Page 18 | Things you assumed and were astonished to find out you were completely wrong

Babadookinthewardrobe · 04/09/2024 23:47

I accidentally tuned into the shipping forecast as a kid. It was during the time of the Falklands war funnily enough. I thought I’d tuned into a secret military channel sending coded messages to the troops.

AmateurDad · 04/09/2024 23:48

Nomdejeur · 04/09/2024 22:04

I thought Freddie Flintoff and Andrew Flintoff were brothers, told my OH how proud their parents must be, to have them both play cricket for England. He has never let me forget it.

Aren’t they..?!?

Are they cousins, then?

YesIJudge · 04/09/2024 23:48

NinaBernina · 04/09/2024 21:53

I thought that Pontefract was in Wales - in fact I still think it should be, definitely sounds like a Welsh town to me!

I've always said this! And Barnstaple should be in Yorkshire not Devon. It is in my head anyway.

SpicyMoth · 04/09/2024 23:48

loropianalover · 04/09/2024 21:37

I always thought narwhals were mythical creatures from stories. Only recently learned they actually exist!

In the same vein as this, my DH thought naked mole rats were creatures from video games until I went on google and showed him that they're real!!

HappyThread · 04/09/2024 23:48

Mumtobabyhavoc · 04/09/2024 23:31

@HappyThread I'm in tears! 😂

How did you account for all the shapes? Coincidence?
Please explain!!!!

Edited

As I said very complex phenomenon that is very hard to understand. 😂

HeyPrestoAlakazam · 04/09/2024 23:50

AmateurDad · 04/09/2024 23:48

Aren’t they..?!?

Are they cousins, then?

Show quote history

Andrew Flintoff is nicknamed Freddie Flintoff after Fred Flintstone...

Yep.

I know. I know. We've all been taken for a ride thinking there's two of them.

Sexyshrek · 04/09/2024 23:50

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 04/09/2024 22:38

That Apple Bottom jeans from the Flo Rida song low weren't jeans that gave you an apple shaped bottom but were a brand of jeans owned by the hip hop artist Nelly.

Edited

And 'boots with the fur' is not actually boots with a fur trim. She was wearing boots and a fur coat.

Arlanymor · 04/09/2024 23:50

Frith2013 · 04/09/2024 23:43

Pontefract is not in Wales.

Even though it means something in Welsh.

What does it mean in Welsh? And wouldn’t it be ffract? Not being arsey, genuinely interested as a learner. I live near the bridge over the river Tawe! (Pontardawe).

CluelessAboutBiology · 04/09/2024 23:50

YellowphantGrey · 04/09/2024 22:00

That neither Dunstable and Dunkirk are in Scotland. I know now but I grew up just assuming they were Scottish.

Even worse, both my parents are Scottish so really should know better.

You’re not the only one who thought Dunkirk was somewhere else. When I was in middle school, I very confidently drew the route of the Dunkirk landings…….showing Dunkirk to be in Ireland!

TheaBrandt · 04/09/2024 23:51

I remember having a heated debate with an ex who was convinced Enid Blyton was a man! Just couldn’t get his head round it.

MrsWidgerysLodger · 04/09/2024 23:52

Not sure if this counts but was talking with my sister recently and was laughing about how long it took me to realise that the piggy going to market in the "this little piggy" rhyme was not actually off to do his shopping.... She looked utterly shocked. We're both in our 40s. I didn't twig until I was in my 30s!!! 🙈

Fizbosshoes · 04/09/2024 23:52

My DD taught me how to pronounce hyperbole when she was about 15 and I was in my early 40s. I'd only seen it written down but never heard anyone say it.

Along the same lines I've been mind blown on some of the pronunciation of Oxbridge colleges. Again I'd seen written down but recently read a thread on MN about how to pronounce Magdalen college and was amazed, and then watching university challenge when the presenter says the colleges...

ilovepixie · 04/09/2024 23:54

AdditionalCharacter · 04/09/2024 22:09

I always think Thirsk is in Scotland, have to think about it a little to remember it isn't.

