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Language trivia questions and answers.

Fun language trivia questions and answers.

What letter of the alphabet is the oldest.
A: The O.

On sailboats, what are barnacles and binnacles?
A: A barnacle is a marine animal that attaches itself to a boat's bottom; a binnacle is a covered, nonmagnetic case that contains a ship's compass and a light.

How could the word mile be derived from the Latin phrase mille passuum, which means 1,000 paces when it takes at least twice that many steps to walk a mile?
A: The 1,000 paces referred to were those of the Roman Legion, whose formal parade step consisted of two steps that covered a distance of 5.2 feet. That would make a mile 5,200 feet--very close to today's statute mile of 5,280 feet.

What is the only word in the English language that both begins and ends with the letters u-n-d?
A: Underground.

What two dances are among the words used in the radio commmunications alphabet that begins Alpha, Bravo Charlie?
A: Foxtrot and Tango.

What is the meaning of the word Siberia?
A: It's from sibir, which means "sleeping giant" in the language of the Taatars who once dwelled in the area.

What physical phenomenon are you experiencing if you have horripilation?
A: Gooseflesh--the bristling of hair on your head or body caused by fear, cold, or disease.

What is the meaning of the legal term pro se?
A: "By oneself"--without a lawyer.

What is the meaning of the Huron-Iroquois Indian word kanata--from which Canada derives its name?
A: The name of the world's second largest country comes from a word that means "small village." Explorer Jacques Cartier first used it for the area around what is now Quebec city.

How much does a bushel of apples weigh?
A: About 42 pounds.

What punctuation mark is derived from the Latin word for joy?
A: The exclamation point (!). Joy in Latin is io, which was abbreviated by putting the i above the o.

What is the meaning of the word aprosexia?
A: "Abnormal inability to concentrate."

What astronomical term comes from the Greek word for milk?
A: Galaxy. In Greek, gala means "milk." The Greeks thought the Milky Way looked like milk spilled across the sky.

What is the origin of the expression "knock on wood"?
A: It dates back to ancient European cultures whose members believed guardian spirits lived in trees and could be summoned to help with a little knocking.

What does the German word "bad" mean?
A: Bath.

In the international civil aviation alphabet used by airport control towers, the letters A, B, and C are represented by Alfa, Bravo, and Charlie. What about X, Y, Z?
A: They're X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

What is the literal translation of the pasta "vermicelli"?
A: "Little worms"--describing its shape.

What are yurts?
A: The domed, circular portable tents used by the nomads of Mongolia and Siberia.

What is the origin of the word "flak"?
A: It's an acronym for the German Fliegerabwebrkanonen, an anti-aircraft gun.

Language Trivia

Language trivia questions and answers.