h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

While studying at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, USA I had the opportunity to sit in on a lecture by a Master Papermaker. At one point in the lecture the instructor firmly informed us that 'what most people call "rice paper" in fact contains no rice at all.' She told us that use of the term 'rice paper' was analogous to calling paper from Italy 'pasta paper' or paper from Israel 'matzoh paper'. Of course someone, somwhere might make paper out of rice; but the use of the term 'rice paper' to refer to several types of Japanese paper is in fact a 19th century colonial invention.