Why tuna fish?
Feb 8th, 2006, 01:20 AM
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Why tuna fish?
This may not be the correct branch for this question, but I'm sure some US friends can provide an answer to a mystery. It is summer in Australia, and today, on the coast near the Great Ocean Road where we live, the temperature was a pleasant 30oC.
My wife and I were enjoying Salade Nicoise, one of the ingredients of which is 'tuna'. We shared such a dish in Europe last July with a couple from the US, and they referred to this ingredient as 'tuna-fish'.
Is that the usual name in the USA? Is there some other sort of tuna that is not a fish?
I assume that folks in the USA do not refer to 'halibut-fish' or 'salmon-fish' etc. So why 'tuna-fish'? We are assuming that there must be a simple answer: it's just not immediately obvious to us.
My wife and I were enjoying Salade Nicoise, one of the ingredients of which is 'tuna'. We shared such a dish in Europe last July with a couple from the US, and they referred to this ingredient as 'tuna-fish'.
Is that the usual name in the USA? Is there some other sort of tuna that is not a fish?
I assume that folks in the USA do not refer to 'halibut-fish' or 'salmon-fish' etc. So why 'tuna-fish'? We are assuming that there must be a simple answer: it's just not immediately obvious to us.
Feb 8th, 2006, 02:31 AM
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Feb 8th, 2006, 02:40 AM
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Feb 8th, 2006, 02:46 AM
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I don't know why they sometimes refer to "tuna" as "tuna fish" in the US. However, in my experience the added "fish" suffix is only applied when eating canned tuna on a sandwich. For example, "tuna fish sandwich." When dining out or purchasing from a grocery store, a piece of tuna is simply called "tuna". Seems odd to me that your friends used "tuna fish" for tuna in salade nicoise...
We do refer to dolphin fish as "dolphin fish" to differentiate it from dolphin the mammal, but that is the only other "fish" suffix I can think of un the US, and one that actually makes sense!
Dave
We do refer to dolphin fish as "dolphin fish" to differentiate it from dolphin the mammal, but that is the only other "fish" suffix I can think of un the US, and one that actually makes sense!
Dave
Feb 8th, 2006, 02:53 AM
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Not only was I raised to refer to tuna as "tuna fish", it had the even more specific meaning of "tuna salad" in our home, especially in the expression "tuna fish sandwich". My wife and I seem to have succeeeded in raising our kids to say "can of tuna" (not "can of tuna fish"
- - but they still will frequently refer to a tuna salad sandwich as a "tuna fish sandwich". For what it's worth, they seemed to have learned (from their friends) a preference (at least some of the time) to eat a "tuna melt" (a sandwich, sometimes open-face, or on a bagel... of tuna with cheese melted on top, under the broiler - - does NOT contain tuna <i><u>salad</u></i>, typically).
But you're right, they don't refer to "salmon-fish"... of course, there is no other fish (canned or otherwise) that we routinely combine with mayonnaise, pickle, boiled egg, etc to make a "salad" (for sandwich purposes).
Of course, they woule never refer to a "chicken salad sandwich" as a "chicken-bird sandwich", nor a "ham salad sanwich" as a "ham-mammal sandwich"... LOL!
(Final aside: all three of our daughters - - but especially our youngest - - seems to have acquired the preference for combining cottage cheese into tuna salad... it's okay, but still seems odd to me - - she typically does NOT want hardboiled egg, nor chopped pickle in hers; personally, I think that a little bit of chopped celerey and/or onion are good in there also).
Odd topic, to be discussing at breakfast time (here in the US)!
Best wishes,
Rex
- - but they still will frequently refer to a tuna salad sandwich as a "tuna fish sandwich". For what it's worth, they seemed to have learned (from their friends) a preference (at least some of the time) to eat a "tuna melt" (a sandwich, sometimes open-face, or on a bagel... of tuna with cheese melted on top, under the broiler - - does NOT contain tuna <i><u>salad</u></i>, typically).But you're right, they don't refer to "salmon-fish"... of course, there is no other fish (canned or otherwise) that we routinely combine with mayonnaise, pickle, boiled egg, etc to make a "salad" (for sandwich purposes).
Of course, they woule never refer to a "chicken salad sandwich" as a "chicken-bird sandwich", nor a "ham salad sanwich" as a "ham-mammal sandwich"... LOL!
(Final aside: all three of our daughters - - but especially our youngest - - seems to have acquired the preference for combining cottage cheese into tuna salad... it's okay, but still seems odd to me - - she typically does NOT want hardboiled egg, nor chopped pickle in hers; personally, I think that a little bit of chopped celerey and/or onion are good in there also).
Odd topic, to be discussing at breakfast time (here in the US)!
Best wishes,
Rex
Feb 8th, 2006, 02:59 AM
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The use of the term "tuna fish" is common in the USA, especially when one is referring to ingredients of a sandwich as has been explained.
BUT (and there always seems to be one, doesn't there?) there are many people in the USA who would also describe said sandwich as a "tuna sandwich" rather than as a "tuna fish sandwich."
It may be similar to why people who speak of the well-known religious saint and the keg-carrying dog known as Bernaaaaaard and yet living human beings with the same name are very commonly referred to as Berrrrrrrrnerd...so who knows?
I admit, this topic is far more interesting than trying to figure out how many posts can be placed on TripAdvisor in one 24-hour period before people here arbitarily decide they must be bogus.
BUT (and there always seems to be one, doesn't there?) there are many people in the USA who would also describe said sandwich as a "tuna sandwich" rather than as a "tuna fish sandwich."
It may be similar to why people who speak of the well-known religious saint and the keg-carrying dog known as Bernaaaaaard and yet living human beings with the same name are very commonly referred to as Berrrrrrrrnerd...so who knows?
I admit, this topic is far more interesting than trying to figure out how many posts can be placed on TripAdvisor in one 24-hour period before people here arbitarily decide they must be bogus.
Feb 8th, 2006, 03:03 AM
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In the warmer climes of the Americas, the edible fruits of certain cacti are called "tuna." Perhaps the use of "tuna fish" originated among English-speakers in these areas to avoid confusion.
Or perhaps not.
Or perhaps not.
Feb 8th, 2006, 04:14 AM
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Hi A,
Before the advertisers changed it to Tuna Fish, it was called Horse Mackerel, and was considered a trash fish.
On the Chesapeake Bay, striped bass are known as Rock Fish.
There are also Blue Fish.
Before the advertisers changed it to Tuna Fish, it was called Horse Mackerel, and was considered a trash fish.
On the Chesapeake Bay, striped bass are known as Rock Fish.
There are also Blue Fish.
