Banning 'steak': BBC News Review

No more plant-based steaks, at least not in France.

This is News Review from BBC

Learning English. I'm Neil and I'm Beth.

Make sure you watch to the end to learn vocabulary to talk about this story.

Don't forget to subscribe to our channel, like this video

and try the quiz on our website. Now, the story.

Plant-based food can no longer have meat-based names in France.

The French government have published a list of words such as 'steak' and 'ribs',

that will not be allowed on labels for meat-free products.

Farmers in the country have argued

that using these words for non-meat products could confuse customers.

Similar measures are being discussed in other countries

You've been looking at the headlines, Beth

What's the vocabulary?

We have 'meaty', 'salvo' and 'reignite '.

This is News Review from BBC Learning English.

Let's have a look at our first headline.

This is from The Guardian.

No more cordon blur:

France prepares to ban vegetarian products

from using meaty language.

So, as the headline says France is banning the way

that certain foods, plant-based foods, are described.

It's not banning the food itself.

Now, we are looking at the adjective 'meaty'.

How, exactly, can language be meaty?

Well, firstly, 'meaty' can be used to describe food.

If you are cooking or eating something meaty, then

either it's actually meat, Or it has a strong flavour of meat.

Although this headline is playing with the meaning of the word 'meaty',

because the banned words could actually be used to describe actual meat, but

meaty language is what we are looking at.

Tell us more.

  Well, 'meaty' can also have this meaning

of complex or serious and it is often used to describe books and films.

I really like reading.

I enjoy a good, big novel, lots of difficult language in it,

which could be described as meaty.

Yeah, well, you're obviously a lot cleverer than me,

Beth because I don't really like reading anything meaty.

I prefer just to look at the sports pages.

That's good enough for me.

OK, let's look at that again.

Let's have our next headline.

This is from VoA news.

France readies

new salvo against meat substitutes labelling.

We are learning about the word 'salvo'.

Beth, tell us more.

There's a military origin, I think.

  There is.

Yep, so 'salvo' is originally a military term and it means to fire

all the guns at once.

Imagine an old warship and all of the cannons shoot at the same time.

Well, that is the literal meaning,

but we are learning a metaphorical meaning which is 'attack'.

And here, it's a legal attack -

it's not a physical attack. The French government has tried this in the past

and is getting ready to try it again.

That's right. Now, we can also use the expression 'launch a salvo'

to describe criticising someone.

Last night, very late, the neighbours in the flat

  above me were being really loud.

So, when I saw them this morning.

I launched a salvo of angry words in their direction.

OK, sounds a bit scary.

I must remember, never to make any noise near you, Beth.

I'm not sure if I could handle a salvo of angry words from you.

Let's look at that again.

Let's have our next headline.

This is from WIO News.

France reignites bid to ban use of words 'steak'

'spare ribs' for plant based food.

So we are going to learn about the word 'reignite'

and there is a clue hidden in the word.

It's connected,

Beth, to fire.

It is. Now, if you ignite a fire, you start a fire and that prefix

're-' means 'again'.

So, 'reignite' means to start a fire again.

Now, we're not talking about a literal fire here,

but obviously fire is dramatic.

It's kind of related to conflict.

And here, we're talking about a political campaign.

Yeah, as we've already heard this isn't the first time

the French government has tried to ban these meat-related words,

but they are doing it again.

They've reignited it,

they've started again.

Exactly. And there are other things that you can reignite.

Maybe you're having an argument with somebody.

It's finally calmed down.

Then they say something really annoying and it reignites that argument again.

Yes, but it doesn't have to be all negative.

You can reignite your passion for something you love.

Now, I heard Beth that you used to go surfing

and you've reignited your passion, you're going to start again.

I have, in fact, I'm going to reignite my passion

and go surfing right after News Review.

Let's look at that again.

We've had 'meaty' - interesting

or complex.

  'Salvo' - an attack or criticism,

and 'reignite' start up again.

Now, if you've enjoyed this episode, we think you'll love this 6 Minute English,

where we asked 'Would you eat less meat if it would help the environment?'

Don't forget to click here to subscribe to our channel

so you never miss another video. Thanks for joining us and goodbye.

Bye.