ForumGarden

If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

Why isn't 11 pronounced "onety-one"?

You can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, but why can't you be simply whelmed?

Shouldn't the opposite of shut up be shut down?

If you get cheated by the Better Business Bureau, who do you complain to?

How come there aren't B batteries?

If you got in a cab and the driver drove backwards, would he end up owing you money?

Why is the word for "a fear of long words," hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, so long?



Why do they call it a TV "set" when you only get one?





How do "Do not walk on the grass" signs get there?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

When your pet bird sees you reading the newspaper, does he wonder why you're just sitting there, staring at carpeting?

How do people get discombobulated? Have you ever seen someone who was combobulated?

Who closes the door when the bus driver gets off?

The bus Driver closes the door when he gets off then locks it.

Hope6;905057 wrote: How come there aren't B batteries?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_battery_(vacuum_tubes)

There were, sort of.

The prior existence of the "B" battery is apparently the reason why there is no B-size single-cell "battery." In devising the lettered sizes it seems that there was a conscious effort to avoid "B," possibly also due to its association with a much higher voltage. Single-A was also avoided, but there was apparently no concern for possible confusion with the use of "C" as a size. [...] The much higher available voltage of B batteries means that they must be handled more carefully than other battery types due to their ability to shock and/or burn the person handling them. With common flashlight cells, the normal resistance of the human body is far too high for much current to flow, but the shock hazard increases as the voltage increases.

Hope6;905057 wrote: If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

Why isn't 11 pronounced "onety-one"?

You can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, but why can't you be simply whelmed?

Shouldn't the opposite of shut up be shut down?

If you get cheated by the Better Business Bureau, who do you complain to?

How come there aren't B batteries?

If you got in a cab and the driver drove backwards, would he end up owing you money?

Why is the word for "a fear of long words," hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, so long?



Why do they call it a TV "set" when you only get one?





How do "Do not walk on the grass" signs get there?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

When your pet bird sees you reading the newspaper, does he wonder why you're just sitting there, staring at carpeting?

How do people get discombobulated? Have you ever seen someone who was combobulated?

Who closes the door when the bus driver gets off?Well to those two.....

Batteries I sell have sometimes been called B ones:rolleyes:

And the sign was put there before it was seeded or turfed;):D

what is "out of whack?"

No one is 100% sure, but Michael Quinion of World Wide Words offers the most thoroughly researched suggestion. According to Quinion, the phrase first appeared in American newspapers during the latter half of the 19th century. He notes that the phrase "in fine whack" had previously been used to describe something fit and sturdy. As John Hale describes Abraham Lincoln in 1863:

"The Tycoon is in fine whack. I have rarely seen him more serene and busy. He is managing this war, the draft, foreign relations, and planning a reconstruction of the Union, all at once."

So "out of whack" likely arose as an opposite to the saying "in fine whack." "

oh and its the grass fairy who puts up the "do not walk on the grass" signs!

Hope6;905057 wrote: You can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, but why can't you be simply whelmed?I enjoy reading Thomas Campbell but he's a bit out of fashion these days. His "Ode to Germans" containsFor shame, for glory's sake,

Wake, Allemanians, wake,

And the tyrants now that whelm

Half the world, shall quail and flee,

When your realm shall be the realm

Of the freeHe sort of called that one wrong given that having woken them up he then got Bismark, Kaiser Bill and Adolf instead, one after the other.

The OED quotes from John Pendleton Kennedy's "Memoirs of the life of William Wirt, Attorney-General of the United States", 1860, p302: "Many other ladies were also whelmed in this awful catastrophe", that might be closer.

kayleneaussie;905088 wrote: The bus Driver closes the door when he gets off then locks it.


yeah Sis but don't bus doors usually close from the inside? how do you do that and get off the bus? :wah:

spot;905095 wrote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_battery_(vacuum_tubes)

There were, sort of.

The prior existence of the "B" battery is apparently the reason why there is no B-size single-cell "battery." In devising the lettered sizes it seems that there was a conscious effort to avoid "B," possibly also due to its association with a much higher voltage. Single-A was also avoided, but there was apparently no concern for possible confusion with the use of "C" as a size. [...] The much higher available voltage of B batteries means that they must be handled more carefully than other battery types due to their ability to shock and/or burn the person handling them. With common flashlight cells, the normal resistance of the human body is far too high for much current to flow, but the shock hazard increases as the voltage increases.


oh okay, i understand ,but i hadn't thought about there being no single A as well, that is very interesting!

Carolly;905098 wrote: Well to those two.....

Batteries I sell have sometimes been called B ones:rolleyes:

And the sign was put there before it was seeded or turfed;




me and my stupid questions aye Sis! :wah::wah::wah:

hey maybe i should just keep this thread going and anytime i have one i'll put it here! :wah::wah:

Hope6;905150 wrote: me and my stupid questions aye Sis! :wah::wah:

hey maybe i should just keep this thread going and anytime i have one i'll put it here! :wah::wah:
Great Idea :wah:;)

jones jones;905108 wrote: what is "out of whack?"

