The AnswerBank Articles

Red sky at night...

... shepherd's delight A. ...Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning We've all heard this rhyme, and we in Britain are, it seems, obsessed with the weather. How many times have you heard the same01:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

What's the difference between a first cousin, once removed and a second cousin

A. A perennial problem this, as almost no-one seems to know how these relationships work. So, here goes: Second cousin = your great-aunt's/uncle's grand-child First cousin, once removed = your first01:00 Mon 25th Jun 2001

I'm looking for as many ways of saying 'Cheers' around the world as I can collect - can anyone help

asks Allan A. Here's a few to get you started... A votre sant ! - Belgium, France Chokdee! - Thailand Geluk! - South Africa Gezondheid! - Belgium G zuar! - Albania Gun-bei! - China Iechyd da! Wales01:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

I know that 'All that glitters is not gold' is a common misquote: are there others we use all the time

asks archiemac:A. Yes, it should be, 'All that glisters is not gold' from The Merchant of Venice, which sounds much nicer, anyway. Misquotations are so common and well-established that correcting them01:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

Any good examples of a pangram

asks Modge: A. A pangram is a sentence or phrase which contains every letter of the alphabet. It comes from the Greek for 'all' and 'letters'. Q. Surely that's not too difficult to do A. Not if it's01:00 Mon 18th Jun 2001

Where does the prase 'Bob's your uncle' meaning very quickly come from

asks Globalcanuck A. This phrase is said to have come about following the controversial and unexpected appointment of Arthur Balfour in 1887 to secretary of State for Ireland. He was given this01:00 Thu 07th Jun 2001

Want to know more about tongue twisters

Q. Tongue tied A. Tongue twisters are a form of entertainment designed around the simple fact that languages are hard. Q. How did tongue twisters develop A. Unlike the latest lab-tested consumer01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Why do we talk 'nineteen to the dozen'

A. A very literal saying: using nineteen words where twelve will do. So, speaking fast or endlessly (or both). There doesn't seem to be any particular reason why nineteen should have been chosen, but01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Is there such a thing as Canadian English

A. Those North Americans south of the 48th parallel stereotype Canadian speech by adding 'eh ' at the end of every sentence, and it is true that citizens of the USA and Anglophone Canada - don't01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Cockney Rhyming Slang

Q. What are the origins of Cockney Rhyming Slang A. Cockney Rhyming Slang evolved in the East End of London. This area, so-called Cockney London, was once defined as being that which was 'within the01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Who or what is the Curse of Scotland

A. The first mention of the phrase in a book was in the early 18th century, and it referred to Lord Justice Clerk Ormistone, who at the time had become a hate-figure in Scotland. Apparently, when the01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Cakes in sayings

Q. What's the origin of 'having one's cake and eating it' A. Usually a negative expression - so NOT having one's cake and eating it - it, as we all know, means that you can't have two good things at01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

What is a cryptic crossword

A. A cryptic crossword puzzle is one in which each clue is a little puzzle in itself, as distinct from the more straightforward question-and-answer crosswords. Crosswords were invented in Britain in01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Who are the great 'nonsense poets'

And why a runcible spoon A. Why not It's from The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, a (semi-)nonsense poem, and made-up words as well as fantastic situations and characters are an essential01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

How did America get its name

A. It was named after - though not by - the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci (1451 or 1454-1512). Vespucci sailed a number of times to what was then known as the Indies under both the Spanish and01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What is a lingua franca

A. Literally it means 'Frankish language' in Italian, and it referred originally to a common language consisting of Italian mixed with French or Occitan, Spanish, Greek and Arabic that was spoken in01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

What is it with game shows and catchphrases

Q. 'You are the weakest link. Goodbye.' What's it all about A. Short and not so sweet, but it rapidly became a countrywide catchphrase and has now spread to the USA - thanks to Anne Robinson, who01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

Who or what was Jim Crow

Q. Who or what was Jim Crow A. The Jim Crow Law is a general term covering any of the laws that were brought in to enforce racial segregation in the southern states of the USA. Q. Why Jim Crow A. An01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

Who said what on their deathbed

Q. What makes last words famous A. Two factors make final utterances famous: the person has been sufficiently well known in life for there to be general interest in his or her parting words or the01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Dialect and accent: what's the difference

Q. What is a dialect A. Dialect is the term used for the distinct form of a language spoken by people in a particular geographical area or social class. Q. Is that not the same as an accent A. No.01:00 Mon 07th May 2001