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Original poster

Things you assumed and were astonished to find out you were completely wrong

1000 replies

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

OP posts:
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19
LadyCurd · 05/09/2024 06:15

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!

Wait it’s not!? Runs away to google!

Cardboardeaux · 05/09/2024 06:22

UrsulaBelle · 04/09/2024 23:26

Hamburgers originated in Hamburg in Germany. Generally made from beef and shortened to burgers, then called beef burgers. Similarly frankfurter sausages originated in Frankfurt. 😂

Edited
Show quote history

Yes, it's "beef burger" rather than "beefburger" iyswim. Although I like to imagine they're from a fictitious German town called Beefburg (which is near Vegeburg, obviously 😉)

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:26

WutheringConniption · 04/09/2024 21:38

Billericay is not in Ireland

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you! Please don't think I'm laughing at you per se. It's just hilarious to imagine Billericay in Ireland!

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:29

NeuroKorma · 04/09/2024 21:53

@RealHousewivesOfTaunton (love the name) watchu on about???

It still feels wrong that my instep is actually on the top of my foot.

Isnt it the inside side of the foot? I never know which bit of motorway is nearside either to be fair.

Everything labelled nearside is the left
Near your heart is a good way to remember!

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:29

SoOriginal · 04/09/2024 22:16

I always believed that the evil Queen in Snow White (Disney film) said ‘mirror mirror on the wall’. Now, rewatching with my toddler after 20 odd years only to find she actually says ‘magic mirror on the wall’. I rewatched it 4 times as couldn’t believe my ears.

This has to be wrong!!

Sandrock · 05/09/2024 06:31

Screamingabdabz · 04/09/2024 21:39

I thought the Falkland Islands were just off the coast of Scotland.

Me too! I also thought Dunkirk was in Scotland too.

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:32

LaMarschallin · 04/09/2024 22:00

I didn't know that MOT - as in the test - stood for Ministry of Transport. I thought it was something like "Motorists' Official Test".
It was my first question in a chocolate "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" game one Christmas and I was the only one who didn't win any chocolate money.
And I love quizzes.
And chocolate!

Thoughts and prayers...
😀

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:33

I did not know the pineapple , the puffer fish or the heart failure ones until reading this thread!

I assumed Leeds Castle was in ......Leeds
until I read a book where the characters who are based in London visit it for an afternoon.

I thought the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody were:
🎵 Got a noose, got a noose when you do the fandango 🎵
I think my lyrics make more sense!

ChristmasFluff · 05/09/2024 06:36

Oceangreyscale · 04/09/2024 22:02

That Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling are two separate people. Never gave either much thought (not my type) and they do look similar.

I believed this too, until about a week ago - I just thought he looked a lot better with blonde hair!

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:37

CaveMum · 04/09/2024 22:09

The origin of “nearside” and “offside” dates back to when we all used horses to get around. You always mount a horse from the near side (left) as historically a soldier would have his sword on his left hip (so he could draw it with his right hand when needed).

We still use “near” and “off” now when talking about horse physiology - “He’s got a white sock on his near hind”.

Its just another example of old terminology sticking around in our language even though it’s origin no longer applies/is relevant.

But nearside does apply in other situations and contexts
It is a current word, not a throwback from equestrianism!

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:38

BasiliskStare · 04/09/2024 22:41

When I was young I thought there was only one Concorde

There's more than 1???

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:40

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 04/09/2024 22:49

So many things.

There was never a police nessy in the Family Ness named Elliot Ness.

Jessica Fletcher and Sarah Jessica Parker are two separate people. There is no Sarah Jessica Parker

See also Culluden and Fluddon. There is no Fulluden.

The Lockerbie bomber was a Libyan guy named Al-Megrahi. Not, as thought, an Irish republican named Al McGarry.

Ru Paul's Drag Race is a competition for drag queens. Not, (as I thought after somehow conflating it with Priscilla Queen of the Desert) a long distance overland car race in which everyone must wear drag.

Sarah Jessica Parker is an actress

IDontHateRainbows · 05/09/2024 06:41

AnnieSnap · 05/09/2024 00:33

For some reason I and it turned out, my husband, believed that Pineapples grew on trees. When we were in Costa Rica, someone pointed out fields of them. We were both stunned!