No one is 100% sure, but Michael Quinion of World Wide Words offers the most thoroughly researched suggestion. According to Quinion, the phrase first appeared in American newspapers during the latter half of the 19th century. He notes that the phrase "in fine whack" had previously been used to describe something fit and sturdy. As John Hale describes Abraham Lincoln in 1863:

"The Tycoon is in fine whack. I have rarely seen him more serene and busy. He is managing this war, the draft, foreign relations, and planning a reconstruction of the Union, all at once."

So "out of whack" likely arose as an opposite to the saying "in fine whack." "

oh and its the grass fairy who puts up the "do not walk on the grass" signs!


That's very interesting Jj, i had never heard any of that, although i have used the term out of whack before, i'd never even heard of in fine whack! :wah::wah:



okay, the grass fairies, that's good to know, :wah::wah::wah:

Hope6;905149 wrote: oh okay, i understand ,but i hadn't thought about there being no single A as well, that is very interesting!


The problem with handling one of the old B batteries is that they carried a 90 volt DC charge between the two outer nipples, if you leaned too close it could give you quite a jolt. I used them for the "car radio" - that being the portable Grundig valve radio that was carried in the car for long journeys before trannies made fitted car radios feasible.

spot;905119 wrote: I enjoy reading Thomas Campbell but he's a bit out of fashion these days. His "Ode to Germans" containsFor shame, for glory's sake,

Wake, Allemanians, wake,

And the tyrants now that whelm

Half the world, shall quail and flee,

When your realm shall be the realm

Of the freeHe sort of called that one wrong given that having woken them up he then got Bismark, Kaiser Bill and Adolf instead, one after the other.

The OED quotes from John Pendleton Kennedy's "Memoirs of the life of William Wirt, Attorney-General of the United States", 1860, p302: "Many other ladies were also whelmed in this awful catastrophe", that might be closer.


okay so someone can actually be whelmed, but what exactly does being whelmed mean?

spot;905155 wrote: The problem with handling one of the old B batteries is that they carried a 90 volt DC charge between the two outer nipples, if you leaned too close it could give you quite a jolt. I used them for the "car radio" - that being the portable Grundig valve radio that was carried in the car for long journeys before trannies made fitted car radios feasible.


well i'm certainaly glad they invented fitted car radios, those B batteries sound like a pain!

fuzzy butt;905166 wrote: Okay ......why do we spit out cold coffee?

why doesn't it taste like iced coffee?


i guess we're just so suprised that it's cold, when we're expecting it to be hot! :wah::wah:

fuzzy butt;905169 wrote: to whelm is to whel up, to be overwhelmed is to to over the welm.

over the expectation of the whelm

basic english

without a dictionary and only going on my own education .........whelm means to be in excited expectation . to whel up . but to be satisfied with the outcome of the expectation. overwhelmed means to be outwitted by the ascartained expectation.

My ghast has trully been flabbered.. flabberghasted


thanks Fuzz! that's really interesting, whelmed seems to be a word that is very rarely used these days.

fuzzy butt;905208 wrote: Have a love for the English language . I could go into it further ......but then I'd sound like spot !!! And then i'd lose my ain'ts and ava's............I like my accent in this land but i assure you I can keep up with the best .:wah::wah:









enya ...last of the Mohicans


we can't lose our accents now can we? :wah::wah:

i have to have my y'alls and darlins or i wouldn't be me! :wah::wah:

fuzzy butt;905232 wrote: Out of whack is an Australian saying that means . not working properly .

It's out of whack ....the splint you just put on is not doing the job..

the windmill is making a phwacking sound ....it's outta whack.



Your not telling the truth ....something you've said is outta whack ..(good for political talk ...not exactly telling a lie but something isn't right )

outta whack.







War -edwin starr


we use out of whack sometimes too, but not very often,

it's really interesting though to learn where these sayings come from.

Okay this is another one that has always bothered me, why do hot dogs come in a package of 10 and the buns only in a package of 8?

Hope6;905476 wrote: Okay this is another one that has always bothered me, why do hot dogs come in a package of 10 and the buns only in a package of 8?




The real reason is that each manufacturer has its own interests. They aren't the same entity. Hot dog manufacturers prefer to have packages weigh exactly a pound. It's easier to measure, sell, store, etc. Thus there are packages with 6 or even 4 larger, but the weight should add up to a pound, regardless. It happens to be that the most manageable size of hot dogs are an eighth of a pound, or 2 ounces.

