Things you've always wondered about but couldn't be bothered to find out

[Tazio]

If someone lives abroad for a number of years, and speaks that country's language almost constantly, is it possible they would forget their mother language?

 

I'm not sure about forgetting it completely but a Dutch friend says he always struggles for a while to remember a few things when he goes home as he's been here for 30 years. This revelation came about after I asked him if his dreams were in Dutch or English. The answer being English.

[jambo89]

I'm not sure about forgetting it completely but a Dutch friend says he always struggles for a while to remember a few things when he goes home as he's been here for 30 years. This revelation came about after I asked him if his dreams were in Dutch or English. The answer being English.

My brothers wife is Polish and she says she now thinks in English.

 

I find it incredible that the brain works that way. I always thought you would think about it in your native tongue and then translate it in to English.

[PsychocAndy]

My brother has been in The Netherlands for 19 years and it is about 10 years ago that he started to think in Dutch. He comes back every 2 years on holiday and slips back into the Panner internal monologue. I also have to translate into English from my Panner internal monologue and I've stayed in Edinburgh for 42 of my 50 years.

[King Of The Cat Cafe]

Why do different areas have different accents and what did Birmingham do to deserve being lumped with the one they have?

Liverpool got first choice...

[deesidejambo]

How come its easy to keep your balance on a bike when its moving but not when stationary?

[King Of The Cat Cafe]

A thing that I have noticed about accents is that I am not conscious of my own, until I am in a room full of other accents - English people, for example, then I hear myself as they probably hear me.

[superjack]

A thing that I have noticed about accents is that I am not conscious of my own, until I am in a room full of other accents - English people, for example, then I hear myself as they probably hear me.

I find when I hear my own voice recorded, like voicemail, the accent sounds not what I think it is like. Although I've not lived in Edinburgh for 17 years, a lot of people say my Edinburgh accent is still strong. When I hear my voice, to me it doesn't sound lime am Edinburgh accent. Another 1, as I lived in Galashiels from age 8 - 17, I obviously used to have a borders accent. I've never even visited gala since I was 19, 1992. 2 months ago I was speaking to some guy in a pub up here, he was a Geordie, and he asked where I was from. Told him Edinburgh, and he said my accent sounded more Gala than Edinburgh. Obviously he has worked there at some point. How can one person pick up on a difference in my twang that nobody else has, including people from Gala?

[Kmeister]

Why do animals have tails?

[Jimmy McNulty]

How do they build cranes so high? I mean, you need a crane to build a crane, but how was the first crane built?

[Tazio]

How do they build cranes so high? I mean, you need a crane to build a crane, but how was the first crane built?

They build themselves. It's very clever.

[Der Kaiser]

Why do animals have tails?

Depends on the animal.

 

Cheetahs use theirs like rudders for balance chasing down prey.

Some animals tails are for gripping onto branches.

Some are for keeping flies out their face.

There's also that nifty wee lizard whose tail breaks off when it's being attacked to let it get away and it grows back later.

[Pans Jambo]

My brother has been in The Netherlands for 19 years and it is about 10 years ago that he started to think in Dutch. He comes back every 2 years on holiday and slips back into the Panner internal monologue. I also have to translate into English from my Panner internal monologue and I've stayed in Edinburgh for 42 of my 50 years.

Braw lingo....as auld as Scots itself Edited June 7, 2015 by Pans Jambo

[Boof]

Why is a slim chance just the same as a fat chance?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Why is a slim chance just the same as a fat chance?

I think there is a slim/fat chance anyone will know the answer to that

[Kmeister]

Depends on the animal.

 

Cheetahs use theirs like rudders for balance chasing down prey.

Some animals tails are for gripping onto branches.

Some are for keeping flies out their face.

There's also that nifty wee lizard whose tail breaks off when it's being attacked to let it get away and it grows back later.

Thanks.

I thought that balance would be the main reason but would never have thought that there would be different uses depending on the animal.

[Cade]

Why is a slim chance just the same as a fat chance?

