What Does Popcorn Smell Like? English and other European languages have many abstract words that can be used to describe sights, tastes, and textures, but very few words that specifically apply to odors. Typically, odors are described as “smelling like” other objects, such as “smells moldy” or “smells lemony.”
The same is not true of all languages, however. Two hunter-gatherer groups, the Jahai in Malaysia and the Mani in Thailand, have rich odor vocabularies, with specific terms to describe precise odor categories (Majid & Burenhult, 2014; Wnuk & Majid, 2014). For example, the Jahai word p?us (pronounced pa-OOS) is used to describe the smell of old huts, day-old food, and cabbage (Majid, 2014). Given an odor identification test, the Jahai easily outscored English-speaking participants. Psychologist Asifa Majid, who has studied both tribes, believes that their olfactory expertise reflects the importance of smells in their culture and environment.
The same is not true of all languages, however. Two hunter-gatherer groups, the Jahai in Malaysia and the Mani in Thailand, have rich odor vocabularies, with specific terms to describe precise odor categories (Majid & Burenhult, 2014; Wnuk & Majid, 2014). For example, the Jahai word p?us (pronounced pa-OOS) is used to describe the smell of old huts, day-old food, and cabbage (Majid, 2014). Given an odor identification test, the Jahai easily outscored English-speaking participants. Psychologist Asifa Majid, who has studied both tribes, believes that their olfactory expertise reflects the importance of smells in their culture and environment.
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