| | I had a conversation with a friend in Philippines. Nel is a good friend who met me on my trip there. I still keep several friends in Republik ng Pilipinas and I'm happy to know them. I told Nel about my previous attempt to translate and understnad the word ULAM and this conversation is the result. Contact names removed at her request. You can contact me here. I hope this helps Americans understand Philippines cooking better. It has helped me.
G: I had a laugh learning the definition of ulam
Nel: you dont know ulam? its viand- the rice partner.
G: yes the dictionary give the term viand.
G: but I am not using it here
G: so i get an English dictionary
G: it said "food eaten with rice" . And I thought about the Philippines. Is there any food that is not eaten with rice?
Nel: what do you commonly use for viand
Nel: aha let me think
Nel: pancit, you eat it alone no need for rice
G: Ah, maybe pancit is not ulam. It has so many noodles, no need for rice.
Nel: yes, this snack food
G: the dictionaries made me think there is two categories for food. There is rice. There is everything else.
Nel: yes... many foods
G: Maybe the word ulam is testimony about the love of rice.
Nel: i dont know about that, i was born with that ulam thing and had never tried to research on that.
Nel: generally ulam is for rice or any grains food
G: I see. It is a filipino word, so you must be right about it
G: I think we could consider rice to be a grain, so ulam is grain?
G: I had to search further, because not many people use viand here
Nel: nope, grains is like solid something or granules/
G: hm, not like corn or wheat.
Nel: corn and wheat and others rice belong to category-grain or cereal
G: Yes that's right. Maybe I'm still confused. they are all cereals yes.
Nel: yes, now you know..hahaha
G: I never found a more general word. the catch for all things edible in english is food.
G: what about in Philippines?
Nel: the same, anything that is edible is food.
Nel: it can be raw or anything
Nel: in any form
Nel: that is food
G: ok so you are using the word food too
Nel: yes
Nel: but we are specific on what kind of food
G: ulam is solid things granules, sometimes the form that grains or cereals take.
G: common question about lunch is : what was your food?
Nel: food is pagkain- something edible
G: I want to post this on xanga, but I will remove your yahoo name.
Nel: ulam is viand or rice partner
G: rice partner is the best translation I have seen.
Nel: yes
G: I had written a previous conversation about my attempt to understand the word ulam. it will make a nice update
Nel: when you say food that's generic.
G: We have use for very generic words at times.
G: the english dictionary has it right. viand : food eaten with rice.
Nel: yehee!!!
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| | Posted 3/12/2009 2:47 AM - 5 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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