To us the word "morbid" has rather negative connotations: "Of the nature of, or indicative of, disease." The second meaning is "of mental conditions, unwholesome, sickly." The etymology (according to the OED) is from the Latin morbid-us = disease, with comparisons offered to French morbide and Italian and Spanish morbido.
So why are the Italian foods designated "morbido" ? Google offers an Italian/English translation to "soft" - which seems to fit the desserts depicted. That's the answer, but how are the words connected? By what etymological journey did a word meaning disease come to designate softness? As a reflection of the putrefactions of advanced disease?
Perhaps related to this question, I see a third meaning in the OED: in the world of painting, morbido refers to "flesh-tints" ("painted with morbidezza" - after It. morbido). This citation from 1686 is offered: "There is a thing which the Italians call Morbidezza: The meaning of which word, is to Express the Softness, and tender Liveliness of Flesh and Blood."
Morbo is pleased, but sticky.
ReplyDeleteSoft, limp, tender, taking from the concept of sickenss the idea of the limpness of a convalescent and his ill and corrupted fleshes.
ReplyDeleteThat is very odd. My understanding is that "panforte" means "strong plate", probably because it is a very dense and heavy confection.
ReplyDeleteHi, "morbido" here in Italy simply means "soft", and is never associated to diseases in our mind. But now that you make me think about it, we call the "Parkinson's disease" "morbo di Parkinson", so I guess the etimology is related. The "panforte" is a very hard cake, and the "morbido" variety is a bit softer, but I don't know the exact details of the composition of both. If you can get one I strongly suggest you to try it, it's really good (assuming that the imported one is the same as the original)!
ReplyDelete