Flipper or spatula: A logical linguistic hill I am more than willing to die on

Written by: Madeline Emde

Throughout my college years, I have discovered multiple words or phrases that my family uses differently. For one, I have always called the evening meal “supper” instead of the more traditional “dinner.” In the case of “supper,” I have allowed my vocabulary to bend toward the norm. However, I will never waver from using one particular term, because the majority of the population is unquestionably wrong. The cooking utensil used to turn pancakes, eggs and other pan-fried foods is a “flipper,” and those who go around calling it a “spatula” are sorely mistaken.  

The simple fact is that a spatula already exists. Spatulas are the utensils used to scrape mixing bowls. Since both spatulas and flippers are used for cooking, it’s important to use different names to reduce confusion.  

For instance, if I were to send friends to the store to buy a “spatula,” they would have no way of knowing which tool I required. Similarly, if a recipe called for the use of a “spatula,” an inexperienced cook could be thoroughly confused if the same word applied to two very different utensils. Using the incorrect tool would prove highly inefficient and could even ruin the cooking experience. If the term “flipper” was used in either of these instances, there would be no cause for confusion.  

Now, in the many times I have debated this issue, some have dared to argue that calling it a “flipper” could create similar confusion and overlap with the definition that indicates the propelling limb of sea creatures such as whales or seals; nevertheless, this is not the case. While both varieties of spatulas exist within the same environment (the kitchen), both varieties of flippers inhabit vastly different areas of conversation. I have never once found myself in a discussion that involved both the flipper kitchen utensil and an animal’s flipper, as flippered animals are rarely consumed and whales almost never cook.  

I urge you to adopt the term “flipper” in your everyday cooking vocabulary. The transition to “flipper” is an easy one; “flippers” are used to flip foods in the pan; thus, the term is easily identifiable. Choosing to make this necessary switch will also eliminate the confusion caused by calling both “spatulas.” 

This topic is increasingly relevant as the holiday season is fast approaching. With the Christmas season comes many family traditions involving cooking and baking. Unfortunately, the holidays often also bring increased tensions between family members. Any spark of conflict could ignite an argument. During this season of holiday baking, it is especially essential to reduce misunderstanding. Subsequently, I see no further excuse to continue calling a flipper a spatula. This distinction could be the very thing to save your Christmas peace, as well as the logic on which our language is built.