Say Cheese!

​Smiling after saying cheese? Do you know the reasons why cheese makes us smile? You too use this word when taking pictures?

Actually, after researches it has nothing to do with the cheese itself, its delicious taste or smell. Photographers in Occident were looking for a common word to be used which bring a smile to a person's face whilst saying it, the lips moves up the same way as smiling. 

So you wonder who brought this? Our American friends first referred the expression "Say Cheese" in the 1940's according to Texan newspaper "The Big Spring Daily Herald", titled Need To Put On A Smile? Here's How: Say 'Cheese'. Apparently, the story says that a former Ambassador learnt this from a very well known politician whom he didn't reveal its name. Speculations says it could have been the President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself.

The expression "Say Cheese" exported itself across the world in the western culture, and other nationalities for example using cheese in their own languages such as, in Israel " תגידו צ'יז" (tagidu tshiz), in Japan チーズ (chīzu), in Turkey "Peynir", in Russia "сыр", pronounced seer and in Slovakia, using "syr", and similarly in Czech Republic who uses the word "sýr" to say Cheese.

Although not every one use cheese when taking picture, other countries use food or drinks where being ready to take pictures, just some examples below:
"Whiskey" is used in South America - meaning whisky
"Patata" is used in Spain - meaning potatoes
"Omelett" is used in Sweden - meaning omelette
"Appelsin" is used in Denmark - meaning orange

So on that cheese topic, I hope that I brought you a smile whilst reading some facts about "saying cheese". Time to have some cheese now!

My cheese companion which brings us smile :-)