# Chai tea...wtf is it supposed to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669 "2014-05-18T02:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [May 18, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/41 "2014-05-18T15:53:25Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You want me to start talking about the hummus they sell in the United States? Trust me, I know all about Western culinary appropriation. And the culinary (mis) appropriation goes both ways. I don’t know why this is a big deal. (I’m not saying you’re saying it’s a big deal, but other posters seem to be making it into a bigger issue than it is.) ---
**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:** [May 18, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/42 "2014-05-18T15:54:34Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > Look, I don’t mind if they make something that tastes somewhat different but is called the same. I don’t even mind when they start saying ‘curry’ is Indian food, inspite of Indian food not having any dish called ‘curry’. > > It’s just - chai is tea. You could have adrak chai(ginger tea), elaichi chai(cardamom tea), laung chai(clove tea), Masala chai(some sort of combination of previous) suleimani chai(lemon black tea), any number of different types of chai. Chai tea, on the other hand, you can’t. It’s just… you can’t. But you do. _That’s how langauges work_. Look, I gave another example of it in English (kielbasa sausage) and an example of it in Hungarian (baconszalonna). What’s the big deal? ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/43 "2014-05-18T16:07:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But you do. _That’s how langauges work_. Look, I gave another example of it in English (kielbasa sausage) and an example of it in Hungarian (baconszalonna). What’s the big deal? Like I said, for me, it’s because both English and Hindi are ‘my language’. There are hundreds of millions of Indians for whom English is their language. There’s a sizeable intercourse between English speaking American and Indian people (though most of it may be one way), and so to millions of speakers of the English language, ‘Chai tea’ is ignorant nonsense(literally). I’m pushing back against it in an appropriate forum 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/44 "2014-05-18T16:07:46Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > I somehow doubt this is an ‘English’ phenomenon started by British soldiers. I think it’s American, spread by some marketing type with more fluff between their ears than brains. You would be wrong. The evidence is that chai came to english via british soldiers returning to the UK with a preference for a particular exotic tea mix and they called it chai. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/45 "2014-05-18T16:09:22Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > Like I said, for me, it’s because both English and Hindi are ‘my language’. There are hundreds of millions of Indians for whom English is their language. There’s a sizeable intercourse between English speaking American and Indian people (though most of it may be one way), and so to millions of speakers of the English language, ‘Chai tea’ is ignorant nonsense. I’m pushing back against it in an appropriate forum 🙂 And in areas where the majority of english speakers consider chai tea ignorant nonsense, guess what? No one will be using chai tea. But in the majority of America and other mainly english speaking countries, there isn’t that societal pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/46 "2014-05-18T16:11:00Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > But you do. _That’s how langauges work_. Look, I gave another example of it in English (kielbasa sausage) and an example of it in Hungarian (baconszalonna). What’s the big deal? I’d be really surprised, given the history of the two countries, if Hindi didn’t have tons of examples of this with English words. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/47 "2014-05-18T16:11:26Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > It doesn’t taste like actual tea, but it is black tea blended with herbs and spices. I hate tea, I like chai. It tastes spicy- that’s the best way I can describe it. Oh. Sounds nasty, but I like Earl Grey (bergamot rind) and some breed whose name escapes which I was told tasted like rot, oakum, and salt water because that’s what the tea from the bottom of the hold tasted like and some poorer Brits came to expect tea to taste like it. Some people will drink anything, I suppose. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/48 "2014-05-18T16:12:19Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > Like I said, for me, it’s because both English and Hindi are ‘my language’. There are hundreds of millions of Indians for whom English is their language. There’s a sizeable intercourse between English speaking American and Indian people (though most of it may be one way), and so to millions of speakers of the English language, ‘Chai tea’ is ignorant nonsense(literally). I’m pushing back against it in an appropriate forum 🙂 I’ve heard it often referred to simply as “Chai” and people know they are talking about that style of tea. So if I ordered Chai, would I be justified when they give me that stinking mess of cloves and cardamom to say “Hey, chai just means tea! I wanted a plain tea!”? ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/49 "2014-05-18T16:14:01Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > You would be wrong. The evidence is that chai came to english via british soldiers returning to the UK with a preference for a particular exotic tea mix and they called it chai. Could you point me to this evidence? The word may have come back through British soldiers, but everything I’ve come across since I’ve looked into it, indicates that the word was used as a substitute for tea, as it should be. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/50 "2014-05-18T16:16:36Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I’ve heard it often referred to simply as “Chai” and people know they are talking about that style of tea. So if I ordered Chai, would I be justified when they give me that stinking mess of cloves and cardamom to say “Hey, chai just means tea! I wanted a plain tea!”? Of course not, but next time you’re ordering it, if you could make fun of Starbucks to your friends for being silly enough to call something on their menu ‘tea tea’, I’d be much obliged 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/51 "2014-05-18T16:20:03Z")
I don’t think I will, lol. The fact is that “borrowed” words don’t have to mean the exact same thing in the language that borrowed it and this word has come to be used to indicate a certain style of tea. It’s not a Hindi word in an English conversation, it’s an English word, so Hindi speakers just have to get used to it. That’s part of learning the language. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/52 "2014-05-18T16:24:12Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > And in areas where the majority of english speakers consider chai tea ignorant nonsense, guess what? No one will be using chai tea. But in the majority of America and other mainly english speaking countries, there isn’t that societal pressure. If it’s ignorant nonsense, it’s ignorant nonsense. I’m trying to fight it. And in a globalised world, _this_ counts for (admittedly very little) societal pressure. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/53 "2014-05-18T16:26:03Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > Of course not, but next time you’re ordering it, if you could make fun of Starbucks to your friends for being silly enough to call something on their menu ‘tea tea’, I’d be much obliged 🙂 Then I’ll go next door to the pizza joint and laugh at them for calling it a pizza pie, and then to the housewares store for selling a paella pan. You might find this thread amusing/interesting. [Au jus: Usage in English - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=720434) ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/54 "2014-05-18T16:33:27Z")
Who says “salsa sauce”? That must be regional, because I’ve never heard that in my life. And OP? Yes, we can. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/55 "2014-05-18T16:38:00Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > And OP? Yes, we can. Thank you! You are talking about making fun of people for being so stupid right? Right? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/56 "2014-05-18T16:38:16Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > If it’s ignorant nonsense, it’s ignorant nonsense. I’m trying to fight it. And in a globalised world, _this_ counts for (admittedly very little) societal pressure. It’s not ignorant nonsense. It isn’t stupid. It’s the nuance of a language. You need to get over it, because you sound way more ridiculous than “Chai tea.” ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/57 "2014-05-18T16:44:18Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > It’s not ignorant nonsense. It isn’t stupid. It’s the nuance of a language. You need to get over it, because you sound way more ridiculous than “Chai tea.” No you! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/58 "2014-05-18T16:45:37Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Who says “salsa sauce”? That must be regional, because I’ve never heard that in my life. I hadn’t ever heard it either, so I Googled it, and found [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY7jkXr7f0g) recipe video. Guess where the cook comes from? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/59 "2014-05-18T16:49:00Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I hadn’t ever heard it either, so I Googled it, and found [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY7jkXr7f0g) recipe video. > > Guess where the cook comes from? 😃 Heh, and, do you think she’s incorrect? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669/60 "2014-05-18T16:49:29Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I hadn’t ever heard it either, so I Googled it, and found [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY7jkXr7f0g) recipe video. > > Guess where the cook comes from? 😃 Miller for the win! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chai-tea-wtf-is-it-supposed-to-be/688669.md?page=4)