Hamburg vs Hamburger

[PelajarBaru]

Hello

Do people still use the word hamburg to mean hamburger? If so, in which country is this word hamburg used?

[abaka]

Hello

Do people still use the word hamburg to mean hamburger? If so, in which country is this word hamburg used?

In "native" English, "Hamburg" is the German city, a "Hamburger" is someone who lives there, and a "hamburger" is a cooked ground meat patty.

In American and Canadian English, a "hamburger" is usually served in a bun, but can be served by itself, in which case it is commonly covered with gravy. Without the bun it is formally called a "Salisbury steak", but sometimes (perhaps this is a Canadianism) a "hot hamburger". (Yes, I know these idioms make no sense.) The word "hamburg" is not usually used in a culinary sense. When the patty is raw it is usually called a "hamburger patty", but often raw ground beef is sold as "hamburger" (no indefinite article and no plural).

I don't know what the subtleties of British usage are.

In Japan (or in Japanese), a "hamburger" refers to the dish with a bun, and a "hamburg" to the meat patty, whether it is in a hamburger or is served by itself with a vegetable side dish.

I'm not sure where else this distinction between "hamburger" and "hamburg" may exist. How are these words used in Malaysia?

[PelajarBaru]

Thank you Abaka.

Maybe there are some British here who may shed some light on this issue???

[BobK]

Thank you Abaka.

Maybe there are some British here who may shed some light on this issue???

Hamburg - place in Germany, after which a culinary item called a 'Hamburg steak' was named at some time in the 19th century:

The word hamburger refers both to the sandwich and to the cooked or uncooked ground beef used to make it. Adding cheese to the sandwich makes it a cheeseburger. Hamburger is actually a distinct product made from ground round and other types of ground meat. However, ground beef of any form is commonly referred to as "hamburger." Contrary to what folk etymology might lead one to believe, there is no ham in hamburger.
A grilled patty of ground meat

The word originates in Hamburg steak, and while first recorded in English in 1884*, it was probably in use much earlier...

Read more here: Hamburger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

b

PS * It was attested much earlier in the USA. Presumably German immigrants took it there. There was probably resistance in the UK because of Victorian attitudes to social eating (apart from the usual knee-jerk reaction to words originally seen as 'American'. )

[Anglika]

In my copy of the book, Louisa Alcott refers to Hamburger Steaks in Good Wives.

[PelajarBaru]

I'm not sure where else this distinction between "hamburger" and "hamburg" may exist. How are these words used in Malaysia?

Hi Abaka,
In Malaysia, we do not use the word hamburg. I saw it in some restaurants in Japan and wondered whether it was a proper English word to use.
Thanks a lot for your information.

[PelajarBaru]

Thank you BokK and Anglika.

So I guess this word is used in the olden days and in Japan only. Interesting!