Trivia, Sometimes Interesting

[Vince Klortho]

Anyone have any pieces of moderately interesting trivia? I have a ton of it, figuratively speaking. As to whether it is interesting is debatable. Anyway, here are two:

1. Aurora Borealis is what the phenomenon is known as in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere it is the Aurora Australis.

2. In the Italian language, words that end in 'o' are generally masculine. In their plural form they end in 'i'. As an example, a panino is the singular form of the word, panini is the plural form. If you want one sandwich it is a panino. If you order two they are panini.

 

[Richland123]

A portmanteau word is a linguisitic blend of multiple words or sounds to form a new word.

Examples are "smog" from the words smoke and fog; "motel" from the words motor and hotel; and, the title of the Kansas album "Leftoverture" combining the words leftover and overture.

 

[bholder]

2. In the Italian language, words that end in 'o' are generally masculine. In their plural form they end in 'i'. As an example, a panino is the singular form of the word, panini is the plural form. If you want one sandwich it is a panino. If you order two they are panini.

I'm so relieved to know it's a masculine sandwich! (Many E1Lers find the concept of assigning gender to inanimate objects fairly strange, but it's certainly common in many other languages.)

I bet the folks at Panera give me a dirty look when I correct them and ask for a panino.

 

[bholder]

The ancient Confucian saying "May you live in interesting times" was meant as a curse, not a blessing.

 

[two fingers]

3 Musketeers candy bar was originally 3 different flavored pieces..... one chocolate, one strawberry, and one vanilla (thus the name). During sugar and flavoring shortages during (I believe) WWII they decided to run with just chocolate because it was cheaper and more popular anyway.

 

[RED J]

In the Italian language, words that end in 'o' are generally masculine.

Good. I wouldn't have wanted to tell James Gandolfino he was a girl.

 

[RED J]

Balls to the wall has nothing to do with male anatomy. It referred to the regulator on steam engines that kept them from exploding. Those regulators straight out meant old no. 7 was flat out cookin' as hard as it could.

 

[Richland123]

While Chrissie Hynde was attending Kent State University's Art School, she joined a band called Sat. Sun. Mat., which included Mark Mothersbaugh, later of Devo.

 

[jugglingfreak]

Ok,

There are marks added to the hiragana and katakana syllabaries that changes the pronuciation. They are called "Dakuten" and "Handakuten":

These marks did not exist in the original Japanese syllabaries. They were added by the Portuguese to help them understand the writing system.

 

[bholder]

Balls to the wall has nothing to do with male anatomy. It referred to the regulator on steam engines that kept them from exploding. Those regulators straight out meant old no. 7 was flat out cookin' as hard as it could.

View attachment 733989

Of course it does, that's part of why the steam train engineers called it that in the first place. It's rather mnemonic in that way.

 

[bholder]

While Chrissie Hynde was attending Kent State University's Art School, she joined a band called Sat. Sun. Mat., which included Mark Mothersbaugh, later of Devo.

Way to go, Ohio!

 

[Gorn]

Horses can't vomit.

 

[Richland123]

There is no such thing as Corinthian Leather. The Bozell Advertising Agency made up the term for marketing purposes to advertise Chrysler cars to make them sound exotic.

 

[slobake]

Mel Blanc was allergic to carrots
If Leo Fender's dad said "Shut the door, were you born in a barn?" He could have replied "As a matter of fact I was born in a barn."

 

[Jim Nazium]

Brian May of Queen has a PhD in astrophysics.

 

[slobake]

In a recent poll 12.3% of all Talkbass participants found the word "flatulence" less offensive than the word "farts."

 

[slobake]

Sometimes I make things up here but a recent poll confirmed that 84.6% of all Talkbass participants are not fooled by that.

 

[Gorn]

Eproctophilia.

 

[slobake]

Eproctophilia.

Had to look that up. YIKES

 

[Gaolee]

I'm so relieved to know it's a masculine sandwich!

I find it quite disturbing to find out that sandwiches are male.