Tag Archives: Language

In Australian slang, individuals with red hair are commonly referred to as “Bluey.”

In Australian slang, individuals with red hair are commonly referred to as “Bluey.”Source

In 1963, 16-year-old Bruce McAllister sent a survey to 150 famous writers, with 75 responses, to…

In 1963, 16-year-old Bruce McAllister sent a survey to 150 famous writers, with 75 responses, to…Source

Keep Calm and Carry On

You can find it almost everywhere: in every gift shop, on every online merchandise store, on every souvenir stand – and on every object imaginable, from posters and postcards to coffee mugs, water bottles, t-shirts, and phone cases: the brick-red background, the stylized white crown, and in big, bold letters, those five iconic words: Keep… Read More »

What’s Up With Measuring So Many Things in “Gauge”?

From the dawn of history we humans have been obsessed with measurement, striving to gauge, rank, and quantify every part of our world from the tallest mountain to the tiniest grain of sand. It is an obsession which led to the development of the precise mathematics and science which underpin our modern world. But one… Read More »

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is Up With the NATO Phonetic Alphabet?

Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu. If you have ever served in the armed forces or worked in the aviation industry, these words are most likely permanently seared into your brain. And even if you… Read More »

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WTF Fun Fact 13717 – Ties Between Norwegian and English

It turns out Norwegian and English are very similar languages. Click to read the full fact. The post WTF Fun Fact 13717 – Ties Between Norwegian and English appeared first on WTF Fun Facts. Source

“Up Yours!” “Victory,” Or “Peace, Man” Where did the “Two Finger Salute” REALLY Come From?

Of all the various hand gestures we humans commonly use, few are as complicated and versatile as the “V-sign,” AKA “the forks” or the “two-finger salute”. With just a twist of the wrist, this simple sign can go from a symbol of victory, peace, or Kawaii cuteness to an extremely rude gesture roughly translating to… Read More »

What’s the Difference Between a Tidal Wave and a Tsunami?

At 2:46 PM on March 11, 2011, at a spot 60 kilometres off the coast of Japan, the Pacific tectonic plate suddenly slipped and plunged under the Eurasian plate. The resulting Tohoku earthquake, lasting six minutes and measuring 9.0 on the Moment Magnitude Scale, was the most powerful in Japanese history and the fourth largest… Read More »

First World, Third World… What are the Second World Countries

If I say the words “Third World Country”, what image springs to mind? Most likely something out of a World Vision commercial: starving children, ramshackle villages of corrugated metal huts, dirty water, disease, corruption, human rights abuses, and war. Now, what about a “First World Country?” Well, if you’re watching this video right now, odds… Read More »

WTF Fun Fact 13537 – Apologies in the Workplace

Apologies in the workplace work better when they buck gender stereotypes. Click to read the full fact. The post WTF Fun Fact 13537 – Apologies in the Workplace appeared first on WTF Fun Facts. Source