Bob will have to pull out his book of regualions, and definations, but most cookbooks define chutney as a condiment, made of fruits, vinegar, spice and sugar. I have made pear ginger chutney, with more spice and sugar, and other chutneys with more vinegar and spice. they are usually lumpy, with solid pieces of fruit. american ketchup started as a chutney, that became sweeter and milder, and creamer with time. it, like many a word, has strayed far from its roots, so that it is almost unrecognizable. but it is fruit (tomato) with vinegar (not too much,) spice (even less) and sugar (way to much!)
car frames are still called a chaise. Chaise has been a word in english since 1701 or so.. do you think some one from the 1700's would recognize the object as being the same? i am sure there are better examples, too. -- it not so much a food thread, as a measurement of the way a word can be different things to different people.
