It’s a question that sparks debate at dinner tables and online forums alike: what is America's national dish? Is it the humble hamburger, the comforting apple pie, or perhaps something more regional like gumbo or clam chowder? Well, a fascinating observation from decades ago, by linguists Ann D. and Arnold M. Zwicky, offers a rather unexpected, yet surprisingly insightful, answer: the American national dish is, in fact, menus.
This idea, first mused by a BBC reporter lamenting a particularly over-hyped hamburger, suggests that our national identity, at least in the realm of dining, is less about a single, definitive plate and more about the presentation of food. The Zwickys, in their 1980 study, delved into the language and style of restaurant menus across the United States and Canada. What they found was a consistent pattern, a specific genre with its own conventions.
Think about it. When you scan a menu, what do you encounter? It's not just a list of ingredients. It's a carefully crafted piece of advertising. The Zwickys noted how adjectives are used not just to describe, but to entice. "Correct doneness," "zesty garlic butter," "epicurean treat" – these aren't purely informative; they're designed to make your mouth water and your wallet open. This "affect for content," as they put it, is a hallmark of the American menu.
Beyond the advertising motive, menus serve other purposes. Sometimes, there's an element of "connoisseurship," a nod to culinary expertise, often seen in the use of French terms. Other times, it's simply "play with language," with catchy, alliterative, or rhyming names for dishes. But at its core, the menu's primary job is to convey information about what's available, to sell it, and to do so concisely.
The Zwickys pointed out that menu language is "marked" compared to ordinary conversation. It’s a specialized register, a distinct style that, even when not strictly necessary, becomes the default. This is why, regardless of whether you're in a high-end establishment or a casual diner, the language on the menu often feels familiar, almost predictable. It's a shared linguistic landscape that defines our dining experience.
So, while we might never agree on a single national dish, perhaps the Zwickys were onto something. The menu, with its blend of information, persuasion, and stylistic flair, is the true, ever-present representative of American culinary culture. It’s the common thread that ties together our diverse eating habits, a constant companion to every meal out.
