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The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge: U is for Umami

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

My posts in the The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge are all about interesting words. Words that are weird, intriguing, poetic or just plain cool ...



U is for Umami

WHen I was at school we were taught that the taste-buds on our tongues could discern four basic types of taste: sweet, sour, bitter and salt. Science now says there are in fact five basic tastes. The fifth is called umami. Umami means a taste that is savoury or meaty - specifically the taste of glutamates. The term was officially identified at the Umami International Symposium in Hawaii in 1985. I am not making this up.

Umami is a loan-word: the Japanese umami means something like pleasant savoury taste. All major languages have just borrowed the word unchanged.




Archaeopteryx Blunderbuss Chthonic Dreadnought Entropy Fulgurite Gargantua Humbucking Ichthyic Juggernaut Kappa Labyrinthine Megrim Numinous Ophidian Pandemonium Quark Ragnarök Shibboleth Thing Umami

Posted by Simon Kewin at 08:00

13 comments:

  1. Rebecca Alexander24 April 2012 at 08:15

    Another new word for me, but not one you can drop into conversation casually.

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  2. Old Kitty24 April 2012 at 10:04

    Isn't this what Vic Reeves and Bob wotsists say in their show? "Umami!" LOL! Take care
    x

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  3. Simon Kewin24 April 2012 at 11:18

    Rebecca - Fair point! I'm sure I have though. Hmm, that's a nice umami taste ...

    Old Kitty - LOL indeed. As you well know that was "uvavu", shouted if someone answers a question incorrectly in the Dove from Above round ...

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  4. StratPlayerCJF24 April 2012 at 12:23

    So, uh... They held the Umami International Symposium and that's where they identified the term?

    What was it named before they identified it -- The 'Term to Be Defined Later' International Symposium?

    ;^)

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  5. Simon Kewin24 April 2012 at 13:56

    Chris - LOL. Yes, either an amazing coincidence or they'd already decided, I guess.

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  6. S. L. Hennessy24 April 2012 at 18:21

    I don't know. I've had that Marmite stuff before and I did NOT care for it. Ugh.

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  7. Simon Kewin24 April 2012 at 19:26

    S.L. - I love the taste myself!

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  8. Golden Eagle24 April 2012 at 19:42

    So that's what the fifth taste is called!

    And sometime I'm going to try marmite. I'm curious to find out where I fall on the "love it or hate it" . . .


    The Golden Eagle
    The Eagle's Aerial Perspective

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  9. Simon Kewin24 April 2012 at 20:21

    Golden Eagle - You should. It's delicious I promise.

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  10. Sherri Lackey24 April 2012 at 23:29

    I have seen that word somewhere before but I didn't know what it referred to. Good to know. Thanks!

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  11. Nicole25 April 2012 at 04:23

    Oh, this is another one I should start using more!

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  12. Simon Kewin25 April 2012 at 07:46

    Sherri, Nicole - Delighted it was of interest!

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  13. Hilary Melton-Butcher26 April 2012 at 18:32

    Hi Simon .. love Umami .. and I love marmite - am happy to be here .. Cheers Hilary

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I'd love to know what you think.