Reading the first chapter of Ivanhoe truly provided an insight into the discrepancies of naming between the animals and the food they produce. Both Gurth and Wamba act as significant characters; Gurth represents the Anglo-Saxon language for naming animals, while Wamba signifies the French language for naming the food which animals produced. The sources both support and discuss some of the reasons why there is a change in the use of language between animals and the food. The animals are named by the Anglo-Saxon framework. On the other hand, the food is described through the French language. One of the main reasons for this change is that the Anglo-Saxon language was used for much more mundane and descriptive purposes, while the French language is described to be much more luxurious related to the process of dining.
IMAGE: Gurth and Wamba Conversation about Animals
Sources for blog post:
- Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
- The Anthropology of Food and Eating by Sidney Mintz: JStor Article
- Straightdope.com/columns/read/2008/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig
