What really obvious thing have you only just realised?

I thought gangnam style was "gangdam style" didn't realise there was a "n" and not a "d" for ages.

They don't speak Arabic in Iran (well, 97% of the population don't...) - I thought it was an official language there

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Only just realized that the publicist bird in "Happy Gilmore" is Claire from "Modern Family"!

She'll always be Carol Vessey to me.

That Haulbowline island in Cork (The Naval Service main base for those of you who don't know) has a totally nautical name..... Haul Bow Line.

Al Capwned wrote: »

The punchline to "Why did the chicken cross the road" has a second meaning....

"The other side" - I did laugh at myself when i realised this a year or so ago - I'm 35.

I know i'm quoting a old post.. but wanted to

Before i read down the thread I was trying to figure out what the second other side was.. ( i know now it's afterlife )

I thought that maybe it was that he was a Chicken .. as in he was scared.. and went to the other site of the road to avoid a confrontation.

Most people who say they skip breakfast are unwitting liars.

rubadub wrote: »

There's a few words people say without really considering the makeup of the word, or what it could also mean.

Extraordinary is often rattled off in a way you would not realise its made of 2 words. Awful could be used in a good way, as in you were in awe, "I thought the pyramids were awful" Dickens was supposed to use it like that. To call a woman "stunning" does not necessarily have to mean beautiful.

I'm living with a linguistics student for whom English isn't a first language. She really has melted my brain with questions about the English language, present perfect simple, past perfect progressive, etc.
that movie affected and now it's having an effect.
I would have done that, if I had of know. So be if I had of know, I would have done that.
Also getting that feeling you get that words don't make sense after repeating them over and over.

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Also getting that feeling you get that words don't make sense after repeating them over and over.

I get this with ''lorry'', I used to doubt if it was a real word at times. I blame the drink

gramar wrote: »

I never copped it in English until I realised in Spanish it was to 'unfast'
Ayunar - to fast desayunar - 'to unfast' or as we know it breakfast.

It's the same in French too...juener is to fast and dejuener 'to unfast'.

dejuener, must be something to do with dinner?

ICOcarbiens wrote: »

I only recently figured out the difference between a duck.



For anyone who is interested, it's simply that one leg is the same.

actually it's "one of it's legs are both the same"

salacious crumb wrote: »

Is it not lunch?

I don't know, i was asking. The word Dejuener (If i'm pronouncing it correctly) sounds very like dinner (to me).

salacious crumb wrote: »

It's pronounced kinda like day-joon-ay. I always thought it meant lunch.
If only there was some way we could instantly find out what it means

Yeah, it is lunch. :P My other realization relevant to this will make that even more mind-blowing:

gramar wrote: »

I never copped it in English until I realised in Spanish it was to 'unfast'
Ayunar - to fast desayunar - 'to unfast' or as we know it breakfast.

It's the same in French too...juener is to fast and dejuener 'to unfast'.

I had no idea about either of those in French or Spanish :eek: So interesting. Makes sense then that breakfast is petit déjeuner, I always wondered why breakfast was a 'little lunch'.

Though I did realize it in English early enough, because I kept writing "breakfeast" and needed a way to remember what it really was

I just found out :pac:

dinner (n.)c.1300, from Old French disner (11c.), originally "breakfast," later "lunch," noun use of infinitive disner (see dine). Always used in English for the main meal of the day; shift from midday to evening began with the fashionable classes. Childish reduplication din-din is attested from 1905.