Why did American soldiers allegedly attribute the deep-fried potato dish to France during World War I encounters in Belgium?

Answer

French was the language spoken by the Belgian army at that time

The widespread adoption of the term 'French fries' in the American lexicon is largely attributed to the experiences of American Expeditionary Forces personnel during World War I. When these soldiers traveled to Belgium and encountered the popular deep-fried potato snack, they often heard the local military contingent communicating in French. This led to the linguistic misattribution where the soldiers mistakenly associated the dish with France, the country whose language they associated with the soldiers serving them or the region's official communications. This experience during the Great War provided a powerful, if inaccurate, cultural anchor for the name 'French fries' when the soldiers returned home, cementing the descriptor in popular American English despite the food's likely Belgian origins.

Why did American soldiers allegedly attribute the deep-fried potato dish to France during World War I encounters in Belgium?

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