# american/english colloquial word for "a book"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106 "2012-01-29T19:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/1 "2012-01-29T19:59:11Z")
In my native language, 90% of the time I’ll use the colloquial term for “a book” instead of the “correct” word. I’ve been trying to know how to translate that in english but I havn’t been able to find such a word, any help? ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/2 "2012-01-29T20:10:36Z")
I’m not aware of any colloquial or slang word for “book” in American English. Perhaps you could describe more how the word you’re thinking of is used. (And what’s your native language, by the way?) Still, not every word has both formal and colloquial versions. This is probably one of those cases. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/3 "2012-01-29T20:12:53Z")
What is your native language, what word do you use, and how would that translate, literally, in to English. That’s where we start. Other than that, try a thesaurus. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/4 "2012-01-29T20:35:39Z")
Tome? (That’s a sort of antiquated word, usually refering to a lengthy book but it could be used colloquially/humorously, depending on context.) I can think of alternate terms for “book” but no common colloquial term. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/5 "2012-01-29T20:49:43Z")
I’m French, the colloquial word for book (“livre”), is “bouquin”. I don’t know how I would literally translate it, it can be used to talk about books with more relaxed attitude about them, or simply as a strict synonym to livre. [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bouquin](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bouquin) Hum, now, reading over its etymology, and the fact that it’s used as root for a non-colloquial word (bouquiniste/bookseller), I see that it used to mean only an old book. It’s silly, it hadn’t truly hit me that it simply might not exist, even though I know full well languages aren’t always equivalent like that. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/6 "2012-01-29T21:12:25Z")
> [@BleizDu](#): > > I’m French, the colloquial word for book (“livre”), is “bouquin”… > > It’s silly, it hadn’t truly hit me that it simply might not exist, even though I know full well languages aren’t always equivalent like that. Now you guys need to work on a shorter term for “_la pomme de terre_”. I’ll suggest “potato”, but whatever rolls off your tongues best is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/7 "2012-01-29T21:16:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Now you guys need to work on a shorter term for “la pomme de terre”. I’ve never understood that one, myself. “Earth _apple_”? Now, calling it earthbread, like the dwarves do, that has some sense to it, but a potato is about as un-apple-ish as it’s possible for a food to be. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/8 "2012-01-29T21:20:22Z")
> [@BleizDu](#): > > I’m French, the colloquial word for book (“livre”), is “bouquin”. > I don’t know how I would literally translate it, it can be used to talk about books with more relaxed attitude about them, or simply as a strict synonym to livre. > > [bouquin - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bouquin) > > Hum, now, reading over its etymology, and the fact that it’s used as root for a non-colloquial word (bouquiniste/bookseller), I see that it used to mean only an old book. > > It’s silly, it hadn’t truly hit me that it simply might not exist, even though I know full well languages aren’t always equivalent like that. Any chance it’s a loan word from German? The similarities are intriguing, but I don’t have access to French etymology in English. You might use “scroll” in English to describe an “old book”. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/9 "2012-01-29T21:21:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > a potato is about as un-apple-ish as it’s possible for a food to be. With the exception of the pineapple. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/10 "2012-01-29T21:36:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve never understood that one, myself. “Earth _apple_”? Now, calling it earthbread, like the dwarves do, that has some sense to it, but a potato is about as un-apple-ish as it’s possible for a food to be. Only by taste. And colour. And culinary usage. But in having a thin skin surrounding a firm, fleshy interior, they are kind of similar. I did once have a very nice apple-potato soup, which I wouldn’t have thought would have worked out. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/11 "2012-01-29T21:42:07Z")
There are various colloquial terms for books based on specific types such as _paperback_ and _hardcover_. There are also more descriptive terms for the content or it’s nature such as \*pot boiler \*and _bodice ripper_. And there’s the term _best seller_. Many others if you are referring to a specific book. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/12 "2012-01-29T21:56:46Z")
Page-turner? Potboiler? A “Read?” (Using a verb for a noun grates on many people’s sensibilities…but some people do refer to a book as a “read.”) ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/13 "2012-01-29T22:03:36Z")
Oh we use “patates” to talk about potatoes. I thought it was simply the colloquial word but I recently learned it used to refer only to sweet potatoes. Now to talk about sweet potatoes one has to use the full name “patate douce”. There’s an old time vegetable called earth pear in French (Smallanthus sonchifolius). I never wanted to eat it based on its name while earth apple sounds fine. I love how language/habituation works! > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Any chance it’s a loan word from German? The similarities are intriguing, but I don’t have access to French etymology in English. According to the Académie Française dictionary, It comes from a 15th century dutch diminutive word for book. > [@TriPolar](#): > > There are various colloquial terms for books based on specific types such as _paperback_ and _hardcover_. There are also more descriptive terms for the content or it’s nature such as \*pot boiler \*and _bodice ripper_. And there’s the term _best seller_. Many others if you are referring to a specific book. Oh thanks for those! (Thank you too to the other people who suggested words, as a book nerd, I appreciate it!) ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/14 "2012-01-29T22:22:19Z")
In my opinion the best answer is simply “there isn’t one”. Just like the T-V distinction isn’t a part of English, so “tu” and “vous” should both be translated as “you” regardless of the formality of the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Uncertain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/15 "2012-01-29T22:34:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve never understood that one, myself. “Earth _apple_”? Now, calling it earthbread, like the dwarves do, that has some sense to it, but a potato is about as un-apple-ish as it’s possible for a food to be. I believe that _pomme_ originally meant “fruit” (generic), as did _apple_. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/16 "2012-01-29T22:57:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve never understood that one, myself. “Earth _apple_”? Now, calling it earthbread, like the dwarves do, that has some sense to it, but a potato is about as un-apple-ish as it’s possible for a food to be. In Quebec, they frequently say “patate” so there’s no need to invent a word. Historically, “apple” meant fruit and to call it an earth apple is not such a stretch. Incidentally, the German word for potato is Kartoffel and it is reportedly derived, somehow, from Herdapfel (Herd = hearth, Apfel = apple). Go figure. While I am at it, what would a Frenchman call a fried apple? Pomme frite really doesn’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/17 "2012-01-29T23:06:37Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > Only by taste. And colour. And culinary usage. But in having a thin skin surrounding a firm, fleshy interior, they are kind of similar. Yeah, it always struck me as a perfectly logical name for it. If you’ve ever eaten a potato raw, it even has a similar texture to an apple. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/18 "2012-01-29T23:20:05Z")
Nobody has answered the question yet! The colloquial English/American word for a book is “book”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/19 "2012-01-29T23:55:14Z")
> [@Uncertain](#): > > I believe that _pomme_ originally meant “fruit” (generic), as did _apple_. Similar to the English word “deer” which comes for the O.E. word “deor” which just meant “beast” or “animal”. Cognates today in German _tier_ and Norwegian _dyr_, which retain the older, more general meaning. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106/20 "2012-01-30T00:28:14Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > Now you guys need to work on a shorter term for “_la pomme de terre_”. And then there’s _hors d’oeuvre_ (“outside the work”). It’s bad enough in French, but it’s our own fault for adopting it. Same with _maître d’._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-english-colloquial-word-for-a-book/611106.md?page=2)