Expresso

In the 1950s, a style of coffee became fashionable in Britain. Tiny cups of steamed, strong coffee evoking everything that was Italian and cool at the time.

‘Expresso’ bars arrived all over Soho and beyond, with a whole beatnik counterculture supporting it.

Over the years a debate formed as to the correct spelling of the word ‘expresso’.

People argued about how in Italy, nobody says the ‘x’, they call it ‘espresso’ so that must be correct.

More recently, coffee became an elitist hobby.

‘New wave’ coffee fanatics opened coffee shops, and to pronounce it as ‘expresso’ would have had you laughed out of the door.

Snobby ‘baristas’ even produced T-shirts, so strong was their chagrin.

But do a little research and you find their snobbishness is built on shaky foundations.

Actually the word ‘Espresso’ is an Italian corruption of the Latin root exprimere - “to press out’.

It also has a nice second meaning - referring to speed, and doing something ‘expressly for you’.

So you can see the little ‘x’ has its roots firmly in the word.

The only reason they replaced the ‘x’ is because x is an old fashioned letter in Italian. They prefer the smoother ’s’ and replace almost all Latin ‘x’ with an ’s’.

But when the term originated in Italy, the ‘x’ was still pronounced.

In certain parts of Italy, and many other Latin-based European languages, such as French and Spanish, the ‘x’ is pronounced.












So by pronouncing expresso with an ‘x’ is in my view, perfectly acceptable.

It’s also huge fun to watch snobby baristas wince when you say it.

Don’t always think that because everybody does something a certain way, that’s the correct, best or only way.

It’s frightening to be the black sheep, or the only one daring to challenge the status quo or do things differently.

But having faith in your convictions, being different, is what will set you apart from the crowd.

I now feel like a coffee.

Double expresso please, barista.