Paraguayan culinary lexicon in a recipe book of the early twentieth century

Abstract

The food of a nation embodies its history, culture, customs, and rituals, all of which are reflected in the lexicon. In Paraguay, research on this subject remains scarce; thus, this study aims to analyze the gastronomic lexicon in La cocinera paraguaya by Raquel Livieres de Artecona (1931), a work created with the intent of restoring the country’s dietary practices during a particular historical moment and used in schools at the time. The research follows a documentary approach, specifically using content analysis. From a lexicological and lexicographical perspective, the textual and lexical composition of the cookbook, the nomenclature of the described dishes, and various elements of the culinary domain were examined. Electronic corpora and dictionaries were consulted to confirm the origin of the words used in the text and their organization into lexical fields. The study identifies Guaranisms, Americanisms, trademarks, Paraguayisms, and archaisms. The lexical fields are classified into categories such as prepared dishes, ingredients, techniques, utensils, units of measurement, and adjectives. In conclusion, the findings underscore that the work serves as a valuable resource for preserving Paraguayan culinary terminology, including terms unique to Paraguay as well as those shared with other Latin American countries, some of which are undocumented in academic corpora or dictionaries.