Greetings from Perth, Western Australia! I now realise that I am not the only person on this planet that could be accused of not having a life because of my interest in word trivia!! As my first posting I tender the following:

For those that don't know, we all speak English across this wide land, but with subtle (typically interstate) differences in pronuciation, accent, inflection and word definitions. A good example of the latter are the variations for what the British (I think) call Luncheon Sausage. (This is a pink, pork derived concoction with a texture like felt about the size of a slice of bread and square or round in section).

In Western Australia it is known as "Polony" (and you buy it by the "knob"!), in South Australia it is "Fritz" (reflecting the German influence on the State's history), in Victoria it is "Stras" (as in Strasbourg sausage presumably) and in New South Wales it is "Devon (Sausage)". I haven't spent much time in the other states or elsewhere in the world so, to make my life's work complete, I'd be interested to hear what your local term is!!

And now, back to the day job!

Stales

If the meat is ground so fine as to become indistinguishable in the loaf, then you are describing what Americans label bologna -- after Bologna, Italy, where it supposedly originated -- but pronounce baloney (buh-LOH-nee)which can mean either the sausage or nonsense, bunkum, an absurd notion.

Welcome to the board!

Welcome stales, always glad to have fresh input here. I've never heard the term luncheon sausage. From your description, I think what you're talking about is known in Britain as luncheon meat.

Bingley

How does luncheon meat differ from spam? Or is spam simply another of those trade names like 'hoover' that have gone generic?

To be honest, I'm not really sure. I think they're much the same, but spam is specifically ham while luncheon meat could be any pressed meat.

Bingley

An interesting aside. Despite the negative meaning now attached to the word, the owners of the trademark have been very tolerant of its use in the wired world, with one caveat. They insist on people acknowledging that SPAM is a registered trademark, not unwanted e-mail.

Not being a meat-eater, I might not be the one to comment on this one, but I think cold cuts falls into your category. Though I think cold cuts usually refers to thin sliced plain meat, not sausage or SPAM type products.

Like Father Steve I believe what you are referring to is called balogna in Canada but this is generally sliced quite thin (a millimeter or so).

The only other thing that sounds like it might be it is what we would call a sausage patty – but this has to be cooked and is generally eaten at breakfast with eggs.

>How does luncheon meat differ from spam? Or is spam simply another of those trade names like 'hoover' that have gone generic?

There is a SPAM sold here that sells itself as luncheon meat (competitors to KAM and KLIK). It comes in a rectangular can that you have to open with a twist-key, but that is a solid block of pink meat-like substance. I am still unsure if this is what the Monty Pyton crew were referring in their Spam skit.

> I am still unsure if this is what the Monty Pyton crew were referring in
their Spam skit.

oh, most assuredly!!

I think Spam is a very funny thing. So funny, in fact, that when I discovered there exists a 2001 Spam calendar, I ran out and bought one. Each month features a tasteful ad from the 1940s or 50s, among them: "Don't spare the Spam" and a 50's wife saying to her husband: "Supper at six, don't be late!" To which he replies: "If it's Spam, it's a date!"

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Don't blame your grocer! Uncle Sam takes lots of Spam. If your dealer is "out", please be patient, ask for it next time.

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