sparrow-grass

Also, many of the foreign place names could be mistranslated, resulting in a folk-etymology-like situation ex. “asparagus” in the US is “sparrow-grass” in England.

Foreign place names (1) | Linguism 2008

Also, many of the foreign place names could be mistranslated, resulting in a folk-etymology-like situation ex. “asparagus” in the US is “sparrow-grass” in England.

Foreign place names (1) | Linguism | Language Blog 2008

Also, many of the foreign place names could be mistranslated, resulting in a folk-etymology-like situation ex. “asparagus” in the US is “sparrow-grass” in England.

Foreign place names (1) | Linguism 2008

After arriving, we girls went by ourselves into one of Mrs. Sampson's sloping chambers, where there was a low bedstead, and a thick feather-bed covered with a patchwork-quilt of the "Job's Trouble" pattern, a small, dim looking-glass surmounted by a bunch of "sparrow-grass," and an unpainted floor ornamented with home-made rugs which were embroidered with pink flower-pots containing worsted rose-bushes, the stalks, leaves, and flowers all in bright yellow.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 05, No. 31, May, 1860 Various

But when the same Englishman, or any other, orders _sparrow-grass_ for dinner, these two words contain "a new idea," introduced purposely: either he, or some predecessor, reasoned thus -- there is no meaning in _asparagus_;

Notes and Queries A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc Various

She looked down soberly at the white-pine top of the kitchen table and said, "I guess there is enough sparrow-grass up in the garden for a mess, too, if you'd like that."

Americans All Stories of American Life of To-Day Various

So the Thurgods have become Thoroughgoods, and the Todenackers have become the Pennsylvania Dutch Toothakers, much as asparagus has become sparrow-grass.

Chapter 10. Proper Names in America. 1. Surnames Henry Louis 1921

She looked down soberly at the white-pine top of the kitchen table and said, "I guess there is enough sparrow-grass up in the garden for a mess, too, if you'd like that."

Hillsboro People Dorothy Canfield Fisher 1918

He'd be up at four in the morning, hoein 'up their old garden; raised garden-truck for their table, sparrow-grass and sweet corn -- yes, and roses, too; always had the house full of roses in June-time; never _was_ a house sweeter-smellin' to go into.

In the Arena Stories of Political Life Booth Tarkington 1907

Blest if there wasn't a court-martial laying for every one of the orderlies if they said "boo!" for the swine had been making away scandalous with butter and chocolate and beef -- tea and canned table peaches and sparrow-grass and sardines, and all the like of that, belly-robbing the boys right and left perfectly awful.

Love, the Fiddler Lloyd Osbourne 1907