Shrimp(s) and prawns

[Tom Zurinskas]

> In the UK, they're all prawns--and they do serve prawn cocktail.



In Coventry UK, a popular fish restaurant had "skate" (stingray) on the menu.  It was expensive.  I said "No thanks.  I'm a cheap skate eater."

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
see truespel.com













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> Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:18:40 -0400
> From: paul.johnston at WMICH.EDU
> Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: "Paul A Johnston, Jr."
> Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In the UK, they're all prawns--and they do serve prawn cocktail.
>
> Yours,
> Paul
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bill Palmer
> Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:20 pm
> Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------
>> ------------
>> Sender: American Dialect Society
>> Poster: Bill Palmer
>> Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ------------
>>
>> 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"
>> To:
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:11 PM
>> Subject: Re: Shrimp(s) and prawns
>>
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail
>>> header -----------------------
>>> Sender: American Dialect Society
>>> Poster: "Joel S. Berson"
>>> 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
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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