Part 3/9:
The Evolution of the Word "Herbs"
Interestingly, the linguistic evolution of the term "herbs" further illustrates cultural shifts over time. Americans have historically pronounced the word without the 'h', while in England, an emphasis on the 'h' arose in the 19th century, as a social marker distinguishing the working class from the upper class. This phonetic shift, along with the broader definition of "herbs" during the Tudor period—encompassing various green foods—underscores the flexibility of language in adaption to social settings.