Same reason flammable is the same as inflammable

[JamboInSouthsea]

My brother has been in The Netherlands for 19 years and it is about 10 years ago that he started to think in Dutch. He comes back every 2 years on holiday and slips back into the Panner internal monologue. I also have to translate into English from my Panner internal monologue and I've stayed in Edinburgh for 42 of my 50 years.

 

Used to work in despatch for SGN (gas co.) and one of the engineers I had to deal with was half Dutch/Scottish and he seemed to have a fairly thick accent for both. Office based down here in Portsmouth and I was the only person who could understand him.

 

Nice bloke, liked to swaer alot

[Cigaro]

How do they build cranes so high? I mean, you need a crane to build a crane, but how was the first crane built?

They build themselves.

 

A runner pushes the cabin up while the crane brings another section of frame in to increase the height.

[Tazio]

They build themselves.

 

A runner pushes the cabin up while the crane brings another section of frame in to increase the height.

 

Oi! I said that days ago.

[Sten Guns]

The post on cycling made me think of this cracking YouTube video.

 

The backwards brain bicycle. Seems easy in theory but surprised how pretty much impossible it is at first try.

 

[Cigaro]

Oi! I said that days ago.

 

So you did. I remembered reading the question and found out how it works earlier so just came on and answered it without looking. More detail though

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Grasping the nettle, is that a myth dreamt up by someone for a laugh. I have tried that and it was a painful and regrettable experience. I could imagine you can squeeze the stinging hairs so tight that the acid is contained within but not from my experience. Ouch!

[aussieh]

Why do hibs fans smell?.

Is that so blind people can hate them aswell.

[Paolo]

I find when I hear my own voice recorded, like voicemail, the accent sounds not what I think it is like. Although I've not lived in Edinburgh for 17 years, a lot of people say my Edinburgh accent is still strong. When I hear my voice, to me it doesn't sound lime am Edinburgh accent. Another 1, as I lived in Galashiels from age 8 - 17, I obviously used to have a borders accent. I've never even visited gala since I was 19, 1992. 2 months ago I was speaking to some guy in a pub up here, he was a Geordie, and he asked where I was from. Told him Edinburgh, and he said my accent sounded more Gala than Edinburgh. Obviously he has worked there at some point. How can one person pick up on a difference in my twang that nobody else has, including people from Gala?

With regards to accents, do animals have them, and can the animals distinguish between them?

 

Also, do their noises vary (to them) depending on where in the world they are, like human language? For example, I speak very little German, but would a British dog understand a German 'woof'?

[JamboInSouthsea]

With regards to accents, do animals have them, and can the animals distinguish between them?

 

Also, do their noises vary (to them) depending on where in the world they are, like human language? For example, I speak very little German, but would a British dog understand a German 'woof'?

 

Would have thought that given a limited vocal range they'd be much the same.

 

Pretty sure I saw on an Attenborough (sp?) programme that different whale/porpoise pods have their own language nuances tho'.

[3fingersreid]

Why is it called unsmoked bacon which implies it's been smoked previously when it clearly hasn't been

Why not non smoked or just bacon ?

[Tazio]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p? 

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.  

[Cigaro]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p?

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.

Probably psychology.

[peter_hmfc]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p?

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.

 

The whole 99p thing is just pointless.

[Pennywise]

Is feeding a child nothing but takeaways & fast food considered child abuse?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paolo]

Would have thought that given a limited vocal range they'd be much the same.

 

Pretty sure I saw on an Attenborough (sp?) programme that different whale/porpoise pods have their own language nuances tho'.

To the human ear it is limited. To them, it may not be.

[peter_hmfc]

Is it illegal to tell a judge to "**** off!" or give them the V-sign or middle finger?

[martoon]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p? 

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.

 

Psychological con.

 

You buy something for ?9.99, a friend asks how much you paid, you say ?9, because that's the figure in your head and on the receipt, and your friend goes out and buys it too.

 

You're conned into believing you've paid ?18 between you, when it's actually ?20.

[And he's not praying]

Psychological con.

 

You buy something for ?9.99, a friend asks how much you paid, you say ?9, because that's the figure in your head and on the receipt, and your friend goes out and buys it too.

 

You're conned into believing you've paid ?18 between you, when it's actually ?20.

