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Original poster

OMG I'm thick as mince

447 replies

OopsInamechangedagain · 21/12/2018 20:43

I was just doing an online trivia quiz and one of the answers mentioned that zebra crossings are so-called because the black and white stripes resemble a zebra's coat. I can't believe that not once in my 40-odd years on this planet did I twig the connection!

What else have I missed...? Confused

OP posts:
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DadDadDad · 22/12/2018 10:57

Sorry, to backtrack a few posts, but @MissClareRemembers , Magdalene College is in Cambridge - it's Magdalen College in Oxford (no final 'e'). Both are indeed pronounced Maudlin.

Also, Caius College is pronounced 'keys'.

DadDadDad · 22/12/2018 11:01

I have to say I'm rather surprised no-one's come up with "pineapples don't grow on trees" yet...

OP - I think that's my cue to point to this thread which I started last month to celebrate these revelations: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3418716-Pineapples-dont-grow-on-trees-and-other-misconceptions-that-MN-has-revealed-over-the-years

BirthdayKake · 22/12/2018 11:11

Well after reading this thread and feeling smug about how much I knew, I'm shocked to discover that "arctic" lorries are called "artic" lorries!! DH is a lorry driver as well. Can't wait to tell him! I'm sure he says arctic too

DadDadDad · 22/12/2018 11:24

I didn't realise the why did the chicken cross the road joke had a double meaning until I was an adult.

That's because the double meaning is something people have more recently suggested - it wasn't intended when the joke was first made, at least that's what the evidence suggests. It's really meant to be a joke that is funny because there is no joke. There's a Wikipedia article all about it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_did_the_chicken_cross_the_road%3F

Starstruck2020 · 22/12/2018 11:40

I’ve just realised recently that the months July-November spell Jason. Doesn’t change my life or anything but just never noticed before.... hopefully I’m not the only one!

SinkGirl · 22/12/2018 11:47

Baa Baa and Twinkle Twinkle have the same core melody, with slight variations. Fundamentally they are the same basic tune, with the major change being the final line of each verse of BBBS

SinkGirl · 22/12/2018 11:48

I don’t understand how people didn’t get Diagon Alley / diagonally - I’m sure is spelt out in the books on more than one occasion (that woman over-explains everything).

MissClareRemembers · 22/12/2018 12:16

@DadDadDad

See! I still haven’t learnt!

EastMidsGPs · 22/12/2018 12:24

Often when fighting insomnia I like to listen to the Shipping Forecast. It can somehow pleases me to think someone is looking out for those at sea.
Anyhow, only a couple of weeks ago I realised Finisterre means end of land. It had always sounded a simply exotic place to me. When I excitedly told DH of my discovery he was like HmmHmm

brizzledrizzle · 22/12/2018 12:25

I don’t understand how people didn’t get Diagon Alley / diagonally - I’m sure is spelt out in the books on more than one occasion (that woman over-explains everything).

I've never read the books so I was completely clueless.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 22/12/2018 12:26

Finisterre is the Brittany equivalent to Land’s End.

ChesterGreySideboard · 22/12/2018 12:27

Twinkle twinkle and Baa Baa Black sheep.
Similar but not the same.

OMG I'm thick as mince
OMG I'm thick as mince
brizzledrizzle · 22/12/2018 12:31

Finisterre is also the Spanish equivalent although it's not the western most point on that penisular; Portugal's Cabo de Roca has that distinction. It's Fitzroy on the shipping forecast though.

Lollypop27 · 22/12/2018 12:38

I found out yesterday that Mauritius is in the Indian Ocean and not in the Caribbean. My mind was blown.

Also Axl Rose is an anagram of oral sex.

crrrzy · 22/12/2018 12:40

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

PinkAvocado · 22/12/2018 12:50

That a fortnight is fourteen nights 😁 It’s so obvious.

Bowlofbabelfish · 22/12/2018 12:52

My toaster does indeed correspond to minutes. I ran tests

LadyRochfordsFrostedGusset · 22/12/2018 12:54

Like this thread.

I said The-A- Saurus dinosaur-like 🦖 instead of "thesaurus" for years.

Rubytinsleslippers · 22/12/2018 12:59

Child of the 80's... july onwards spells Jason D ( as in dononan...) was how i learned my month order... huge Neighbours fan in the day...

TheRealJoseph · 22/12/2018 14:52

Banoffee Pie was invented in the UK.

MrsFezziwig · 22/12/2018 15:23

italian cortado oh no it isn’t! (since we’re in pantomime season) Xmas Wink

brizzledrizzle · 22/12/2018 15:26

The bigger ones are designed for iPad charging, the smaller for iPhones

and the even bigger ones for laptops.

Whatthefunk · 22/12/2018 15:46

I only found out what posh meant recently. For those as behind as me, it refers to which side of the ship, you sail on. The rich folk, would sail, port out and starboard homeGrin

DadDadDad · 22/12/2018 15:53

Whatthefunk - sadly it seems that posh explanation is a myth with no evidence.

blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/02/03/what-is-the-origin-of-posh/

raspberrycordial · 22/12/2018 15:54

I was well into my 30s before I realised the scarecrom, tinman and lion were all people Dorothy knew and that she was in a dream for the film.