[Ads-l] Antedating of "Pastrami"

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Mon Apr 27 23:49:56 UTC 2020


Barry Popik has an entry for pastrami. The topic is complex.
https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/pastrami

Below is the pertinent sense of pastrami that Fred was antedating, I think.

Begin excerpt from OED]
Originally U.S.
  Highly seasoned smoked beef, usually served in thin slices; (as a
count noun) a serving of this, esp. as a filling in a sandwich. Later
also in extended use: other meat or fish prepared in a similar manner.

1899   Jewish South (Richmond, Va.) 12 May 1/1 (advt.)    Fresh beef
and smoked meats of all kinds,..Salami, Pastrami, Rendered Beef Fat,
etc.
[End excerpt OED]


On Mon, Apr 27, 2020 at 1:19 PM victor steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> There are multiple spellings through 19th century for sure, all derived
> from the original basturma/basterma/bastrema - again, depending on source.
> It seems to have stabilized by WWI.
>
> VS
>
> On Mon, Apr 27, 2020, 10:26 Marc Sacks <msacksg at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Marc Sacks <msacksg at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: Antedating of "Pastrami"
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > I've also seen it spelled "pastromi" though I can't recall where - maybe in
> > the Boston area, where I've seen "baigels" and dry "cleansers" (I suppose
> > the s is silent). Can anyone track this down? A search for "pastromi" only
> > turns up pastrami. (In fact, when I typed the former in this reply the
> > spell-checker automatically changed "o" to "a" and I had to change it
> > back.)
> >
> > Marc Sacks
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 26, 2020 at 7:01 PM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > -----------------------
> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> > > Subject:      Antedating of "Pastrami"
> > >
> > >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > pastrami (OED 1899)
> > >
> > > 1895 _Butte Daily Miner_ 15 Jan. 5/3 (Newspapers.com)  If you want a fine
> > > a=
> > > nd excellent lunch for your table call at C. Hermann's delicatessen
> > store,
> > > =
> > > 120 W. Park street, where you will find all kinds of delicacies, such as
> > > ..=
> > > . smoked beef, beef rolade, roumania pastrami, weiner wurst, etc.
> > >
> > > Fred Shapiro
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > 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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