# Controversial Trivia Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231 "2013-01-06T04:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![HairyCactus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2bfe46/32.png) [@HairyCactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HairyCactus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/81 "2013-01-08T20:04:30Z")
Herb is always pronounced ‘herb’ as in the first syllable of herbie (goes to Monte Carlo, etc). Btw, it’s or-re-garn-o, not o-reg-ano 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/82 "2013-01-09T17:32:11Z")
Where does the last r come from? It’s not in the spelling. And for the definition of “knee”, is it based on whether the limb in question is used for walking, or is it based on the presence of a kneecap (which isn’t found in an elbow)? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/83 "2013-01-09T17:39:10Z")
Where the hell do people say “an hotel”? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/84 "2013-01-09T17:55:13Z")
Within the sound of Bow Bells. (Although, it would be better rendered as “an 'otel.” ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/85 "2013-01-10T06:20:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Where the hell do people say “an hotel”? My guess would be in Canada or areas with a lot of French-speaking tourists. With a pronounced “h,” it has to be “a;” without, “an.” As the rule I stated states, it depends on the sound, not the letter. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/86 "2013-01-10T06:22:58Z")
So we would all agree The Little Red Book is the best selling book of all time? To override tGBoWR we have to be unanimous, and the source would be us. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/87 "2013-01-10T06:37:29Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > OK, we’re back to trivia questions with trivia questions with controversial answers. How about these: > > What is the easternmost US state? Alaska or Maine? Depends on how you define “east.” In my opinion it’s Maine. But it could be argued that since Alaska crosses the 180º Meridian, that it has territory farther east. I see the point, but that’s not the way I personally would look at it, but it opens the door for controversy. > > What is the only animal with four knees? The elephant. Or is it? Depends on how you define “knee.” It’s common to refer to the quadruped carpal joint (analogous to our wrist) as a “knee.” For most quadrupeds, the back legs “knees” don’t show up so well. The prominent joint that we usually see is the “hock,” analogus to our ankle. But an elephant’s back legs are different, and the “knee” joins is situated much lower than, for example a horse, where the “stifle” is the analogous knee. So, depending upon the definition, I’d say most quadrupeds have four 'knees," but I don’t know that any of them are as well-defined as an elephants. Personally, I’d go with Alaska because of the international date line. When I first heard the “knees” question, because of the controversy, it’s usually stated in reverse, e.g. “how many knees does a dog have?” ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/88 "2013-01-10T07:03:23Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Because it is Washington. He was an American. I don’t think there’s any controversy on that. MvB was the first American president not born as a British subject, which is not the same thing. I thought they were British before 1776? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/89 "2013-01-10T14:22:38Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > I thought they were British before 1776? See post 71. Even in 1774, some considered themselves more American than British; others identified more closely with their individual colonies than with Great Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/90 "2013-01-10T19:52:34Z")
OK here’s a contraversial question I asked at an Oscar viewing party. Who was the first African-American to win for Best Actor? Denzel Washington Sidney Poitier who won in 1963 is not African-American because he’s not American. He’s from the Bahamas. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/91 "2013-01-10T20:00:15Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Who was the 1st American President? > > Most people will obvioulsy say George Washington, the correct answer is Martin Van Buren. (read the trivia question _carefully_) > [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Because it is Washington. He was an American. I don’t think there’s any controversy on that. MvB was the first American president not born as a British subject, which is not the same thing. Actually, Washington was the 7th President of the United States. The first President was John Hanson, elected under the Articles of Confederation. Washington was the first President elected under our current Constitution. > **[Web Page Under Construction](http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html)** > > Network Solutions - Original domain name registration and reservation services with variety of internet-related business offerings. Quick, dependable and reliable. ---
