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A spoon is a common eating utensil, or item of cutlery, somewhat like a small spade, with a bowl-shaped end on a handle, that occurs in a number of sizes and forms. Its main purposes are for conveying food to the mouth and for stirring, though it has a number of other uses.
Etymology The English word spoon derives from Old English sp?n, meaning "chip or splinter of wood or horn carved from a larger piece, shaving," from a Proto-Germanic root sp�nuz (cf. Old Norse spann, sponn "chip, splinter," Swedish sp�n "a wooden spoon," Old Frisian spon, Medieval Dutch spaen, Dutch spaan, Old High German span, German Span "chip, splinter"), in turn deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root spe-, denoting 'a long piece of wood', probably in the sense of a wedge (cf. Greek sphen "wedge"). The meaning "eating utensil" is recorded c.1300 in English, probably from Old Norse sponn, which meant "spoon" as well as "chip, tile" (development of the "eating utensil" sense is specific to Medieval England and Scandinavia, though Medieval Low German spon also meant "wooden spatula"). History Spoons have been used by many cultures since the dawn of time as a vital eating tool. Achaemenid Persian spoon at right illustrates. From the derivation of the word the earliest northern European spoon would seem to have been a chip or splinter of wood; Greek references point to the early and natural use of shells, such as those that are still used by primitive peoples. Preserved examples of various forms of spoons used by the ancient Egyptians include those composed of ivory, flint, slate and wood; many of them carved with the religious symbols. The spoons of the Greeks and Romans were chiefly made of bronze and silver and the handle usually takes the form of a spike or pointed stem. There are many examples in the British Museum from which the forms of the various types can be ascertained, the chief points of difference being found in the junction of the bowl with the handle. Medieval spoons for domestic use were commonly made of horn or wood, but brass, pewter, and latten (copper alloy) spoons appear to have been common in about the 15th century. The full descriptions and entries relating to silver spoons in the inventories of the royal and other households point to their special value and rarity. The earliest English reference appears to be in a will of 1259. In the wardrobe accounts of Edward I for the year 1300 some gold and silver spoons marked with the fleur-de-lis, the Paris mark, are mentioned. One of the most interesting medieval spoons is the coronation spoon used in the anointing of the English sovereign. The sets of Apostle Spoons, popular as christening presents in Tudor times, the handles of which terminate in heads or busts of the apostles, are a special form to which antiquarian interest attaches. The earlier English spoon-handles terminate in an acorn, plain knob or a diamond; at the end of the 16th century, the baluster and seal ending becomes common, the bowl being fig-shaped. At the Restoration, the handle becomes broad and flat, the bowl is broad and oval and the termination is cut into the shape known as the pied de biche, or hinds foot. In the first quarter of the 18th century, the bowl becomes narrow and elliptical, with a tongue or rat's tail down the back, and the handle is turned up at the end. The modern form, with the tip of the bowl narrower than the base and the rounded end of the handle turned down, came into use about 1760. Uses Spoons are used primarily for eating liquid or semi-liquid foods, such as soup, stew, or ice cream, and very small or powdery solid items which cannot be easily lifted with a fork, such as rice, sugar, and green peas. Spoons are also widely used in cooking and serving. The teaspoon and tablespoon are used as standard units of measure for volume in cooking. The teaspoon is often used in a similar way to describe the dosage for over the counter medicines. Teaspoons are commonly employed by heroin addicts to "cook" the drug in by use of holding a flame underneath. The resulting liquified heroin is then transferred to a syringe and injected. Eating utensils Cooking and serving utensils Other objects Miscellaneous Use as a musical instrument Spoons (not a single one) can be played as a makeshift percussion instrument, or more specifically, an idiophone related to the castanets. A pair of spoons is held with concave sides facing out and with a finger between their handles to space them apart. When the pair is struck, the spoons sharply hit each other and then spring back to their original position. The spoons are typically struck against the knee and the palm of the hand. The fingers and other body parts may also be used as striking surfaces to produce different sounds and for visual effect. Spoons as an instrument are associated in the United States with American folk music, minstrelsy, and jug and spasm bands. These musical genres make use of other everyday objects as instruments, such as the washboard and the jug. In addition to common tableware, musical instrument suppliers make spoons that are joined at the handle. Bobby Hebb is a well-known spoons player. The b-side of Clive Dunn's UK number one hit single, "Grandad", was called "I Play the Spoons". The U.S. rock band Soundgarden had a hit single in 1993 called "Spoonman", which featured spoons being played as percussion instruments. On Doctor Who, the Seventh Doctor, (Sylvester McCoy), was known for bursts of spoon-playing. During the 2002 NEARfest the band Caravan played the electric spoons. During the 2001 9/11 terrorist bombings, the terrorists on flight 91 were said to have played a tune using spoons. See also Sources | ||||||||
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