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Only Connect (BBC4) [Part 2] |
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#76 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Folkestone
Posts: 10,537
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Quote:
The Wiki page on Halloween is up to 14 pages of archives! The actual article is barely longer than a couple of pages (and about the same again for the list of references).
![]() I thought Jeff's comment was he hadn't heard of the word copacetic, but that was because the word was an American import just like the word Halloween. I merely pointed out that whilst copacetic might be an American word Halloween was not, being Scottish in origin. (In a similar way that calling the season Fall isn't really an Americanisation as it's the word used in England when the pilgrims left so they took it with them. Whilst they were away we changed to using Autumn whilst they kept Fall. So "the Fall" is in fact more traditional than Autumn) |
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#77 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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I was very smug when I got the Delia question right on the first clue
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#78 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
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Quote:
(In a similar way that calling the season Fall isn't really an Americanisation as it's the word used in England when the pilgrims left so they took it with them. Whilst they were away we changed to using Autumn whilst they kept Fall. So "the Fall" is in fact more traditional than Autumn)
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#79 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Actually the word Halloween is Scottish.
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#80 |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 442
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Quote:
Wasn't that a recycled question? I'm sure they've had it or a very similar one on a previous episode.
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#81 |
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Back after a much-needed break
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Of course, but do you accept that some things are definitely more obscure than others? That omelette pan thing was hard to avoid at the time, and Chris Chattaway was certainly very well known, and I am surprised that people selected for their exceptional knowledge and quizzing abilities would not have recognised either.
What you'll often find with these people who have "exceptional knowledge and quizzing abilities" is that they know loads of stuff about Russian authors or 18th century playwrights, but ask them to name a hit by One Direction and they won't have a clue! (Neither do I, by the way!) ![]() Nobody knows everything (except for my boss at work, and he's an idiot!) so it depends on the individual's areas of interest. For example, I vaguely remember hearing about the cranberries, but I had never heard of the omelette pans or other stuff ... and I don't walk around with my eyes and ears closed! I'm just not interested in what Delia says and does, so it passed me by! I did get the Chris Chataway one on the first clue however, because I did know he was one of the first to run a sub-4 minute mile, so "4th: Chris Chataway" was obvious ... to me. |
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#82 |
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Join Date: May 2007
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And don't get me started on "soccer".
Has a similar root to the term "rugger" for "Rugby Football". |
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#83 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
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The term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford "-er" from "association football".
Has a similar root to the term "rugger" for "Rugby Football". |
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#84 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
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Quote:
For example, I vaguely remember hearing about the cranberries, but I had never heard of the omelette pans or other stuff ... and I don't walk around with my eyes and ears closed! I'm just not interested in what Delia says and does, so it passed me by!
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#85 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 3,063
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It goes back quite a time with -eve -even or e'e at the end before the Scottish dialect version with -een became more widely use but the original word itself is exclusively Scottish. First recorded use (not the Scottish dialect spelling) is in the 16th Century by an English writer.
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#86 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,070
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Quote:
Wonder how the Scottish form became more popular - I imagine Halloween rolls off the tongue better than All Hallow's Eve. Of course, it's Trick or Treat these days...
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#87 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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It's always been called Mischief Night, in Lancashire. (And Yorkshire, I believe).
Only Mischief Night in the Lancashire Dictionary. |
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#88 |
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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Just watching it now, but here's a quick question for Davidbod....
Having got Monica, Erica, Rita, I would have gone for (e.g.) Tia Carrere, as having 6-letter, 5-letter, 4-letter etc. names ending in 'a'. What would have happened in those circumstances ? Would I be just plain wrong, would I have got points for 'a' sequence, or something else ? |
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#89 |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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Quote:
Just watching it now, but here's a quick question for Davidbod....
Having got Monica, Erica, Rita, I would have gone for (e.g.) Tia Carrere, as having 6-letter, 5-letter, 4-letter etc. names ending in 'a'. What would have happened in those circumstances ? Would I be just plain wrong, would I have got points for 'a' sequence, or something else ? In reply to the previous post, usually MIschief NIght is regarded as the night before Hallowe'en. |
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#90 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Quote:
I think we'd probably give that - there's definitely a logic to it.
In reply to the previous post, usually MIschief NIght is regarded as the night before Hallowe'en. |
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#91 |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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My Yorkshire Dictionary has it on 4th November though it seems to suggest that might have moved there from Halloween / All Souls' Eve. But my Lancashire Dictionary has it on Halloween / All Souls' Eve
The OED seems comprehensive on this matter: "an evening, orig. 30 April, now 4 November or 31 October (Halloween), on which children traditionally indulge in mischievous pranks". |
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#92 |
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,610
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Quote:
And don't get me started on "soccer".
