Muffin in non-North American English refers to a part-raised flatbread, like a crumpet. In North America, muffin typically refers to a sweetened quickbread baked in a mold like a large cupcake, but shockingly even less healthy. The rest of the English speaking world generally refers to this as an American muffin.
In North America, biscuit refers to a levened, typically unsweetened quickbread. For the rest of the English speaking world, a biscuit is flat, unlevened, and often sweet, like shortbread. This would be referred to in North America as a cookie.
In Germany, “Keks” refers to an English-style biscuit but the word is derived from English cake, while “Biskuit” means sponge cake even though, just like Zwieback, it means “twice baked”. For some very odd reason English and French actually agree on the meaning of biscuit but neither bake theirs twice.
This kind of word jumble is why I love languages. There’s so often interesting history tied up in the etymology of a word or, like this, it’s just insanity.
Now I’m confused… What do YOU call a normal North American muffin?
Like a blueberry bran one or something.
Muffin in non-North American English refers to a part-raised flatbread, like a crumpet. In North America, muffin typically refers to a sweetened quickbread baked in a mold like a large cupcake, but shockingly even less healthy. The rest of the English speaking world generally refers to this as an American muffin.
In North America, biscuit refers to a levened, typically unsweetened quickbread. For the rest of the English speaking world, a biscuit is flat, unlevened, and often sweet, like shortbread. This would be referred to in North America as a cookie.
We do love to confuse each other.
Now someone is… checks notes… “Taking the piss” which either means giving us yanks shit or genuinely confused about how we could be confused… I think?
I’m a Damned Yankee that used to just be a Yankee working for a company headquartered in Scotland & Alabama for ten years. I don’t know anymore!
In Germany, “Keks” refers to an English-style biscuit but the word is derived from English cake, while “Biskuit” means sponge cake even though, just like Zwieback, it means “twice baked”. For some very odd reason English and French actually agree on the meaning of biscuit but neither bake theirs twice.
This kind of word jumble is why I love languages. There’s so often interesting history tied up in the etymology of a word or, like this, it’s just insanity.
Footmuffin