Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka (DBP), a Malaysian government body, faced backlash on Twitter for suggesting a different spelling for the South Indian staple, dosa. The Malay body tweeted on October 17, 2022 that tosai (dosa in Malay) should be spelt as tose in Malaysian Mamak restaurants.
The South Indian staple is known by varied names in neighbouring Singapore as well. The name change enraged the Netizens. Here’s what the Internet has to say!
Criticism On Twitter
I think Dewan Bahasa sometimes forgets that language is determined by the living; the kamus should be updated to reflect how people use language, not the other way round.
— Jing Yi (@Jinggyyi) October 17, 2022
I prefer to believe how Indians want to spell their traditional food.
— Kazuha golden boiii ✨ (@ashh_kzh) October 17, 2022
Dont tell us how to spell our own food
— Arjun Raj (@jun_2295) October 17, 2022
Some people said that they want to go by how Indians spell dosas. Angry Indians also tweeted saying that they shouldn’t be taught the spellings of their own food.
On the other hand, a few said that it is just a matter of spelling and in the end, one can spell it however they wish to.
Also read: Not Paper, This Printer Prints Crispy Dosas For Foodies
Origin Of The South Indian Staple Dosa
Also read: 5 Yummy Dishes You Can Make With Dosa Batter
Millions of Indians consume the staple as breakfast and at other times during the day, every day. Moreover, millions of people in other countries of the continent have been enjoying the dish for centuries. Historian K.T. Achaya wrote in his book, The Story Of Our Food, that the dish can be traced back to the first century AD. The book says that the existence has been in Tamil literature since then. The recipe is called dosaka, which has its mention in Manasollasa, a 12th-century Sanskrit script by King Someshvara III, the ruler of now Karnataka.
Whatever the linguism variation, the sentiments are enriched to the cuisine regardless! This again exemplifies the cultural variation of the country.
Cover image courtesy: Twitter/ Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Wikimedia commons
First Published: October 21, 2022 3:40 PM