Mmastodon TechnologySemiconductors first seen 1 d ago, last 48 min ago, peak #11

Totopos vs tortilla chips: naming debate sparks discussion

Original: I'm aware that totopos and tortilla chips aren't necessarily the same thing, but it seems very weird to me that we don't

English speakers are debating why the Spanish word 'totopos' has not caught on for what most call 'tortilla chips', even though many bags sold in the US carry both labels. The observation, made by a maths researcher online, has struck a chord as a small but curious example of how loanwords from Spanish enter — or fail to enter — American English, especially for Mexican foods.

Why now: A simple observation about food language resonated with people interested in linguistics and Mexican cuisine.

totopostortilla chips

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Evidence

• I'm aware that totopos and tortilla chips aren't necessarily the same thing, but it seems very weird to me that we don't use the word "totopos" for what we usually call "tortilla chips" in English. You'll get bags of chips that say "tortilla chips" and also "totopos" on them,… · caten@mathstodon.xyz · 1

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