Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why.. (brace yourself)

696 replies

BackAgainSlimLady · 24/02/2025 12:29

Single cucumbers from the supermarket come wrapped in plastic.. but single courgettes don’t?

if you ask me.. courgettes have a slightly more fragile skin that cucumber.. so why the lack of protection?

OP posts:
ThisKindOpalCrab · 24/02/2025 15:24

gotmyknickersinatwist · 24/02/2025 15:09

Tell me you're American without etc...

Show quote history

Yeah, tell me you're a MNer without telling me etc..

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 15:24

gotmyknickersinatwist · 24/02/2025 15:09

Tell me you're American without etc...

Show quote history

Ugh, I'm still getting notifications from this thread.

I am Australian, @gotmyknickersinatwist . I've never even been to America.

Tell me you automatically ass'ume everywhere that isn't the UK is American without telling me.

SunnySideUK77 · 24/02/2025 15:23

BetterWithPockets · 24/02/2025 15:22

Ooh. I had to google rutabaga.
(Am loving this thread!)

Show quote history

Ha same!! I might need to get out more

ThisKindOpalCrab · 24/02/2025 15:23

BetterWithPockets · 24/02/2025 15:14

Hang on — if fluffy pancakes (an abomination imo) are flapjacks then what would those syrupy oats things be called?

Am finding this thread fascinating!

Show quote history

They don't really exist in the states. Oat bars are drier.

Bbq1 · 24/02/2025 15:23

@WillIEverBeOk Why is it that we, in the Uk call courgettes just that but we also understand that Zucchini is the US word for them? I don't think any of us had to go Googling to find out.

SunnySideUK77 · 24/02/2025 15:22

JustBitetheKnotsOff · 24/02/2025 12:57

Courgette is the usual UK word for it.

Yes, there is such a thing as a courge ('bloody great marrow' being the more usual UK term for the ones that got away for longer).

Thank you for this. It has made my day

BetterWithPockets · 24/02/2025 15:22

RafaFan · 24/02/2025 14:30

Zucchini is such a strange word, like cilantro and eggplant. Not sure why Americans can't just call them courgette, coriander and aubergine, which is what they are. And don't get me started on rutabaga.

Show quote history

Ooh. I had to google rutabaga.
(Am loving this thread!)

NooNakedJacuzziness · 24/02/2025 15:21

And it's pronounced 'scowne", not "scon" (runs and hides)

Hoppinggreen · 24/02/2025 15:20

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

Courgette in The UK

Bbq1 · 24/02/2025 15:17

Scone type things are called biscuits in US and should have no place on a fried breakfast!!

BetterWithPockets · 24/02/2025 15:14

whatonearthisgoingonnow · 24/02/2025 14:31

Why would you have one word to describe both American pancakes and Scotch pancakes? Bizarre.

Show quote history

Hang on — if fluffy pancakes (an abomination imo) are flapjacks then what would those syrupy oats things be called?

Am finding this thread fascinating!

BestZebbie · 24/02/2025 15:13

BarnacleBeasley · 24/02/2025 12:31

I think it's because people use the whole courgette at once, and often buy more than one. Whereas you might want to keep the cucumber for longer and just eat a bit at a time.

Also people commonly just slice and eat the cucumber raw without washing the skin, so they don't want it handled by everyone in the supermarket - courgettes are prepared and cooked.

AngelicKaty · 24/02/2025 15:11

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 13:33

For the fourth time, I'm not American, it is interesting you ass'ume I am, @TagSplashMaverick .

Also no, it isn't. it's is POSSESSIVE. ie it is. Otherwise its is fine.

Show quote history

Er, no - either you've mis-posted or you really don't understand. In English:
Contraction of "it is" = it's
Possessive its = its
We have many exceptions in the English language and the use of a possessive apostrophe after the word "it" is one of them - a possessive apostrophe should never be used in this circumstance.

GoldenLegend · 24/02/2025 15:11

miIIicant · 24/02/2025 13:31

Ah..an Aussie. That explains it.

Show quote history

‘It’s ok, he’s Australian.’

It’s been said.

antipodeansun · 24/02/2025 15:10

FeralWoman · 24/02/2025 13:23

As an Australian it’s our King’s English too. We’re part of the empire.

Zucchini, eggplant, rocket and coriander in Australia. Lots of Greek and Italian immigrants came to Australia in the 1970s I think. I’m guessing that they introduced zucchinis and eggplants to the country so we use their names for them.

Show quote history

Courgette in New Zealand, but both aubergine and eggplant.

Funnywonder · 24/02/2025 15:10

NooNakedJacuzziness · 24/02/2025 13:59

I'm sceptical that they're not also called courgettes in the US - I'm sure Prince sang about having a little red one anyway 🤔

Ha! Like it🤣🤣

MegTheForgetfulCat · 24/02/2025 15:10

gotmyknickersinatwist · 24/02/2025 15:09

Tell me you're American without etc...

Show quote history

RTFT and you'll see the irony there...

Pratincole · 24/02/2025 15:09

And if you are ever in the USA and want to get hold of some paracetamol, after you have remembered to ask for a pharmacy instead of the chemist, you then find they don't call it paracetamol - it's acetaminophen!

drowninginsick · 24/02/2025 15:09

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

I only ever heard zucchini living in the states and courgette in the UK! Regional variation I think

gotmyknickersinatwist · 24/02/2025 15:09

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

Tell me you're American without etc...

Kittygolightlyy · 24/02/2025 15:07

AngelicKaty · 24/02/2025 15:03

Hmmm, good question. Given that French is the second official language in Canada, I tend to think they'd use the French-influenced British words, but who knows? Any Canadians out there to enlighten us?

Show quote history

Oo be careful. French is a first language in Quebec. Though it is different to French French. Bit like Latin American Spanish is different to Spanish Spanish.

IAmTheLittleThings · 24/02/2025 15:07

So weirdos can stick them up their arse and send photos to women and still be able to eat them afterwards 🤷🏻‍♀️
Definitely different from a dick pic, but I didn't want or ask for it 🤮

Mnetcurious · 24/02/2025 15:06

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 12:55

YANBU. But I had to google 'courgettes'. Very strange word to use. Not sure why you can't say zucchini which is what it is.

We’re on a British website and British people call them courgettes 🙄 so it’s not in the slightest bit strange. If you want people to refer to them as zucchini then go to a site based in a country where they call them zucchinis.

RabbitProofCarrots · 24/02/2025 15:04

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 13:33

For the fourth time, I'm not American, it is interesting you ass'ume I am, @TagSplashMaverick .

Also no, it isn't. it's is POSSESSIVE. ie it is. Otherwise its is fine.

Show quote history

Just read that back again and have another think.

GrouchyKiwi · 24/02/2025 15:04

WillIEverBeOk · 24/02/2025 13:13

No, Australia. Those two words are not used at all in Australia, or in New Zealand.

Show quote history

NZers use aubergine/eggplant and courgette/zucchini interchangeably. (Although aubergine is, IME, more common than eggplant.)

Or at least they do where I'm from.