 

 

Na, mate. Not having it.

 

I buy something for ?9.99 and a friend asks me how much I paid, I reply, 'a tenner'. Every time.

[Norm]

Animals have accents.

[Jambos_1874]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p?

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.

How come Petrol is priced at, say, ?1 and 24.9p rather than just ?1.25p? Makes no sense to me although there's no doubt a good reason. Edited June 10, 2015 by Jambos_1874

[martoon]

Na, mate. Not having it.

 

I buy something for ?9.99 and a friend asks me how much I paid, I reply, 'a tenner'. Every time.

Sound.

 

That's at least two of us that won't be taken for mugs. ?

 

Replace sound with cool if you're young.

Edited June 10, 2015 by martoon

[151]

Psychological con.

 

You buy something for ?9.99, a friend asks how much you paid, you say ?9, because that's the figure in your head and on the receipt, and your friend goes out and buys it too.

 

You're conned into believing you've paid ?18 between you, when it's actually ?20.

This is why it is but thats the worst example anyones ever given on any subject I can remember haha!

 

In your mind you see the 9 and are more likely to buy it because its under the 10. I'm not sure if it works because anyone with a brain cell knows that its a bloody tenner.

[martoon]

This is why it is but thats the worst example anyones ever given on any subject I can remember haha!

In your mind you see the 9 and are more likely to buy it because its under the 10. I'm not sure if it works because anyone with a brain cell knows that its a bloody tenner.

That's at least 3 of us now.

[Bindy Badgy]

With regards to accents, do animals have them, and can the animals distinguish between them?

 

Also, do their noises vary (to them) depending on where in the world they are, like human language? For example, I speak very little German, but would a British dog understand a German 'woof'?

 

There was a New Scientist article a while back about dogs copying their owners accent.

[underwaterwoodwelder]

I have always wondered were the phrase "thats a different kettle of fish " comes from . I can never imagine a kettle with fish in it.

[redm]

Is it illegal to tell a judge to "**** off!" or give them the V-sign or middle finger?

Always imagined that would come under contempt of court but not certain on that. Probably some rule against disrespecting the judge and therefore justice itself by extension sort of thing.

[plastic_bas]

Why do shops make prices that end in 99p?

 

Surely if they rounded things up by 1p then they would need less change in their tills and cashing up at the end of the day would be a whole lot quicker and easier. Also the speed of people being served would be quicker as well.

I was always told that it was to force the cashier to ring up the till as the customer expects change. If the price was ?10 instead ?9.99, then the more devious cashier could just pocket the cash and the shop owner would be none the wiser.

[Ivan Drago]

This is why it is but thats the worst example anyones ever given on any subject I can remember haha!

 

In your mind you see the 9 and are more likely to buy it because its under the 10. I'm not sure if it works because anyone with a brain cell knows that its a bloody tenner.

I'd rather pay the ten quid to avoid getting any coppers!

[superjack]

This is why it is but thats the worst example anyones ever given on any subject I can remember haha!

 

In your mind you see the 9 and are more likely to buy it because its under the 10. I'm not sure if it works because anyone with a brain cell knows that its a bloody tenner.

I remember when poundstretchers first opened in Gala a couple of years ago they went with this ploy also, but they took it even further. Instead of 99 pence ot was 99 1/2 pence. In fact, almost everything had the half pence at the end of the price.

[Tazio]

I have always wondered were the phrase "thats a different kettle of fish " comes from . I can never imagine a kettle with fish in it.

 

A kettle is a kind of vessel for cooking fish in, not a kettle for boiling water.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_kettle

Edited June 11, 2015 by Tazio

[Slevinkelevra]

If I buy something at 4.99 or 9.99 I would always say it was a fiver or a tenner.... But it appears that the answer is psychological http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7522426.stm

[highlandjambo3]

where have all the "Englishmen, Irishmen & Scotsman" jokes gone??

[Kmeister]

where have all the "Englishmen, Irishmen & Scotsman" jokes gone??

Political Correctness has done away with them.

[underwaterwoodwelder]

Why did they stop printing jokes on ice lolly sticks !?