# Please help with some more items for my book! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827 "2009-05-18T05:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/1 "2009-05-18T05:41:33Z")
[I’ve posted this in CS as it’s about a book, although one still being written. If IMHO or elsewhere is deemed more appropriate, please move it mods, and delete this para.] The idea is a light-hearted and entertaining collection of articles about things that don’t come from where they sound like they do. I have quite a list of candidates and have written maybe 30 of the articles so far. I’ve gone through foods, dog and cat breeds, plants, diseases, and many other categories but I fear I’ve missed a lot of possibilities. To give you the idea here are some I’ve done so far: Guinea pigs Panama hats Spanish Flu Damask cloth Balinese cats French Letters Dutch caps Dutch treat Parmigiana Norway rats A second list I’m gathering (either for a follow-up book or to extend the one I’m working on) is kind of the opposite - things which are named after places but don’t sound like it (or that it’s little-known that they are), such as denim, spa and bayonet. I’d appreciate any ideas anyone has for either list! I’ll let you know here if any get posted that I don’t have yet and which check out; I’ll be happy to credit any contributors if they so wish. Thanks all. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/2 "2009-05-18T06:36:32Z")
Chinese fire drill (neither Chinese nor a file drill) ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/3 "2009-05-18T07:24:54Z")
You’ve covered denim, but jeans are from Genoa, while dungarees are from Dongari Killa in Bombay/Mumbai. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/4 "2009-05-18T13:45:17Z")
Catgut (from sheep and horses) October revolution (November on our calendar) Camel’s hair brush (e.g. squirrel) Canary Islands (probably from canaria = dog) Chinese Gooseberries (Kiwifruit, from New Zealand) Welsh Rabbit (/rarebit) (= cheese on toast!) new category: Hundred Year’s War (lasted 116 years) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/5 "2009-05-20T11:25:06Z")
**panache45** : thanks, that’s a good possibility I’ll add into the “maybe” list, it’ll go well with Chinese Burn and Chinese Whispers. **AppallingGael** : I had jeans but not dungarees in my second list, so that’s a definite! Thanks! **glee** : both lists are exclusively geographical, so stuff like catgut doesn’t work for me. I do have Kiwifruit/Chinese gooseberries (which BTW originate from Thailand). The Canary Islands is an interesting one I hadn’t thought of in this context; it’s a place apparently named after dogs whereas I have dogs apparently named after places. I greatly appreciate the contributions, and would love to get more! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/6 "2009-05-20T14:34:42Z")
I’m sorta confused…but does [Boston butt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_butt) count? It’s the name of a cut of pork, named for the way it was cut in Boston. But it’s not the ass it’s the shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/7 "2009-05-20T14:43:23Z")
French fries (probably actually Belgian) French toast (vaguely related to the French dish pain perdu, but its origins seem pretty murky) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/8 "2009-05-20T15:19:22Z")
French letters – neither letters nor French (though a bit dated) Turkeys – not from Turkey at all Indians (in the New World) German Chocolate Cake – invented in the US by Samuel German Salad dressing are fertile ground: Russian dressing – invented in the US Thousand Island dressing – may be named for the Thousand Islands in NY, but did not originate there. French dressing – what is usually bottled as French dressing in the US is unknown in France, though the term also is used outside the US to mean “vinaigrette,” which is French. Italian dressing – US version unknown in Italy. ---
**Author:** ![jormundgondir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jormundgondir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jormundgondir)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/9 "2009-05-20T16:28:26Z")
Irish Carbomb Hawaiian pizza ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/10 "2009-05-21T06:23:17Z")
**ZipperJJ:** no, but thanks; for the main list it has to be a misleading _origin_, so the geographical term has to be wrong. For the second list it has to be obscure that the name comes from a geographical source at all. **kenobi 65:** Yep, got those two, but thanks for contributing. **jormundgondir:** I’d never heard of the **Irish Carbomb** , cocktails are an area I hadn’t really thought of, aside from the Manhattan which sadly does come from there. Not so sure about the pizza, but I should at least go onto my maybe list. Thank you! **RealityChuck:** I have French letters (in my OP actually) and Indians are covered in the Indian Giver article. Turkeys are a great one, definitely in! I should have thought of that once I had Guinea Pigs. I didn’t know German Chocolate Cake was a specific variety in the US … we have Chocolate Bavarian cakes here which look very similar. Another definite maybe 🙂 Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/11 "2009-05-21T07:44:01Z")
Bombay Duck - hey is this now Mumbai Duck? ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/12 "2009-05-21T18:15:35Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514060) a while ago, **mattomic** said: > [@](#): > > Then there’s the really weird swap, where Michigan has the Coney Island Dog (which is unknown on Coney Island or anywhere in New York) while New York has the Michigan Hot Dog (unknown in Michigan). ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/13 "2009-05-22T02:04:55Z")
:smack: I already had turkeys in my Definite list I had Bombay Duck but sadly it does come from the area around Bombay/Mumbai so is ineligible I’ll check out those hot dogs though; food is a really big source of this kind of stuff! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/14 "2009-05-22T02:17:32Z")
Japanese steakhouses- started in America (like pizza and chop suey), though later became popular in Japan I understand Spanish Influenza- not too lighthearted, but also almost certainly not Spanish in origin Irish potatoes- introducted to Ireland from the New World Hamburger sandwich- _nothing_ like the Hamburg originals ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/15 "2009-05-22T03:04:30Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] whereas I have dogs apparently named after places. [/QUOTE] From this comment and noting your location, I assume you’ve got the Australian Shepherd dog on your list? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/16 "2009-05-22T07:54:03Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > From this comment and noting your location, I assume you’ve got the Australian Shepherd dog on your list? The Australian Shepherd is actually from Poland and is not a dog but a type of sofa. Speaking of, Shepherd’s Pie is rarely made of shepherd’s anymore. Wandering Jew- usually stays where it’s potted and I’ve never heard one speak Hebrew. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/17 "2009-05-22T14:08:39Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The Australian Shepherd is actually from Poland and is not a dog but a type of sofa. I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean. A joke, I presume, but could you explain it to me? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/18 "2009-05-22T19:08:46Z")
Chinese checkers. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/19 "2009-05-22T23:45:04Z")
German measles, not from Germany, but from germaine Hamburger doesn’t come from Hamburg, and isn’t made from ham. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827/20 "2009-05-23T00:08:57Z")
> [@](#): > > … things that don’t come from where they sound like they do. > > A second list I’m gathering … things which are named after places but don’t sound like it Gypsy fits on both lists. The word is derived from Egypt, but they don’t come from there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-with-some-more-items-for-my-book/496827.md?page=2)