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Original poster

Which months have 31 days...?

102 replies

BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 20:59

Just watching last night’s Taskmaster and the task is to come up with something memorable to replace the “30 days hath September “ poem.

Just had a discussion with DH - until I was 8 in lived in the central belt of Scotland and we just learned the rhyme.

When I was 9 I moved to Perthshire and there was a COMPLETELY MAD was to work it out ON YOUR KNUCKLES.

DH has just looked at me like I’m a crazy person but tbf I’m not an expert in this method as I moved there when I was 9, already knew the poem and my classmates already knew the knuckle thing.

Does anyone else - maybe from Perthshire - know the KNUCKLE THING.

Tbf my husband already worried about my education

OP posts:
ScarfaceCwaw · 02/04/2021 21:01

Hahahaha! I saw this thread title and KNEW you had just watched Taskmaster.

Sarah Kendrew was doing the knuckle thing, wasn't she? I never heard of that in my whole life but she's Aussie.

MiddleParking · 02/04/2021 21:03

I’ve definitely seen the knuckle thing but haven’t got a clue how it works. Just wanted to validate your experience Grin I am Scottish but not from Perthshire!

RiaOverTheRainbow · 02/04/2021 21:03

I learned the knuckle method at school in Aberdeen.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 02/04/2021 21:03

I know the song and the knuckle thing. I also just know which ones have 31days; it’s like a vibe they give off.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 02/04/2021 21:04

To add I’m from the south east, never even been to Scotland.

xyzandabc · 02/04/2021 21:05

Not something I've come across but my dd is 14, I just asked her. She knows the knuckle way, from primary school in Oxfordshire.

Original poster
BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 21:05

Well I’m now in Aberdeen but DH doesn’t know the knuckle thing. But he was brought up in the shire...(like a freaking hobbit)

OP posts:
EspressoExpresso · 02/04/2021 21:06

I know the knuckle thing.

Hold your hands out infront of you palms facing the floor and make into two fists. Starting on your left hand, the left most knuckle is January. Each knuckle and each "dip" between is a month. Each knuckle is a 31 day month, each "dip" between is a 30 day month (or 28/29 in the case of February).

HelpLegalAdvicePlease · 02/04/2021 21:07

You make 2 closed fists and put your hands next to each other. Then count from the first knuckle on your left hand. Each knuckle is a month with 31 days. Each 'dip' is a month that doesn't have 31 days (obviously 30 except for Feb which is your first dip) because there is no dip between your hands where you have Knuckle, Knuckle in the middle that's July and August. It works!

SailorGirl3 · 02/04/2021 21:07

Dundee here - I teach the rhyme and the knuckle method in school to my pupils.

Original poster
BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 21:07

Just spoken to DD who is 17 and she just doesn’t know either way. The future of our society ladies and gentlemen.

DD that is 14 knows the poem.

OP posts:
HelpLegalAdvicePlease · 02/04/2021 21:08

Ha cross post!

I'm Dutch and this is how I was taught as a child to remember which months had 30 and which had 31 days.

ETgo · 02/04/2021 21:08

I always do the knuckle thing - I’m in Southampton.

It’s make a fist with both hands in front of you with knuckles at the top. You count the months starting at either side and go ‘knuckle, dip, knuckle’ etc. The knuckle months (?) 😂 have 31 days and the months in the dip have 30 except for February.

That’s a really bad explanation but I can’t think how else to explain it 😂

Original poster
BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 21:08

Do our knuckles have any other uses...?

OP posts:
Original poster
BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 21:09

Loving this..!

OP posts:
TheCanyon · 02/04/2021 21:10

Well this thread is a revelation because I can never remember the 30 days poem. Didn't teach this knuckle thing in fife. I'm away to get a marker and write on dh to test it out.

Nacreous · 02/04/2021 21:11

I got taught the poem but could never remember it properly!

I then got taught the "knuckle" way but using fingers instead of knuckles and that would be what I use now if necessary.

Crockof · 02/04/2021 21:13

Fuck me, never heard of the knuckle thing and it took me far too long to understand the instructions but it is ace

RiaOverTheRainbow · 02/04/2021 21:13

That's interesting Help, I learned it with one fist and the other hand free to tap your knuckles, you reach the end on July then double back, re-tapping your last knuckle for August.

MrsKramer · 02/04/2021 21:14

Knuckles for me. Grew up in Bristol. It's really useful!

Original poster
BathshebaKnickerStickers · 02/04/2021 21:16

@RiaOverTheRainbow That’s how the Perthshire kids do it..you are down with the (Perthshire) kids....

OP posts:
AnneShirleysNewDress · 02/04/2021 21:16

I know the knuckle thing (and love Taskmaster). I'm in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

suddengate · 02/04/2021 21:19

Never learnt (learned?) the poem but know of it, never had to learn it because I've always used my knuckles! I'm in Merseyside

pheasantsinlove · 02/04/2021 21:20

I'm in the East Midlands and I've always done it the knuckles way... can never remember the rhyme

BikeRunSki · 02/04/2021 21:22

I grew up in central London and knew both methods.