# Potato/Tomato **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549 "2002-10-16T18:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/1 "2002-10-16T18:46:02Z")
Do you say potato or potato? How about tomato or tomato? ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/2 "2002-10-16T19:15:27Z")
I say potato and tomato. Do you say neither or neither? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/3 "2002-10-16T19:34:37Z")
I say potato and tomato but I must confess that I’ve been known to say neither _and_ neither, depending on my mood. Do you say envelope or envelope? ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/4 "2002-10-16T20:30:46Z")
When I’m enveloped in the clouds I never try to lick an envelope. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/5 "2002-10-16T22:59:42Z")
Don’t tell me – this is in Great Debates because we’re discussing the causes of the Great Irish Potato/Potato Famine, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/6 "2002-10-16T23:09:12Z")
Is there scope for debate on the causes of the Irish potato famine **tracer**? ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/7 "2002-10-16T23:24:44Z")
[Moderator Hat: ON] I say this is not a “Great Debate,” but rather Mundane Pointless Stuff. So off to MPSIMS it goes. * * * David B, SDMB Great Debates Moderator [Moderator Hat: OFF] ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/8 "2002-10-16T23:24:47Z")
I’ve never in my life known anyone to say potato. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/9 "2002-10-17T02:40:58Z")
You spell potatoe; I spell potato. Let’s call the whole thing off. ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/10 "2002-10-17T07:09:42Z")
Perhaps you mean [Topato?](http://www.wigu.com/comics/wigu0018.html) ---
**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:** [October 17, 2002, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/11 "2002-10-17T12:38:35Z")
Let’s call the whole thing off. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/12 "2002-10-17T13:56:10Z")
What about the Great Irish Tomato Famine? Few people speak of it, but during the years 1956-1959 it was practically impossible to obtain a decent BLT anywhere betwixt Cork and Belfast. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/13 "2002-10-17T14:02:52Z")
In my English accent, I say potato to rhyme with how Americans say tomato, but tomato to rhyme with how Italians say legato. See? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/14 "2002-10-17T14:18:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > Is there scope for debate on the causes of the Irish potato famine **tracer**? That depends what you think the causes for the famine were. There’s the whole God sent the blight, but the English made the famine thing. Oh as to my pronunciation or should that be pronunciation. I say potato and tomato. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/15 "2002-10-17T14:48:48Z")
A few years ago, I saw some graffitti in the Falls Road that said “_There was no famine!!!_”, and I thought “Well that’s OK then. What’s everyone complaining about?” ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/16 "2002-10-17T15:11:16Z")
I say potatis and tomat. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/17 "2002-10-17T15:22:51Z")
Ah, yes, Famine Denial. Those people can never get a fair hearing in the U.S., due to the pernicious influence of the Irish-controlled media. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/18 "2002-10-17T15:39:47Z")
That’s right. There is no ZOM or ZOG there is only **P** addy **O** ccupied **M** edia and **P** addy **O** ccupied **G** overnment. **Ike** you’d still find it hard to find a good BLT but I’m not gonna blame the Brits on that one 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/19 "2002-10-17T15:45:29Z")
I say [pomato.](http://www.epinions.com/content_36385885828) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549/20 "2002-10-17T16:10:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > **Ike you’d still find it hard to find a good BLT** Oh I don’t see why not. Fantastic bacon? Check. Delicious bread? Check. Lettuce? Check. Tomatoes? Check. Mayo? Check. Result: the bread’s soggy, the tomatoes inedible, the lettuce has wilted, and it’s full of coleslaw. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-tomato/132549.md?page=2)