Limes or lemons?

On a YouTube cooking channel by an Australian, I came across a video titled “Brazilian Lemonade”. At the end of the video, the YouTuber says: “I have no idea why it’s called lemonade when you use limes…”

In Mexico, there are different varieties of citrus fruits. We distinguish between limas, which most people are unfamiliar with but are typical fruits of Yucatán, limones, which in the United States are called limes, and limones amarillos, which are called lemons in the United States.

The vernacular names “lime” or “lemon” do not correspond to any scientific classification. The species that receive these names vary by region, depending on which variety is more common or based on arbitrary local convention. These fruits were introduced to Europe from the Middle East during the Crusades, and Europeans brought all citrus fruits to America and Australia. Both words, “lime” and “lemon”, originate from the Persian word لیمو līmū, which referred to several unrelated species.

Frequently, the acidic lime (Citrus × aurantifolia) is referred to as “limón” in the Caribbean islands, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. However, in Spain and the Southern Cone, “limón” (from Andalusian limún) refers to the yellow (most common) variety, while “lima” (from Andalusian limu) denotes the green variety. The same distinction exists in English (“lemon” for yellow, “lime” for green), as well as in most languages. This difference in Spanish and English terminology may be due to climatic factors: tropical countries can cultivate the green lima, whereas in Spain, the United States, and the Southern Cone, the yellow lemon has adapted better to their colder climates. In Mexico, “lima” refers to the sweet and yellow Citrus × limetta.

What strikes me is the often-ethnocentric attitude of most people, immediately labeling others as ignorant fools.