Linguistics question!

[telophase]

In your dialect of English, what foodstuff/s does "chive" refer to? What area of the world/nation did you pick it up from?


Asking, because in Toby's family, "chives" are green onions (spring onions, scallions) as well as the oniony herb, which, after a few incidents, has led to each of us making sure to specify exactly what we mean when one of us asks the other to pick some up at the store. He thinks it comes from his mother's side of the family, who are Kentuckians, I believe, and I'm wondering if it's a regional thing or just a their-family thing.

I checked the Dictionary of American Regional English at work, but the only entry for "chive" is a variant of "shiv," referring to the weapon, so that's no go.

Comments

[thistleingrey]

I agree with your sister, FWIW. P'a is bigger than US-standard green onion (scallion) but differently shaped from leek or "spring onion" (latter is often red-tinged around here, unlike conventional scallions). FWIW, my mother says p'a is none of the varieties for which Kitazawa sells seed!

Against that, distinguishing flat chives from scallions is easy. What I have trouble with is flat chives versus garlic chives.