word "prawn" is unknown.

In California, and maybe the rest of the west coast, small, salad-size
shrimp are "shrimp", larger varieties, such as might go on the barbie or
into a cocktail are "prawns. Altho during my years there I never heard of a
"prawn cocktail"

Bill Palmer

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:11 PM
Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 3/10/2009 08:05 PM, Wilson Gray wrote:
>>I seem to remember a time when the plural of "shrimp" was *shrimp*,
>>like unto "sheep, sheep." But maybe it was just a BE thing. Or maybe
>>the problem is with my memory. I won't bet money on this.
>
> When you meet them at the dinner table, they're shrimp.*  But when
> you meet them on the school playground, they're shrimps.
>
> Joel
>
> * If shrimp are fish, then the plural is "shrimp".  Unless you're
> mixing shrimp and prawns, when they become two kinds of fishes.
>
> :-)
>
> Joel
>
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