The all new, revised and easier quiz! (mod note posts 1 and 2042)

Samaris

Hmm...

The Latin alphabet took over from the Anglo-Saxon alphabet (a system of runes), brought by Christian missionaries. Their alphabet included some older terms, such as the thorn (th, written as y, as in "ye olde") and wynn (uu, and eventually w) which faded out over time. Even as late as the 1800s, children used to sing the alphabet song with one important addition. Anyone know what it was?

OldGoat

It's that weird AE combination thingy called "aesc" (ash). Æ

Samaris

OldGoat wrote: »

It's that weird AE combination thingy called "aesc" (ash). Æ

Æ was briefly the 29th letter of the alphabet around the 1100s, before w and j were added. ⁊ Ƿ Þ Ð Æ were included, but all of them fell out before the one that was still sung in the 1800s by schoolchildren. Although they managed to change what the word was in the song, creating a usage that follows to today. So good one, but no cigar this time!

OldGoat

Samaris wrote: »

Although they managed to change what the word was in the song, creating a usage that follows to today.

Oooh thats interesting. As all the letters in the song are designated then it must be the 'and' between from "...X, Y and Z". Ampersand?

OldGoat

No, wait! Is it the double u, as in uu rather than w? No idea what it's called.

Samaris

OldGoat wrote: »

Oooh thats interesting. As all the letters in the song are designated then it must be the 'and' between from "...X, Y and Z". Ampersand?

Indeed so! And children used to sing 'X, Y, Z and per se "and"' rather than "Y, Y, Z, and". Per se refers to "by itself", but, so the idea goes, "and-per-se-and" was mutated into the "ampersand". The shape of the ampersand itself is the French word "et", and in some stylised versions, you can see how it arose.

I'm not absolutely convinced of this yarn, but eh, it's as probable as anything else

Edit: Just saw your bit about the uu That was once a "wynn", and was a modified Old English futhorc rune. It became "uu" and that was eventually rammed together as w, still called the "double-u". Which was really rather unimaginative of us...

OldGoat

I'm still claiming a win for ampersand.

The first British international motor race was held in Ireland way back in 1903. This was because the laws governing motor racing were slightly more flexible here. It was won by a German (Camille Jenatzy) in a Mercedes. The race series still exists today. Who was the American press baron that started the race series?

Samaris

OldGoat wrote: »

I'm still claiming a win for ampersand.

The first British international motor race was held in Ireland way back in 1903. This was because the laws governing motor racing were slightly more flexible here. It was won by a German (Camille Jenatzy) in a Mercedes. The race series still exists today. Who was the American press baron that started the race series?

Oh ...uh...yikes. Uhm, Rockefeller?

BrensBenz

Cor Blimey.....Gordon Bennett.....these questions aw awd, innih.

"Won in a Mercedes", slopes off with a smug gob on me, heading for the Curragh of Kildare, but you can follow me up to Carlow!

OldGoat

It was indeed James Gordon Bennett and the annual historic rally still carries his name.
http://www.gordonbennettclassic.ie/

BrensBenz

We of a certain age will remember "The Lone Ranger" as portrayed by Clayton Moore; his faithful companion Tonto (or "Tonno", according to Clayton Moore) portrayed by Jay Silverheels and, probably the better actors of the cast, Silver and Scout, their trusty steeds.

Now, far be it from me to make derogatory remarks about Hollyhood but did you ever feel it strange that, in a country where, at that time, the KKK was rampant and segregation was institutionalised and legal, an all-white superhero could possibly have a non-white faithful companion?

Call me a grumpy old cynic (everybody else does) but I can't help thinking that the WASPs of Hollywood just couldn't live with this idea and, in creating the two-legged characters, made a hidden statement about white supremacy.

Is this waffle too complex? Clues later, if required.

Samaris

I have to admit, I'm a little confused as to what the question is!

BrensBenz

Samaris wrote: »

I have to admit, I'm a little confused as to what the question is!

Yes, keep forgetting that this isn't AH.

OK, courage in both hands: There IS a derogatory flavour in the naming of either the Lone Ranger or Tonto. Unlikely to be the all-white, all-Merkin Lone Ranger - more likely to be something to do with the naming of Tonno I mean Tonto. What could it be?

Samaris

BrensBenz wrote: »

Yes, keep forgetting that this isn't AH.

OK, courage in both hands: There IS a derogatory flavour in the naming of either the Lone Ranger or Tonto. Unlikely to be the all-white, all-Merkin Lone Ranger - more likely to be something to do with the naming of Tonno I mean Tonto. What could it be?

Ah! *Lightbulb moment* Doesn't the word mean "idiot" (or something moderately derogatory) either in a Native American language or perhaps Spanish, given the Mexican border.

BrensBenz

Samaris wrote: »

Ah! *Lightbulb moment* Doesn't the word mean "idiot" (or something moderately derogatory) either in a Native American language or perhaps Spanish, given the Mexican border.

Correctamente! "Village Idiot" in eSpanish and, since The Lone Ranger was a "Texas" ranger, i.e. next door to Mexico, I'm fairly sure he would have known that.

You're up!

Samaris

Two rivers flow side by side for over a thousand miles, usually within a meander of each other, but never meet. What two rivers are these?

BrensBenz

Samaris wrote: »

Two rivers flow side by side for over a thousand miles, usually within a meander of each other, but never meet. What two rivers are these?

Wild guess! I'm aware of two major rivers, both with sources in Tibet, but which spend most of their time in China, which might meet the criteria. Of course, I can't recall their names because I'm old.

looksee

Tigris and Euphrates

(I assume these are rivers, it was the first pair of names that popped into my head)

oops just read the question with the vital bits about Tibet and China. No idea

Samaris

looksee wrote: »

Tigris and Euphrates

(I assume these are rivers, it was the first pair of names that popped into my head)

oops just read the question with the vital bits about Tibet and China. No idea

Nope, you're right!

looksee

Huh I thought they were in mesopotamia (dredges memory for words learned at school). Will have a check on this, obviously i was under a misapprehension about where mesopotamia was

Samaris

looksee wrote: »

Huh I thought they were in mesopotamia (dredges memory for words learned at school). Will have a check on this, obviously i was under a misapprehension about where mesopotamia was

It was Brens that spoke of Tibet and China, not me Yes, Mesopotamia is between the rivers.

looksee

Oh right, *looks embarrassed*

looksee

Of which book is this the first sentence:

'There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.'

Samaris

Ooh, The Silver Chair, Narnia.

looksee

Nope

Samaris

Drat. Voyage of the Dawntreader then?

Edit: Herp derp, it was Voyage, he was Useless until he got stuck briefly as a dragon.

looksee

That's it!

Samaris

What were the first living things to go into space -and come back alive-?

the block

Samaris wrote: »

What were the first living things to go into space -and come back alive-?

Dogs

the block

Samaris wrote: »

What were the first living things to go into space -and come back alive-?

Fruit flies