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Anth 100 Sandwich Essay

The word "sandwich" is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He loved gambling for hours and had his valet bring him meat tucked between two slices of bread to maintain his energy. Others began ordering "the same as Sandwich." While Montagu popularized this method of eating, people have been eating fillings between bread for thousands of years. Today, sandwiches are enjoyed worldwide and come in many varieties, but the term sandwich traces its origins to John Montagu's preferred late-night snack.

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55 views2 pages

Anth 100 Sandwich Essay

The word "sandwich" is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He loved gambling for hours and had his valet bring him meat tucked between two slices of bread to maintain his energy. Others began ordering "the same as Sandwich." While Montagu popularized this method of eating, people have been eating fillings between bread for thousands of years. Today, sandwiches are enjoyed worldwide and come in many varieties, but the term sandwich traces its origins to John Montagu's preferred late-night snack.

Uploaded by

Blake Hansen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Blake Hansen

Anth 100 Word Etymology Writing Assignment

March 24, 2021

Etymology of the Word “Sandwich”

Sandwiches are a common food item in many cultures because they constitute a delicious snack

or meal that is quick and easy to make. In its most simple form, a sandwich is a food item consisting of

filling that is “sandwiched” between two slices of bread. Simple sandwiches range from peanut butter and

jelly to ham and cheese, while other varieties include grilled cheese, BLT, club, or Reuben sandwiches.

Different kinds of bread and fillings distinguish these common sandwiches, but there is an infinite

number of ways to combine ingredients to make a sandwich. Sandwiches are popular today, but what is

the origin of the word?

The word “sandwich” is named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Sandwich is a

medieval town in Kent, England. According to the modern town’s travel website, “The name of the town

is, most likely, Saxon in origin, approximately meaning sandy place, or the place on the sand”

(http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/town_history/sandwich_origin.htm). John Montagu, the 4th Earl of the

town Sandwich, was an English aristocrat that lived from 1718 to 1792. He loved to gamble; in fact, he

loved it so much that he would gamble for hours at a time without stopping. To maintain his energy,

Montagu “ordered his valet to bring him meat tucked between two pieces of bread. Because Montagu also

happened to be the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, others began to order ‘the same as Sandwich!’”

(https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SandwichHistory.htm). From there, “sandwich” became a

widespread term used to describe meat placed between two pieces of bread.

Although the Earl of Sandwich popularized his preferred method of eating meat and bread,

people of different cultures have eaten toppings between bread for thousands of years. Around the year

110 BC, a Jewish Rabbi known as Hillel the Elder is “reported to have started the Passover tradition of

putting lamb, mixed nuts and herbs between two pieces of unleavened bread” (http://www.open-
sandwich.co.uk/town_history/sandwich_origin.htm). There are other records of sandwich-like meals

being served and eaten in Europe during the Middle Ages as well.

Today, people enjoy sandwiches all over the world. In Italy, panini (singular: panino) are popular.

In the Middle East, people enjoy falafel inside pockets of pita bread. In France, Croque Monsieur is the

name of a ubiquitous French sandwich. Philadelphia in the United States is known for its cheesesteaks

(https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-sandwich/). When John Montagu first put meat

between two slices of bread, he knew he was creating something good, but he probably had no idea that

his title as Earl of Sandwich would be used to classify such a widespread variety of food hundreds of

years into the future.

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