British Comedy Guide

Useless Information

Is it just me, or do the expressions "the size of 10 football pitches" or "as high as 20 London buses" or "as heavy as 25 elephants" mean anything. I'd rather have the actual measurements!!
"If laid out end to end, they would reach half way to the moon" Really? 129,000 miles would be more impressive.

As Ultravox used to sing "It means nothing to me..........."

If you put all the Spice Girls CDs ever sold in a long line on the ground, starting at John O'Groats, you get tired. I know.

You wouldn't have to go far though.

Do I criticise your religion?

The game of TAG apparently stands for touch and go.

Interesting.
So does to 'tag' someone - like electronically etc - come from that?
Or does it have a separate root ie more to do with putting a tag - like a paper label - on something?
I love etymology.
If I'd gone to Uni I'd have loved to study it.

Where does the word 'etymology' come from?

Late 14c., ethimolegia "facts of the origin and development of a word," from Old French etimologie, ethimologie (14c., Modern French étymologie), from Latin etymologia, from Greek etymologia "analysis of a word to find its true origin," properly "study of the true sense (of a word)," with -logia "study of, a speaking of" (see -logy) + etymon "true sense, original meaning," neuter of etymos "true, real, actual," related to eteos "true," which perhaps is cognate with Sanskrit satyah, Gothic sunjis, Old English soð "true," from a PIE *set- "be stable." Latinized by Cicero as veriloquium.

And that's 100% from memory - promise.
NOT plundered from the internet in any way, shape or form.

We had 20mm of rain last night so it said on the news.I know 20mm used to be 3/4" but what does it mean?

Quote: Lazzard @ 30th August 2022, 9:10 AM

I love etymology.
If I'd gone to Uni I'd have loved to study it.

I like Butterflies too.

Quote: Chappers @ 31st August 2022, 6:31 PM

I like Butterflies too.

?

Quote: MrApollo @ 30th August 2022, 8:55 PM

We had 20mm of rain last night so it said on the news.I know 20mm used to be 3/4" but what does it mean?

You need an umbrella? ?

There is a town in Canada that has three streets.
They are called This street, That street and The other street.
Phoning for a taxi must be a nightmare.

But you forgot about the police station on Letsbe Avenue.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 19th September 2022, 8:33 AM

But you forgot about the police station on Letsbe Avenue.

They closed it down. The nearest one is 30 miles away and is open from 9am to 4pm. Outside these hours please telephone 101.

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