My 8-year-old niece asked me why we call it 'reducing' a sauce when we're making it smaller, not making it go away. Now I can't stop thinking about it.

3 comments

3 Comments

emeryj661mo ago

That's like wondering why we "fold" in egg whites.

nguyen.blake1mo ago

Yeah but folding is a real technique with a clear reason, it keeps the air in. Some terms are just old words that stuck around for no good reason, like "dial" a phone. The language fossilizes even when the tech changes completely.

the_susan1mo ago

Feel you, and @emeryj66 has a point.