Lemons and limes are the same fruit in some countries

I’ve noticed an adorable example of linguistic determinism in Spanish and Papiamento speakers. They use the word “lemon” (limón) for both lemons and limes. This multipurpose use of the word “lemon” makes these two fruits the same, conceptually, in their minds.

For example, if you order a soda water with lemon at a restaurant in Latin America, there’s a 50% chance you’ll get a lime with it.

The funny thing is, the word for lime exists in these languages. It is “lima,” but I’ve only ever heard anyone use that word in my high school Spanish class. In my years spent in Spanish-speaking countries, I’ve never once heard a Latino call a lime a “lima.”

Because the word “lemon” is used interchangeably for both lemons and limes, these fruits are considered interchangeable in concept, too. You can squeeze a lime on salmon if you want! Or a lemon on a fish taco.

My Papiamento-speaking husband adores limes and he’s been into making limeade lately. But he calls it lemonade, and he looks at me funny when I call it limeade.

I suppose his spin on the famous saying would go something like this: “When life gives you limes, make lemonade.”

Thanks to Tamarcus Brown for the photo

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Shelby is a practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming with a budding interest in neuroscience, learning, and memory. She's a longtime purveyor of linguistic relativity -- a theory that our language affects our thought, perspective, and more.

You can hire her as a Success Coach to achieve outlandish goals in a remarkably short time, using techniques to play with the language of the mind.