[jeezycreezy]

Those who know me know that I like to make a difference. I'm not afraid to tackle the hard-hitting issues of the day. I like to take a stand on things that matter and, through intelligent discourse on this board, help everyone come to a greater understanding of the issue at hand and, sometimes, even of ourselves.<br><br><br><br>
Today I would like to take on the issue of puréed chickpea spread. Specifically its spelling.<br><br><br><br>
I've seen hummas, hummous, hommus, humous, hummos, hommos, hoummos, hanukkah, and my personal favourite: homos. (I am not making that up.)<br><br><br><br>
So my question is, is it because hummus is so awesome that it needs so many spellings?<br><br><br><br>
If not, why so many spellings?<br><br><br><br>
Which spelling is correct?<br><br><br><br>
How do you spell hummus?<br><br><br><br>
And finally, if you use a spelling other than hummus, what, exactly, are your reasons for spelling it wrong? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ<br><br><br><br>
PS. I can already hear the google engine purring as people set off to prove that hommos and other spellings are also correct.

 

[misq17]

There isn't any correct way to spell it because it isn't an English word. I use hummus because it seems to be the most widespread spelling.<br><br><br><br>
As far as which spelling leads to the best pronunciation, I'd say choumous.

 

[codemonkey]

I've only seen it spelled hummus. Actually I saw it spelled hummous once and I thought it was a typo.

 

[GhostUser]

I spell it the correct way.

 

[IamJen]

How about hommous? (for real) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Perhaps it's all language related. Greek, Hebrew, Armenian, English, and several flavors of Arabic all have words for the glorious chickpea dip.<br><br><br><br>
<<just calls it "mine" <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[jeezycreezy]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>misq17</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
There isn't any correct way to spell it because it isn't an English word.<br></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
It's not English in origin. But it is an English word and appears in many English dictionaries.<br><br><br><br>
Many languages adopt words from other languages and they enter the vernacular with a single accepted spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Deja vu is French and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Gesundheit is German and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Poopycock is from the Dutch word pappekak. There is only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Falafel isn't originally English and yet it doesn't have nineteen different spellings.<br><br><br><br>
The fact that hummus is Arabic in origin doesn't mean there should be a single accepted spelling. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br><br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">I'd say choumous.</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Gesundheit. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ

 

[krista82]

Now I am hungry for some hummus

 

[misq17]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jeezycreezy</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
It's not English in origin. But it is an English word and appears in many English dictionaries.<br><br><br><br>
Many languages adopt words from other languages and they enter the vernacular with a single accepted spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Deja vu is French and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Gesundheit is German and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Poopycock is from the Dutch word pappekak. There is only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Falafel isn't originally English and yet it doesn't have nineteen different spellings.<br><br><br><br>
The fact that hummus is Arabic in origin doesn't mean there should be a single accepted spelling. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
Gesundheit. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
De ja vu and gesundheit come from languages with an alphabet that uses the same letters as our English alphabet and therefore can easily be spelled in English.<br><br><br><br>
Greek, Hebrew, Aremenian, Arabic, they all have there own alphabets which are not analogous to the English alphabet. Falafel is easy to spell in english because the sounds of the word all exist in English. Hummus, on the other hand, is pronounced with sounds not common in the English language and has been changed to fit into our alphabet system.<br><br><br><br>
I'm all for a common spelling, though, and I like hummus because it looks the nicest <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[eggplant]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jeezycreezy</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
It's not English in origin. But it is an English word and appears in many English dictionaries.<br><br><br><br>
Many languages adopt words from other languages and they enter the vernacular with a single accepted spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Deja vu is French and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Gesundheit is German and has only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Poopycock is from the Dutch word pappekak. There is only one spelling.<br><br><br><br>
Falafel isn't originally English and yet it doesn't have nineteen different spellings.<br><br><br><br>
The fact that hummus is Arabic in origin doesn't mean there should be a single accepted spelling. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
Gesundheit. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
But all of your examples from other languages (French, German, etc.) are those that use the same alphabet as English. When we translate Arabic or Hebrew, or words from any language with a completely different alphabet, into English, we're just spelling the words phonetically. Thus the different spellings of hummus and Channukah!

 

[jeezycreezy]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>misq17</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Greek, Hebrew, Aremenian, Arabic, they all have there own alphabets which are not analogous to the English alphabet.</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Touché! (Which, literally translated from French means "Holy merde, I just got schooled!") <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ

 

[jeezycreezy]

I'm beginning to suspect it might have something to do with alphabets.<br><br><br><br>
Hmm. I suddenly have a strange craving for a phalawphul. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ

 

[Tesseract]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jeezycreezy</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Hmm. I suddenly have a strange craving for a phalawphul. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""></div>
</div>
<br>
When you spell it that way, it sounds pretty awphul.<br><br><br><br>
I like to spell my favorite chickpea spread "humus." No, wait. That's my favorite soil enhancer.<br><br><br><br>
I kid. I spell it hummus. But I agree that misq17's suggested spelling would lead to more correct pronunciations. I hate it when people make it rhyme with "Hummer." Sometimes I do it myself by accident.

 

[Amy SF]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jeezycreezy</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br><b>Poopycock</b> is from the Dutch word pappekak. There is only one spelling.<br><br><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ</div>
</div>
<br><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/huh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
You've referred to a certain VB member as Poopy. And now this. Is there something on your mind you're not telling us? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/toilet.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":flush:">

 

[jeezycreezy]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Amy SF</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/huh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
You've referred to a certain VB member as Poopy. And now this. Is there something on your mind you're not telling us? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/toilet.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":flush:"></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
D'oh! Might it have something to do with where I keep my head most of the time. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
Cheers!<br><br>
TJ

 

[compassionate1]

Best....<br><br><br><br>
Thread Title....<br><br><br><br>
EVER!<br><br><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/laugh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":lol:">

 

[froggythefrog]

On the side of a restaurant in Pensacola, I saw it spelled "Homos". I chose not to use this spelling.

 

[teddygee]

I'm really jonesing for some all-you-can-eat homos.

 

[4EverGrounded]

Froggy's a homos phobe. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[MEM]

There's a middle eastern deli near me that makes a "homos salad" (hummus with whole chickpeas in it).

 

[Poppy]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Amy SF</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/huh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br><br><br>
You've referred to a certain VB member as Poopy. And now this. Is there something on your mind you're not telling us? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/toilet.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":flush:"></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Thank you Amy!<br><br><br><br>
And JeezyCheezy, we'll just blame it on the "o" and the "p" being so close together on the keyboard! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">