{"id":61634,"date":"2023-12-10T16:42:29","date_gmt":"2023-12-10T21:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu\/nll\/?p=61634"},"modified":"2024-04-11T19:13:48","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T00:13:48","slug":"asafoetida-satanically-stinky-spice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu\/nll\/?p=61634","title":{"rendered":"Asafoetida: Satanically stinky spice"},"content":{"rendered":"

[N.B.:\u00a0 This post contains a very important set of linguistic questions about the historical evolution of the seasoning in question.\u00a0 The long lists of Eurasian terms provided reveal tantalizing semantic and phonological interconnections among terms that are from different language families.\u00a0 I invite historical linguists to comment on the interrelationships among all the relevant languages cited herein.]<\/p>\r\n

A friend gave me a little bottle of this powerful, pungent spice.\u00a0 It seems to be a unique sort of flavoring that stinks yet enhances the flavor of all sorts of Indian, Central Asian, and other regional cuisines.\u00a0 At first I was just going to write a very brief note about it to pass around among family and friends, but the more I looked into this unique spice, aromatically and linguistically the more interesting it became, so I decided that I would write a rather full-blown Language Log post about it.\u00a0 Voil\u00e0!<\/p>\r\n

Hidden in the name was attestation of the spice's foul flavor, but I didn't know what the \"asa-\" part meant.\u00a0 Upon investigating, I discovered that the English name, asafoetida, is derived from asa<\/i>, a latinized form of Persian az\u0101<\/i><\/span> (\"mastic<\/a>\", cf. \"masticate<\/a>\"), and Latin<\/a> foetidus<\/i><\/span> (\"fetid; stinky\").<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Here's a basic description of and introduction to the spice:<\/p>\r\n

Asafoetida <\/b> (\/\u00e6<\/span>s<\/span>\u0259<\/span>\u02c8<\/span>f<\/span>\u025b<\/span>t<\/span>\u026a<\/span>d<\/span>\u0259<\/span>\/<\/a><\/span><\/span>; also spelled asafetida<\/b>) is the dried latex<\/a> (gum<\/a> oleoresin<\/a>) exuded from the rhizome<\/a> or tap root<\/a> of several species of Ferula<\/a><\/i>, perennial<\/a> herbs<\/a> of the carrot family<\/a>. It is produced in Iran<\/a>, Afghanistan<\/a>, Central Asia<\/a>, northern South Asia<\/a>, and Northwest China<\/a> (Xinjiang<\/a>). Different regions have different botanical sources.<\/p>\r\n

Asafoetida has a pungent smell<\/a>, as reflected in its name, lending it the common name<\/a> of \"stinking gum\". The odour dissipates upon cooking; in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavour reminiscent of leeks<\/a> or other onion<\/a> relatives. Asafoetida is also known colloquially as \"devil's dung\" in English (and similar expressions in many other languages).<\/p>\r\n

Here's a list of names for this unusual flavoring in different languages:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Language<\/th>\r\nName<\/th>\r\nLiteral meaning\/Notes<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Afrikaans<\/a><\/td>\r\nduiwelsdrek<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nDevil's dirt<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Arabic<\/a><\/td>\r\n\u1e25ilt\u012bt<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Assamese<\/a><\/td>\r\nhi\u1e45<\/i><\/span> (\u09b9\u09bf\u0982<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Bengali<\/a><\/td>\r\nhi\u1e45<\/i><\/span> (\u09b9\u09bf\u0982<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Burmese<\/a><\/td>\r\nshein-kho<\/i><\/span> (\u101b\u103e\u102d\u1014\u103a\u1038\u1001\u102d\u102f<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Dutch<\/a><\/td>\r\nduivelsdrek<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
English<\/a><\/td>\r\nDevil's dung<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Persian<\/a><\/td>\r\nAnghoze<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Finnish<\/a><\/td>\r\npirunpaska<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nDevil's shit<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Finnish<\/a><\/td>\r\npirunpihka<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nDevil's resin<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
French<\/a><\/td>\r\nmerde du Diable<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nDevil shit<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
German<\/a><\/td>\r\nTeufelsdreck<\/i><\/span>,<\/td>\r\nDevil's dirt<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Hebrew<\/a><\/td>\r\nchiltit<\/i><\/span> (\u05d7\u05dc\u05ea\u05d9\u05ea<\/span>\u200e<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\nyou got sick<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Hebrew<\/a><\/td>\r\nchitt<\/i><\/span>[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Hindi<\/a><\/td>\r\nh\u012b\u1e45g<\/i><\/span> (\u0939\u0940\u0902\u0917<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kannada<\/a><\/td>\r\ningu<\/i><\/span> (\u0c87\u0c82\u0c97\u0cc1<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kashmiri<\/a><\/td>\r\nyang\u2019eh<\/i><\/span> (\u06cc\u0646\u06af\u06c1\u06c1<\/span>\u200e<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kashubian<\/a><\/td>\r\nczarc\u00e9 \u0142ajno<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nchort<\/a> dung<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Malayalam<\/a><\/td>\r\nk\u0101ya\u1e43<\/i><\/span> (\u0d15\u0d3e\u0d2f\u0d02<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\nattested as raamadom<\/i><\/span> in the 14th century<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Marathi<\/a><\/td>\r\nhinga<\/i><\/span> (\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0917<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Nepali<\/a><\/td>\r\nhing<\/i><\/span> (\u0939\u093f\u0919\u094d\u0917<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Odia<\/a><\/td>\r\nhengu<\/i><\/span> (\u0b39\u0b47\u0b19\u0b4d\u0b17\u0b41<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Pashto<\/a><\/td>\r\nh\u00ebnj\u00e2\u1e47a<\/i><\/span> (\u0647\u0646\u062c\u0627\u06bc\u0647<\/span>\u200e<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Polish<\/a><\/td>\r\nczarcie \u0142ajno<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nchort dung<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Swedish<\/a><\/td>\r\ndyvelstr\u00e4ck<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nDevil's dirt<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Tamil<\/a><\/td>\r\nperunkayam<\/i><\/span> (\u0baa\u0bc6\u0bb0\u0bc1\u0b99\u0bcd\u0b95\u0bbe\u0baf\u0bae\u0bcd<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Telugu<\/a><\/td>\r\ninguva<\/i><\/span> (\u0c07\u0c02\u0c17\u0c41\u0c35<\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Turkish<\/a><\/td>\r\n\u015eeytan boku<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nSatan's shit<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Turkish<\/a><\/td>\r\n\u015eeytan otu<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\nSatan's weed<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Turkish<\/a><\/td>\r\n\u015eeytan<\/a> tersi<\/i><\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Urdu<\/a><\/td>\r\nh\u012b\u1e45g<\/i><\/span> (\u06c1\u06cc\u0646\u06af<\/span><\/span><\/span>)<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

(Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/p>\r\n

The Chinese version of Wikipedia has a few other historically important words for asafoetida in Asian languages:<\/p>\r\n

Chinese \u0101w\u00e8i \u963f\u9b4f (Eastern Han reconstruction *\u0294\u0251 \u014bw\u0259s)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<
<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Tocharian (Kuchean) <\/span>a\u1e45kwa\u1e63 — this link to the extinct medieval Indo-European language is vitally important for unravelling the transmission of this spice and words for it across Eurasia<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Other Chinese names are y<\/span>\u0101ngku\u00ec \u592e\u5331, <\/span>\u0101y\u00fa \u963f\u865e, <\/span>\u0101y\u00faji\u00e9 \u963f\u865e\u622a (all given in MSM [Modern Standard Mandarin] pronunciation)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Persian <\/span>\u0101ngh\u016bzeh <\/span>\u0622\u0646\u063a\u0648\u0632\u0647<\/span><\/p>\r\n

x\u00edngy\u00fa\u00a0(MSM pron.)<\/b> \u5f62\u865e
<\/b><\/p>\r\n

<
<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Sanskrit <\/span>hi\u1e45gu <\/span>\u0939\u093f\u0919\u094d\u0917\u0941<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Still more Chinese names are <\/span>x\u012bngq\u00fa \u8208\u77bf, x\u012bngq\u00fa \u8208\u6e20. x\u016bnq\u00fa \u85b0\u6e20, h\u0101x\u012bn\u00ed \u54c8\u6614\u5c3c (all given in MSM)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Persian <\/span>kasni <\/span>\u06a9\u0633\u0646\u06cc<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/i>Heil\u00edt\u00edt\u00ed \u9ed1\u9ece\u63d0\u63d0<\/p>\r\n

<<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Arabic \u1e25ilt\u012bt <\/span>\u062d\u0644\u062a\u064a\u062a<\/span>\u200e<\/p>\r\n

(source<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Chinese version of Wikipedia states that asafoetida has a strong smell of garlic and onions, and may also be used in fragrances and medicines.\u00a0 It is accompanied by four striking, informative illustrations.<\/p>\r\n

I prize this sentence from the Wikipedia article on asafoetida:<\/p>\r\n

\"It is sometimes used to harmonise sweet, sour, salty, and spicy components in food.\"\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Considering asafoetida's ability to accomplish this amazing feat, it's no wonder that it has such zany names in the various languages of the world.<\/p>\r\n

For all of these reasons, I think of asafoetida as what might be called \"w\u00e0nn\u00e9ng y\u00e0o \u842c\u80fd\u85e5\" (\"panacea\") or \"w\u01d4xi\u0101ng f\u011bn \u4e94\u9999\u7c89\" (\"five-spice powder\"), although not in a technical sense, but more as jocular, private terms.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

It's a good thing that I sent around a short preliminary version of this post, because it elicited the following:<\/p>\r\n

sister Heidi — Also called hing if memory serves me right. It is great for digestion.\u00a0 (Since she is an Ayurveda specialist, it must be true, even though Asafoetida smells bad.)<\/p>\r\n

son Thomas Krishna — I wonder why that spice is one of my friend Gene Hill's favorites. I seem to remember him liking it in New Orleans dishes and he put it in something called a \"Roux\", which is a liquidy flour paste kind of like a watery gravy.<\/p>\r\n

brother Denis — There is a fascinating story<\/a> around the vanished spice used by the Romans — silphium. Its flavor profile is thought to be somewhat similar to asafoetida, but more lively.\u00a0 Silphium was prized by the Romans and consumed in great quantities, but hard to cultivate in Italy. It died out from overharvesting.\u00a0 I read somewhere that there is a small region in north Africa where a similar plant grows wild. It is being propagated for widespread planting in the future.<\/p>\r\n

I should mention that\u00a0asafoetida is one of the 24 Eurasian spices that are featured in G\u00e1bor Parti's magisterial \"Mapping the language of spices\", forthcoming as Sino-Platonic Papers<\/i> 338.\u00a0 In it, he documents how the spice and the words for it in many languages circulated outward from the Iranian speaking areas of Central Asia.<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Selected readings<\/b><\/p>\r\n