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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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My lovely bride has deserted me, leaving town for a week and me without adult supervision. As is my custom, I made a pot of soup last night large enough to carry me through the weekend, at the rate of two bowls a day. This obviates the necessity of making any (further) decisions about what to eat.
In order to produce a lovely cauldron of vegetable-beef-barley soup, I bought a bag of barley at the local grocer's. I am accustomed to buying bags of barley labeled "pearl barley" but the one I bought last night bears the description "pearled barley." That got me to wondering, which is further evidence (as if any were needed) that I am a logophile. Why is it "pearl" on some bags and "pearled" on others?
I always thought that pearl barley was so-called because, when the hull (spikelet and bran) of the barley is removed (thus depriving the grain of much of its nutritional value -- iron, manganese, phosphorus, and thiamin) by milling, what is left is like a pearl (the oyster kind). Maybe.
But the process of removing the bran is called "pearling" which may be a back-construction. Maybe not.
Anyway, the soup is wonderfully good.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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That's like music to my ears. Oh. You said baRley. nemmind.
TEd
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Joined: Mar 2005
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addict
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addict
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Ted, consider yourself raspberried.
Father Steve, I bet the pearl barley is the same kind of construction as "ice cream", which used to be "iced cream". You can see it happening with "ice tea" and "box set" (which I still call "iced tea"
and "boxed set", but you can't help some people....)
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Quote:
Ted, consider yourself raspberried.
Father Steve, I bet the pearl barley is the same kind of construction as "ice cream", which used to be "iced cream". You can see it happening with "ice tea" and "box set" (which I still call "iced tea"
and "boxed set", but you can't help some people....)
It's called assimilation. It's also responsible for solecisms such as "a friend."
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 67
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 67 |
Would I be correct in supposing that this barley is similar to pearl tapioca? (See second body paragraph.) If so, then the name most likely has had - at some point - something to do with the process. Specifically, this tapioca (or barley) has undergone the pearling process, so it can now be referred to as pearled to use the participle, and also pearl from describing its new shape. It's just a thought, and although it doesn't really sway the issue, it has made me quite hungry for some tapioca...and possibly some of your soup, Father!
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I don't believe pearled barley is the same type of thing as pearl tapioca. Pearled barley has been processed an extra step that removes the bran as well as the hull http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainBarley.html, but it still basically looks like a grain of barley. Tapioca starts out as a big root. The fibrous part is separated from the starchy parts, then the starch is converted into flakes or powder which is then formed into the pearl-sized round balls.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Augh--I still want to call you golden---but welcome back, anyway! 
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journeyman
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journeyman
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So I may not be up on my roots, but I'm glad to be back. Thanks, Jackie! 
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I may not be up on my roots Sounds like you've been forced to bend to some pretty strong winds, young sapling. (My kids used to play a video game where the trees got up on their roots and walked.)
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Joined: Feb 2004
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journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 67 |
Sounds like you've been forced to bend to some pretty strong winds, young sapling.
Thankfully, no. But always glad for a pearl of wisdom from y'all!
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