miketsp
Contributor
Ah, there's a good one. Why are tin cans called tin cans when the amount of Tin (Sn) is negligable. And then we even have aluminium tin cans. This really gets me. :redhot:
Neopreme...
- Thread starter Mo2vation
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
nativenarcosis
Guest
Another small nuance.. is the T silent in often or do you pronounce it?? I say silent.
Tin used to be very common, and i reckon the reason why tin cans and tin foil is still a common phrase is due to its use in those products before the bauxite mining began. The tin mines i used to live near in Cornwall were all put out of business way back due to the price tumbling when a new source was found that was far more efficiently mined. There are reasons to the use of certain old-world phrases, even if they arent relevant today.
On a similar note, i only ever say aluminum when after saying aluminium, a shop clerk looks at me as if he doesnt know what i am talking about, most realise, but some will never get it.
On a similar note, i only ever say aluminum when after saying aluminium, a shop clerk looks at me as if he doesnt know what i am talking about, most realise, but some will never get it.
miketsp
Contributor
Just to throw in a bit of culture, there is a nice word play with the word often in the "Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert & Sullivan.nativenarcosis:
GENERAL: Tell me, have you ever known what it is to be an
orphan?
PIRATES: (disgusted) Oh, dash it all!
KING: Here we are again!
GENERAL: I ask you, have you ever known what it is to be an
orphan?
KING: Often!
GENERAL: Yes, orphan. Have you ever known what it is to be one?
KING: I say, often.
ALL: (disgusted) Often, often, often. (Turning away)
GENERAL: I don't think we quite understand one another. I ask you, have you ever known what it is to be an orphan,
and you say "orphan". As I understand you, you are
merely repeating the word "orphan" to show that you
understand me.
KING: I didn't repeat the word often.
GENERAL: Pardon me, you did indeed.
KING: I only repeated it once.
GENERAL: True, but you repeated it.
KING: But not often.
GENERAL: Stop! I think I see where we are getting confused.
When you said "orphan", did you mean "orphan",a person
who has lost his parents, or "often", frequently?
KING: Ah! I beg pardon-- I see what you mean -- frequently.
GENERAL: Ah! you said "often", frequently.
KING: No, only once.
GENERAL: (irritated) Exactly-- you said "often", frequently,
only once.
A round of applause for our cultured friend Miketsp
miketsp
Contributor
Bows, bumps head on monitor and exits stage left...simbrooks:
MSilvia
Contributor
One of my favorites has always been when people talking about Thailand mispronounce 'Phuket'.
Green_Manelishi
Contributor
Bob3:a lot of folks I know from Europe have/use better english than lotsa folks here in the US.
True but they speak it with an accent.
Does that pertain to any Euro speaking English? (including the ones on the island that coined the language?).Green_Manelishi:
Green_Manelishi
Contributor
simbrooks:Does that pertain to any Euro speaking English? (including the ones on the island that coined the language?).
Especially that group. Bloody English ... should have remained content on their portion of the island.
G_M the Scotsman and d***ed proud of it !!!
Similar threads
