Is it because before it was used as a drug, it was used for flavoring food?
Both in- and out- of universe answers are welcome!
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Sign up to join this communityIs it because before it was used as a drug, it was used for flavoring food?
Both in- and out- of universe answers are welcome!
As noted in the Dune books, melange looks and smells much like cinnamon so "spice" would be an obvious name for it.
Out-of-universe, I always assumed Frank Herbert wanted to suggest something exotic and precious, as spices were in medieval Europe. There is a fascinating discussion of medieval use of spices here.
Spices were highly prized and very expensive: In London in 1438, a pound of pepper was more than two days' wages for a skilled worker, or very roughly $500 in modern terms. This isn't quite in the same league as melange (a briefcase of which is said to be enough to buy a planet) but it's not cheap either.
Making 'spice' the commodity of choice also ties into the vaguely "medieval" feel of the Dune universe, with rival families headed by Dukes and Barons, hand-to-hand combat with swords, etc.
"Melange" is a french word, that means "mixture" or as people in India would call it "masala". I think he just took the indian word and translated into another language, he probably chose french to add some particular effect to the actions in the book. The Houses on the spice planet being similar to french nobility struggle for power through the rights to commercialize exotic products.
It is a "link", symbolizing the product, it's target market and the trouble that surrounds it one package. Everyone wants some.
Well, it's literally used as an additive in food (and beverage IIANM), like a spice. And it comes in powdered form, like a spice. And there's the exotic nature of it, which @RoyalCanadianBandit mentioned - also shared with spices traditionally. So, there you have it.
On the other hand, spices are supposed to be of vegetable origin, which Dune's spice isn't.