I blame Agadoo by Black Lace for this ..

Agadoo doo doo push pineapple in a tree.

Andoutcomethewolves · 05/09/2024 06:41

Kokomjolk · 04/09/2024 23:39

I also assumed Carlisle was in Scotland. It really sounds like it should be.

Me too. I think it might be because I associated it with Robert Carlyle - I'd seen him in Trainspotting and the Full Monty before I heard of the place so that word just = Scottish in my 12 year old brain! Makes no logical sense 😆

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:42

TheShellBeach · 04/09/2024 22:18

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

I'd never heard of them until a couple of months ago.

Did everone who only recently learn what a narwhals miss the London Bridge stabbings a couple of years ago?

imforeverblowingbuttons · 05/09/2024 06:42

When I was younger I thought Pubic hair was public hair. Couldn't understand the name as it's not something you show the public!

GingerLiberalFeminist · 05/09/2024 06:43

For years I thought Scotland Yard was in Scotland. I just assumed that Scotland had better detectives. Then I saw a street name in Whitehall.

soupfiend · 05/09/2024 06:45

ISeriouslyDoubtIt · 04/09/2024 23:09

I just can't believe how people get through their lives not knowing the most simple basic general knowledge of Britain and the world. Thinking the Elgin marbles are actual marbles, the Falkland Islands are in Scotland, that Harrogate is coastal, that film scenes are filmed in the order they appear on screen and numerous other things have got to be a wind-up, how do people manage not knowing this very simple stuff.

Oh dear, thread killer attempt

This is a nice lighthearted funny thread about the nuances of human understanding about everyday things or mis hearings or misunderstandings. They're amusing and life affirming

Life doenst have to be about arrogance and proving how clever and superior you are.

Try to have a nice day with some empathy for your fellow humans.

llamajohn · 05/09/2024 06:46

SinnerBoy · 05/09/2024 05:26

coxesorangepippin · Today 02:27

Napoleon actually existed I thought he was a myth

No, he wath a mithter.

😆

Andoutcomethewolves · 05/09/2024 06:47

Lavendersquare · 04/09/2024 23:45

Are they really not related? Flintoff's hardly a common name so i think most people would think the same - I did.

Show quote history

Ahahaa I'm 39 and just had to Google this to understand all the hilarity as I was thinking the same as you reading the earlier posts - so they're the same person!? Well, I've never claimed to be into cricket 😬

ThePrologue · 05/09/2024 06:48

Snapplepie · 04/09/2024 22:22

DH learned at university that the drug digoxin is made from foxgloves. Years later he realised that foxgloves were a plant and not foxes feet.

That is very worrying in a graduate
Well, in anyone

Xxxxx7777777 · 05/09/2024 06:49

I thought deep sea diving was called dipsy diving!! I found out like last year its deep sea! Thought the dip meant you take a dip in the sea 😂😂😂😂

ICallPeopleDudeNow · 05/09/2024 06:50

WutheringConniption · 04/09/2024 21:38

Billericay is not in Ireland

Haha it's in Essex although it does sound like it should be in Ireland - good way to remember it that I use is to always pronounce it as if you're talking like Bianca from EastEnders... "Billericcaayyyy!" Grin I know that's East End rather than Essex but it's close enough lol.

I always think Lowestoft is somewhere in Devon...

Okeydokedeva · 05/09/2024 06:50

But bees do make honeycomb??

llamajohn · 05/09/2024 06:52

ISeriouslyDoubtIt · 05/09/2024 01:33

I certainly knew everything on this thread, many of which are absolutely basic general knowledge which I thought everyone would know, even children would know a lot of it, so it's surprising when adults don't.
If you read widely, both fiction and non-fiction, from childhood onwards, read newspapers, listen to an intelligent radio station eg radio 4 or world service, go to museums, art galleries etc, keep up with a bit of popular culture, have friends and family with wide-ranging interests which they talk about, and grow up in that type of environment, then you're highly likely to have excellent general knowledge.

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It's a terrible shame that all of your wide reading, radio listening, museum visits and the like failed to teach you how to write the term "e.g." or "etc."

That's absolutely basic general knowledge...

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