Defining “Spatula”

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hello, Martha. Hello, Grant. This is Kelly from Addison, Texas.

Well, hi, Kelly. How are you doing?

I’m doing well. How are you?

Super duper. What’s happening in Addison?

Well, I am calling today about the word spatula.

I am having some confusion about what exactly falls into the category of a spatula because there seems to be many, many different kitchen tools, all with divergent appearances, that all seem to be called a spatula.

Oh, now, Kelly, you have to tell us why you’re thinking about this.

I mean, of all the kitchen tools to choose from, why do you have spatulas on your mind?

When I was growing up, I was taught that a spatula looks like a knife, but with a flat, flexible blade with no edges that you would use to ice a cake or level a measuring cup.

And that there was another tool called a turner, which has like a flat metal or flexible attachment that you would use for pancakes and eggs.

And then there’s a scraper, which has a rubber attachment that you would use, you know, to clean a bowl.

But I’m finding as an adult, particularly when I’m sharing a kitchen with my mother-in-law and my sister-in-laws, that all those things are called a spatula.

So we’re in the kitchen.

Hand me the spatula.

No, the other spatula.

No, the other one.

And, you know, we talked about it, and I just decided it was time to call you and, you know, find out how all these different tools are called in general use spatula.

Yeah, because if you’re cooking, there’s a whole timing issue there, right?

You can’t afford to waste those precious seconds by getting the wrong instrument, right?

Absolutely.

Like it’s whipping up egg whites or something.

You know, and it just seems like even when you go to a cooking store, all these different tools are called a spatula, and it’s very confusing when you’re working in a kitchen to coordinate things.

I’m just, the mental picture you’re conjuring is great.

I mean, it sounds like a comedy routine or something.

Right, a bunch of women in the kitchen bickering about what to call a utensil, each of them brandishing their own preferred spatula.

It sounds kind of Seinfeld, right?

Exactly.

You know, all those things are legitimately called a spatula, and there doesn’t seem to be any differentiation.

That’s exactly right.

They are.

It’s the same for the flat, wide utensil that you use to, say, turn over pancakes or hamburgers or eggs, or as you mentioned, the rubber flexible utensil that you might use to stir, batter, or put icing on a cake.

Those are legitimately all called spatulas.

There’s no other name for them except the ones that people use like your mother when they come up with more specific terms because they need more specific terms on the job.

I should say that they all often have other names, but they all are a type of spatula too.

I think that this is a perfect example of where slang and jargon can work for you.

I think that you guys need your own words for these things in the kitchen.

Maybe one can be the Nina, the other can be the Pinta, and the other can be the Santa Maria.

I mean, this is a perfect example where you guys can decide the names and just, you know, hand me the Santa Maria.

Clearly, we need to come up with our own nomenclature so that we do not have any more kitchen confusion.

And clearly, spatula is not wrong.

Well, let us know what you come up with, Kelly, all right?

I will. Thank you so much.

All right. Take care.

Very informative.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

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