**Author:** ![gus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6de8d8/32.png) [@gus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gus28)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/92 "2013-01-10T21:24:35Z")
The question was “Who is the personification of cold weather in the U.S.?” I said Old Man Winter, she was looking for Jack Frost. I argued for about 20 seconds to no avail. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/93 "2013-01-10T22:11:28Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Where the hell do people say “an hotel”? Where it’s written is probably more interesting - ‘an hotel’ was correct in British English for the older generation, but has fallen out of fashion to the extent that it looks wrong to younger speakers. Understandably so, as the h is pronounced for the word in isolation in spoken English. There’s no shortage of people keen to uphold standards in the mother tongue, though, so you encounter ‘an hotel’ now and again in written English. It sounds a bit pretentious IMHO, like a gotcha to the younger generation, but it’s not wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/94 "2013-01-10T22:24:52Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Who was the first African-American to win for Best Actor? > Denzel Washington > > Sidney Poitier who won in 1963 is not African-American because he’s not American. He’s from the Bahamas. [spoiler]From his wiki page - _ **Born in Miami** while his parents were visiting, Sidney Poitier grew up on Cat Island in the Caribbean._ I don’t know if he’s a US citizen but he could be. He’s served as a diplomat for the Bahamas so that is the citizenship he uses.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/95 "2013-01-11T03:37:03Z")
I think most questions about language do not have definitive answers. Language is changing all the timer, and people use it in different ways. It’s just a tool for communication. And as regards ‘Grammar Experts’ - sorry, who died and made you boss? Why should we listen to you about what’s right and what ain’t. Besides, most of their books are a few years old, and so they haven’t caught up with the latest trends. If you are silly enough to fill your speech with so much slang, local colloquialisms, and stylistic devices that no one understands you, well, that’s your problem - but it doesn’t mean you’re wrong. As for naming things (like America vs Columbia) - I always thought the first person there should have naming rights. Anyone know what the native inhabitants called it? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/96 "2013-01-11T03:48:07Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > OK here’s a contraversial question I asked at an Oscar viewing party. > > Who was the first African-American to win for Best Actor? > Denzel Washington > > Sidney Poitier who won in 1963 is not African-American because he’s not American. He’s from the Bahamas. What was his citizenship status when he won? > [@Clothahump](#): > > Actually, Washington was the 7th President of the United States. > > The first President was John Hanson, elected under the Articles of Confederation. Washington was the first President elected under our current Constitution. > > [http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html](http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html) Yeah I remember something about this, but I didn’t remember to google “Articles of Confederation.” > [@Wallaby](#): > > And as regards ‘Grammar Experts’ - sorry, who died and made you boss? Because, as of 2013, “expertise” is conferred by experience and credentials. Part of this is knowing the most recent research in the field as well as the field’s consensus on the matter. > [@Wallaby](#): > > As for naming things (like America vs Columbia) - I always thought the first person there should have naming rights. Anyone know what the native inhabitants called it? Whom would you believe? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/97 "2013-01-11T04:08:38Z")
What about a) First manned flight? b) Only manmade object visible from space? ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/98 "2013-01-11T07:18:48Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > What about > a) First manned flight? > b) Only manmade object visible from space? Too imprecise and open to argument. a) Although you could argue for balloons, there are stories of soldiers being placed on board catapults and trebuchets (I suspect not necessarily volunteers) to get over walls. b) Apart from city lights on earth (depending on where you class space as beginning at), there are 6 lower halves of Apollo Lunar modules, 3 Lunar rovers and various pieces scientific apparatus, astronaut boots and flags visible from the surface of the moon - because that’s where they are. Then there are the pair of Voyager spacecraft somewhere in the outer reaches of the solar system… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/99 "2013-01-11T13:53:17Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > What to use with hotel, historic etc would be controversial, although not really a typical trivia question. Don’t think there’s really a right answer for that given changing styles in grammar. You should obviously use “a,” since the “h” in those words is not silent. (Unless, of course, you’re a Cockney or have a similar accent.) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231/100 "2013-01-11T14:04:14Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > What about > a) First manned flight? > b) Only manmade object visible from space? Depends on how you define “space” and “manmade object.” I’d guess that there a number of man-made lakes that would be visible. [This cite](http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/01/13/2791372.htm) says that the most commonly definition of “space” starts at 100 km, or a little over 60 miles. The ISS and the shuttles orbited at about 200 miles, and you could even barely make out parts of the Great Wall of China at that altitude. I’d think at 60 you’d see a lot more. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-trivia-questions/646231.md?page=6)