I was in my late 30s when I discovered that cows have to give birth before they produce milk. I just thought that they could produce milk at will.

I'm 56 and today we had a conversation about cows milk in work and I learned this!

TeacheeTeacherson · 04/09/2024 23:55

AppropriateAdult · 04/09/2024 22:03

For some reason I always thought that a "five o'clock shadow" was named for the position of the stubble on a man's face - I think I was subconsciously thinking of a sundial and how its shadows fall (I know that makes very little sense). Then just the other day someone used the phrase and it hit me that it referred to the time of day that the regrowth tends to be visible by

Oh! Of course! 🙈

Arlanymor · 04/09/2024 23:55

MrsWidgerysLodger · 04/09/2024 23:52

Not sure if this counts but was talking with my sister recently and was laughing about how long it took me to realise that the piggy going to market in the "this little piggy" rhyme was not actually off to do his shopping.... She looked utterly shocked. We're both in our 40s. I didn't twig until I was in my 30s!!! 🙈

Ohhhhhhhh… I’m 45! Not going to get his weekly shopping then?! 😱

CluelessAboutBiology · 04/09/2024 23:56

AnneKipankitoo · 04/09/2024 22:12

I thought Roy Orbison was blind.

I only found out earlier this year that he wasn’t.

shuggles · 04/09/2024 23:56

I thought that salaries of £30k - £35k were normal, then I browsed mumsnet and was shocked to find out that they are low.

Sd352 · 04/09/2024 23:56

Sexyshrek · 04/09/2024 23:50

And 'boots with the fur' is not actually boots with a fur trim. She was wearing boots and a fur coat.

Show quote history

I genuinely thought it was about a girl wearing Uggs to the club. They were popular at the time!

AmateurDad · 04/09/2024 23:56

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

I don’t think they had “raves” in Orwell’s day…?

ilovepixie · 04/09/2024 23:57

AnneKipankitoo · 04/09/2024 22:12

I thought Roy Orbison was blind.

Was he not? 😱😱

Oceangreyscale · 04/09/2024 23:57

Fizbosshoes · 04/09/2024 23:52

My DD taught me how to pronounce hyperbole when she was about 15 and I was in my early 40s. I'd only seen it written down but never heard anyone say it.

Along the same lines I've been mind blown on some of the pronunciation of Oxbridge colleges. Again I'd seen written down but recently read a thread on MN about how to pronounce Magdalen college and was amazed, and then watching university challenge when the presenter says the colleges...

But also I believe the pronunciation is Maudlin in Cambridge and Magdalen in Oxford but spelt the same. Unhelpful. Someone correct me if I've got that wrong.

I also thought the Watford Gap was near Watford.

AppropriateAdult · 04/09/2024 23:58

MrsWidgerysLodger · 04/09/2024 23:52

Not sure if this counts but was talking with my sister recently and was laughing about how long it took me to realise that the piggy going to market in the "this little piggy" rhyme was not actually off to do his shopping.... She looked utterly shocked. We're both in our 40s. I didn't twig until I was in my 30s!!! 🙈

To be honest, I think this is one that has been reinterpreted after the fact - other pigs in the rhyme are anthropomorphised (a pig eating roast beef?) so why wouldn't the first one be off to do his shopping?

Oceangreyscale · 04/09/2024 23:59

An adult once asked me if I wanted a 'can-ape' rather than a can-a-pay. I did not correct him.

ThatBusyPanda · 04/09/2024 23:59

Oceangreyscale · 04/09/2024 23:57

But also I believe the pronunciation is Maudlin in Cambridge and Magdalen in Oxford but spelt the same. Unhelpful. Someone correct me if I've got that wrong.

I also thought the Watford Gap was near Watford.

Show quote history

The Oxford college is also “Maudlin”

JohnTheRevelator · 05/09/2024 00:00

Cattery · 04/09/2024 21:27

For example: The Elgin Marbles. Heard these mentioned from time to time over the years. Always pictured marbles; kids’ marbles. Then I heard they were something to do with Greece and I’ve always thought Elgin was there. Got it all completely wrong

Same here up until about 10 years ago. 🙄