What really obvious thing have you only just realised?

Feathers · 18-01-2013 07:14PM

Paz-CCFC wrote: »

Ah yes, that makes more sense. I was thinking along the lines of an old weapon being worn down, whereas a new, "hot" weapon would be nice and sharp.

I always thought it meant branding iron...

Celly Smunt · 18-01-2013 07:17PM

Boombastic wrote: »

'sub' the 'way'...what on earth does that mean? I thought it was because they started the business selling at the Subway stations

in fairly sure they're called submarine sandwiches and subway is just a play on that.

Lunni · 18-01-2013 07:20PM

miamee wrote: »

In those words, the 'y' is considered a vowel.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/is-the-letter-y-a-vowel-or-a-consonant

Sorry, I know that is off-topic.

The really obvious thing I have realised reading this thread is that the standard of English being taught in schools these days has obviously slipped. I am surprised by the amount of people who didn't know that fortnight = fourteen nights or that breakfast = breaking of fast or that 'no one' or 'a lot' or 'as well' are two words, etc. That's not to say I haven't learned a few things in here myself

I'm surprised by the number of people who don't realise that you use 'number' with countable nouns and 'amount' with uncountable nouns.

Allyall · 18-01-2013 07:20PM

pmcmahon wrote: »

in fairly sure they're called submarine sandwiches and subway is just a play on that.

Yep, he replied he meant Subway's as in the Underground trains..

lounakin · 18-01-2013 07:21PM

I realised yesterday that beef is spelt: h-o-r-s-e
(ok someone had to do it)

The King of Moo · 18-01-2013 07:29PM

Lunni wrote: »

I'm surprised by the number of people who don't realise that you use 'number' with countable nouns and 'amount' with uncountable nouns.

I don't think it's very surprising. It's a minor grammar point, and one's meaning is still clear regardless of which word is used.

donalg1 · 18-01-2013 07:38PM

782378 wrote: »

The arrow next to the little petrol pump icon on your dashboard points to the petrol-tank side ... is a little arrow that shows you on which side the petrol cap is located.

Never knew this

Lunni · 18-01-2013 07:38PM

The King of Moo wrote: »

I don't think it's very surprising. It's a minor grammar point, and one's meaning is still clear regardless of which word is used.

It's surprising to me. Especially because people giving out about other people's English almost always seem to make that mistake! 'Can't believe the amount of people who...'

Canard · 18-01-2013 09:35PM

I dont even know how it just hit me, but Odeon cinemas are called that because like, Nickel-odeon...I don't really know the ins and outs of where they got the word from but I just saw the link now and yeah. :pac:

Feathers · 18-01-2013 09:41PM

Patchy~ wrote: »

I dont even know how it just hit me, but Odeon cinemas are called that because like, Nickel-odeon...I don't really know the ins and outs of where they got the word from but I just saw the link now and yeah. :pac:

Ah, you might be on to something. Supposedly were originally cinemas that charged a Nickle to watch a short programme that they reran throughout the day

The King of Moo · 18-01-2013 09:42PM

Patchy~ wrote: »

I dont even know how it just hit me, but Odeon cinemas are called that because like, Nickel-odeon...I don't really know the ins and outs of where they got the word from but I just saw the link now and yeah. :pac:

"Odeon" is an old word for theatre or music hall. The first cinemas in America were called "nickelodeons" because they cost a nickel.

newportlad · 18-01-2013 11:12PM

The Livestrong foundation - play on words with Lance Armstrong

The King of Moo · 18-01-2013 11:15PM

I've just realised that Lance Armstrong, in addition to having some neck, actually probably has really strong arms.

Lingua Franca · 18-01-2013 11:20PM

And he finally had the ball to come clean about his doping.

castletownman · 18-01-2013 11:27PM

Gary Oldman is in fact younger than Gary Numan! I would have thought their surnames would've been self-explanatory

Moll'll fix it · 18-01-2013 11:41PM

castletownman wrote: »

Gary Oldman is in fact younger than Gary Numan! I would have thought their surnames would've been self-explanatory

And Gary Oldman's sister is actress Layla Morse who plays Big Mo in Eastenders

Capt'n Midnight · 19-01-2013 12:52AM

lounakin wrote: »

some words with clusters of consonants that no one has ANY difficulty saying:

latchstring

Allyall · 19-01-2013 01:07AM

TWYNDYLLYNGS

miamee · 19-01-2013 09:34AM

Lunni wrote: »

It's surprising to me. Especially because people giving out about other people's English almost always seem to make that mistake! 'Can't believe the amount of people who...'

I said I was surprised by it...just like you are. The instances I was talking about are things that are obvious to me. This point seems to be obvious to you about 'amount' versus 'number'.

fatherted1969 · 19-01-2013 08:50PM

Watching the rugby since i was a chap, always wondered why some of the forwards wore thick heavy strapping on their thighs. Seen a pic in the paper today and realised they are the jumpers in the lineout and the strapping was to help the lifters in the lineout.

Shameful

cartell_best · 19-01-2013 09:08PM

"What really obvious thing have you only just realised? "what all the fuss about Gangnam Style" was about, until I was in a night club last night... Not messing but when the tune came on, the entire night club erupted. People throwing shapes in every direction. I've never seen anything like it.....

fasttalkerchat · 19-01-2013 09:40PM

Was in the room when someone realised that 24hr shops are open 24 hours... He thought they were open at night and closed during the day.

Mal-Adjusted · 20-01-2013 01:17AM

in fairness, most aren't

Ghandee · 20-01-2013 01:55PM

**SUNDAY AFTERNOON MIND BENDER**

Take your age.

Subtract three from that number.

That's what age you were 3 years ago!

Auntie Psychotic · 20-01-2013 02:12PM

Ghandee wrote: »

**SUNDAY AFTERNOON MIND BENDER**

Take your age.

Subtract three from that number.

That's what age you were 3 years ago!

Mind. BLOWN.

Mal-Adjusted · 20-01-2013 03:12PM

I just realized that the medical ship from the end of Empire Strikes Back is shaped like Offaly

Allyall · 20-01-2013 08:05PM

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

I just realized that the medical ship from the end of Empire Strikes Back is shaped like Offaly

That's a bit of a stretch..:)

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080318143055/starwars/images/c/c4/Redemption_btm.jpg

http://www.irelandgenweb.com/irloff/offaly_map.gif

fasttalkerchat · 20-01-2013 08:16PM

Allyall wrote: »

That's a bit of a stretch..:)

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080318143055/starwars/images/c/c4/Redemption_btm.jpg

http://www.irelandgenweb.com/irloff/offaly_map.gif

Good shout all the same.
Am I the only one who had no clue what shape Offaly was?

KKkitty · 20-01-2013 09:51PM

OakeyDokey wrote: »

How do we know that Humpty Dumpty was an egg? Where was that ever said?

Humpty dumpty was a cannon apparently. Google it to make sure.

WellKiiid?? · 20-01-2013 09:54PM

That the artist 'Flo Rida' And 'Will.I.Am' really spell 'Florida' And 'William' :P

What really obvious thing have you only just realised?

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