Have you ever wondered why there are different ways to name the capsicum family in different Latin American countries? Does each denomination refer to a different thing? Which is the origin of each of these words?
Well then; chili, pepper and ají are words that are used to refer to the same concept, capsicum. Spicy fruits and their derivatives. Normally the use of each of these words is restricted to certain geographical areas, where they have adapted them to their vocabulary.
The first, ají, which is normally used to refer to capsicum in Spanish-speaking South American countries such as Chile, Peru or Bolivia. But where did this word come from? Well, in her book "Capsicum and culture", researcher Janet Long Towell indicates that "axi" was the term used by the Arawaks (pre-Hispanic cultural group from the Caribbean area) to name the capsicum, a term that the Spanish adopted and spread during their exploration in South America, changing the "x" for the "j" and thus going from axi to ají. And of course, just as the Spanish expansion in America fundamentally changed the environment and the lives of those who lived here, the language was also transformed, since little or nothing is heard about the word that the Incas used to name the capsiums, that word was "uchu". It is interesting to think how the word "ají" was established and prevailed to this day even over the word "uchu" which was the proper name used in that geographical region.
On the other hand, the use of the word "pepper" is a usually confusing term, since it can also refer to black pepper (Piper nigrum). However, it was coined in the 16th century, by European explorers, who, when tasting capsicum, compared its spiciness to the only "spicy" element they knew, black pepper (piper nigrum). The word spread its use in several European languages and currently countries like Brazil use it to name capsicum. There are two versions of the same story, as we have just seen, the first version says that the fact that capsicums were confused with the Asian pepper (pipper nigrum) was merely caused by the little knowledge that Europeans had of the new american species with whom they were coming into contact, and for lack of a better way to name capsicums, they decided to simply place them in the same bag as peppers due to their great quality of giving flavor to food. However, they were wrong because the piper nigrum and capsicums have nothing to do with each other.
The second version, much less widespread perhaps to keep the name of those brave explorers who threw themselves into the infinite sea without any certainty of ever returning, is the most probable.
To understand this second version we must remember that those great explorers did not take such risks simply because they were adventurous souls in search of an intense life, no no. All of them were above all merchants; If they traveled and took risks that put their lives at stake, it was because of the potential riches and new businesses they could find, that is, behind those wonderful adventures there were great economic interests. Seeing the widespread use of capsicum in America, they perceived the potential business of marketing this new species in Europe, a continent eager to find ways to add flavor to its food and where they would pay quite well for an exotic product full of flavor. But there was a problem, a little marketing problem; If they arrived in Europe and introduced capsicum under the name of Chili, Axi or Uchu, who would know such a thing? On the contrary, giving a marketing twist and renaming capsicum as the "New World Pepper" would be much easier to position it in the minds of consumers and rich people who usually invested a lot in spices that would elevate the seasoning of their foods in comparison with the food of the masses. So yes, they began to call it pepper in the search to get rich with this new product. The bad luck for them is that capsicum generally grows wherever it is planted, it is not limited to a geographical region, so the business did not prosper much and people began to grow their own chili peppers. Bad luck for these little marketer "geniuses" of the 16th century.
Finally, the word chile comes from the Nahuatl word "chilli", a word used to name capsicum in pre-Hispanic times in Mesoamerica. Currently, the word "chile", the direct derivation of "chili", is used mostly in Mexico and Central America; and even in the english spoken in the United States, the way to call the capsicum family is "Chili pepper."
Anyway, even though there are differences in their name depending on where you are, they all refer to the same thing, the capsicum family. If we had to choose the best ways to name it, there would be three: chili, uchu and ají. After the conquest, the word "pepper" was included in this list, although it is not scientifically exact, today it is also recognized to refer to the capsicum family around the world.
How do you name this family? In whatever way, let's continue enjoying that shared taste for giving flavor and excitement to our food, in ways that only chili can do.
Fernando Dávila
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