The bakers have a different issue: pans. They use trays in various formations. The reason that a dozen is such a traditional baker's number is that it can be set up in configurations of 3X4 or 4X3 (or 2X6, or 6X2, but that's not common). When it comes to pans and ovens, maximum efficiency is key. Ten buns means it must be 2 rows of 5, which simply doesn't always work. The 3X4 rectangle is more convenient.

jones jones;905482 wrote: The real reason is that each manufacturer has its own interests. They aren't the same entity. Hot dog manufacturers prefer to have packages weigh exactly a pound. It's easier to measure, sell, store, etc. Thus there are packages with 6 or even 4 larger, but the weight should add up to a pound, regardless. It happens to be that the most manageable size of hot dogs are an eighth of a pound, or 2 ounces.

The bakers have a different issue: pans. They use trays in various formations. The reason that a dozen is such a traditional baker's number is that it can be set up in configurations of 3X4 or 4X3 (or 2X6, or 6X2, but that's not common). When it comes to pans and ovens, maximum efficiency is key. Ten buns means it must be 2 rows of 5, which simply doesn't always work. The 3X4 rectangle is more convenient.


oh so it's basically each company looking out for itself, and the bakers are coming out really good when you have to buy another whole bag of buns just because you need 2 of them!

Does anybody know what a boiler maker is?

How about a "charlie horse"?

Cringe in the neck?

Actually I know what these are.:sneaky:

qsducks;905523 wrote: Does anybody know what a boiler maker is?

How about a "charlie horse"?

Cringe in the neck?

Actually I know what these are.:sneaky:


a charlie horse is a cramp in your leg.

down here we say crick in the neck

i'm not sure about boiler maker.

Hope6;905586 wrote: a charlie horse is a cramp in your leg.

down here we say crick in the neck

i'm not sure about boiler maker.


Boiler Maker is an Irish thing = shot & a beer (whiskey)

jones jones;905482 wrote: The bakers have a different issue: pans. They use trays in various formations. The reason that a dozen is such a traditional baker's number is that it can be set up in configurations of 3X4 or 4X3 (or 2X6, or 6X2, but that's not common). When it comes to pans and ovens, maximum efficiency is key. Ten buns means it must be 2 rows of 5, which simply doesn't always work. The 3X4 rectangle is more convenient.2x2x2 is eminently stackable, you'd think and, unlike the other configurations you mention, every bun gets the same access to heat. And it's the same number as the dogs in a pound.

spot;905602 wrote: 2x2x2 is eminently stackable, you'd think and, unlike the other configurations you mention, every bun gets the same access to heat. And it's the same number as the dogs in a pound.


I always see hotdogs sold in a package of 8. what kind are you buying Hope? Must be something new.

A boiler maker also means someone who is a welder or makes things by welding.

My husband & son are boilermakers.:-6

qsducks;905610 wrote: I always see hotdogs sold in a package of 8. what kind are you buying Hope? Must be something new.


no it's something old!

i only buy Jesse Jones Southern Style hot dogs they've been around since 1926.

they are a regional company out of Raleigh North Carolina, they are the best hot dogs i've ever eaten in my life, and they come in a package of 10!

mrsK;905628 wrote: A boiler maker also means someone who is a welder or makes things by welding.

My husband & son are boilermakers.:-6


i typed in boiler maker and did a search and that the difinition i came up with, welder! :-6

Hope6;905714 wrote: no it's something old!

i only buy Jesse Jones Southern Style hot dogs they've been around since 1926.

they are a regional company out of Raleigh North Carolina, they are the best hot dogs i've ever eaten in my life, and they come in a package of 10!


I've only seen hogdogs sold in 8 packs. I do know though that they sell hamburgers in 12 packs and the burger rolls come in 8 packs.:wah:

qsducks;905718 wrote: I've only seen hogdogs sold in 8 packs. I do know though that they sell hamburgers in 12 packs and the burger rolls come in 8 packs.:wah:


these hot dogs are smaller, so if they're trying to always have a pound of weight in each package they would have to put more!

Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull a baby to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle on the ground?

(i've always hated that lulaby!)

Why do people say "heads up" when you should duck?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

if there is an alphabet, shouldn't there also be an omegabet?

Hope6;905148 wrote: yeah Sis but don't bus doors usually close from the inside? how do you do that and get off the bus? :wah:


Over here the bus driver can get off then he can shut the door and lock it...yours must be different

kayleneaussie;906524 wrote: Over here the bus driver can get off then he can shut the door and lock it...yours must be different


ours may do that too, i don't know, i've never looked that closely at bus doors! :wah::wah:

Dewey2Me1MoThyme;906518 wrote: if there is an alphabet, shouldn't there also be an omegabet?


very interesting i'd never thought of that!

i wonder where the name alphabet came from anyway?

Hope6;906539 wrote: very interesting i'd never thought of that!

i wonder where the name alphabet came from anyway?


alpha beta ... greek a b i guess ...

Hope6;906539 wrote: i wonder where the name alphabet came from anyway?
Finally, one I can do.

From Latin which used the Greek word for the first two Greek letters, Alpha and Beta, as a name for the whole set of letters.

Thanks guys!

boy! it's true what they say, that you learn something new everyday!