EDIT: I see this point has already been made. Apologies. |
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#93 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Quote:
Actually, you're right. We used this as a sequence clue a series or two ago but it was "Devil's Night" in the US which is October 30th.
The OED seems comprehensive on this matter: "an evening, orig. 30 April, now 4 November or 31 October (Halloween), on which children traditionally indulge in mischievous pranks". |
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#94 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
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Yes, well of course I know that, but you try telling the young people of today that, and they won't believe you. They get quite angry these days if you call it soccer.
In fact Sky go all out on their coverage with the Soccer Centre and the Soccer 6 competition and Soccerettes. For all I know it was only used for alliterative purposes but it still gets an outing in British language. |
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#95 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Plenty of young people will be familiar with the use of soccer in place of football due to Sky's Soccer AM, Soccer Saturday and Soccer Special.
In fact Sky go all out on their coverage with the Soccer Centre and the Soccer 6 competition and Soccerettes. For all I know it was only used for alliterative purposes but it still gets an outing in British language. |
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#96 |
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,070
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Quote:
Actually, you're right. We used this as a sequence clue a series or two ago but it was "Devil's Night" in the US which is October 30th.
The OED seems comprehensive on this matter: "an evening, orig. 30 April, now 4 November or 31 October (Halloween), on which children traditionally indulge in mischievous pranks". |
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#97 |
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bristol
Posts: 2
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Hi Digital Spies. Long-time reader (of this thread), first time poster.
Had to register at long last mostly as some people were having a pop at the captain of the 'Press Gang', Robin Seavill. Just so you know, he's a smart guy. You may have seen him on 15 to 1, or more recently on Mastermind in two series - including a semi-final appearance a few years ago. The comments about him being 'humourless' are harsh. He has a wicked (dirty) sense of humour and is a pleasure to work with. On the two questions that timed out we weren't going to guess the right answer, so we lost nothing. True, it would have been better to guess something - but Robin was a little bit off his game, it happens. We didn't have a great run at any point and it was getting him down. We did *very* well in the audition and the actual show wasn't going to plan. While I'm here: Vicky's pronunciation of Don Quixote just sounded wrong to me. At the time, and since. I don't think you can reinterpret how to say someone's name. Imagine you met the (fictional) guy: DQ: "Hi, I'm Don Quixote!" (sounds like Key-ho-tay) You: "Hmm, how do you spell that?" DQ: *Writes Don Quixote* You: "Oh, Don Quicks-oat!" DQ: ... Random analysis/sour grapes: I agree that the number of holes question in our first show (four-hole button, bowling ball) was dead easy! I think Mambo No 5 was brutally hard. Even if you'd just written out 'Monica' 'Erica' 'Rita' you've made the question far easier but you're still trying to pick out the first four similar-sounding names of seven in the chorus (not the whole song) of a hit from 14 years earlier. Vicky *really* wanted to give them the point for 'Christine Keeler' but she got overruled, by the way. I'm not interested in cooking, so it's a shame we had so many cookery questions! I pay no attention to Delia Smith except when she's shouting at the crowd in Norwich. 'Omelette Pans' did indeed pass me by completely. I constantly watch and read the news, so maybe my brain just refused to accept the fact that a huge number of people would go and buy something pointless because they were told to. I may have subconsciously blocked it out. To be honest, the 'cranberries' thing is vaguely familiar, but that's not enough to make a connection. In Monday's heat we would (if I'd got my way!) have gone in for the correct answer on the first clue on "4th: Chris Chataway", "4: A Feast for Crows" and "P---HER" but they weren't our questions. We picked four of the five questions that neither team answered correctly. I still feel pretty sick about it to be honest. Closing stuff: We had a great time, the crew were very nice to us, it's the most fun I've had while involved with telly (though that's only first out of two!). I'd encourage you all to apply next time it's open. You'll get on BBC2, not BBC4, for one thing! |
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#98 |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 442
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The Byron poem is most definitely pronounced 'Quick-soat' (VCM can give you chapter and verse on that). For the Cervantes, you can take your pick.
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#99 |
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 118
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Can't take to either of these teams tonight, but especially Jamie.
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#100 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,010
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Quote:
Can't take to either of these teams tonight, but especially Jamie.
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