# Need examples of things that aren't what their name implies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432 "2011-05-27T15:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/81 "2011-05-30T09:28:56Z")
Plastic. the original meaning was a flexible substance that may be molded, like clay. The majority of modern “plastic” items are nothing like that. Australian Shepherds. I don’t know if they’re ever used to herd sheep or not but there’s certainly nothing Australian about them. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/82 "2011-05-30T09:33:25Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Plastic. the original meaning was a flexible substance that may be molded, like clay. The majority of modern “plastic” items are nothing like that. Bad example: This is an example of semantic shift, not a non-indicative name. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/83 "2011-05-30T17:03:34Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > And bald eagles are covered with feathers. My wife and I were wondering about this just the other day. Turns out that one of the definitions for “Bald” is “white coloration on the face or head.” . ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/84 "2011-05-30T19:03:38Z")
Tins (i.e. tin cans) are likely to be aluminium or steel. They sometimes have a thin layer of tin, but it is never the main substance. Lead (as in pencils) are made from graphite and clay. Chalks (for writing on a blackboard) are made of gypsum. Catgut is made from sheep guts. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/85 "2011-05-30T19:03:56Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Picadilly Circus (in London.. is circular, but ain’t no circus) > Times Square (in NY—is a triangle) > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Plastic. the original meaning was a flexible substance that may be molded, like clay. The majority of modern “plastic” items are nothing like that. > > Australian Shepherds. I don’t know if they’re ever used to herd sheep or not but there’s certainly nothing Australian about them. The finished items can’t be moulded, but the substance itself is very mouldable, which is why it’s used so much. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/86 "2011-05-30T19:11:59Z")
The puff adder is neither puffy nor knowledgeable in any areas of mathematics. It’s a snake ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/87 "2011-05-30T19:26:54Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > not sure, but i heard greenland/iceland should be the other way around It was misnamed on purpose, becasue Iceland was where the Vikings wanted to conquer, and Greenland was a useless wasteland. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/88 "2011-05-30T19:46:28Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The creatures known as fireflies, lighning bugs, or (in their larval stage) glowworms are properly neither flies, bugs, nor worms, but beetles Nor are fires or lightning the sources of their illumination. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/89 "2011-05-30T19:53:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Blow job Should be called “suck fun”. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/90 "2011-05-30T20:04:23Z")
Hot water heater ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/91 "2011-05-30T21:04:04Z")
Happy hour. ::sobs into beer:: ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/92 "2011-05-31T01:38:37Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Tins (i.e. tin cans) are likely to be aluminium or steel. They sometimes have a thin layer of tin, but it is never the main substance. > > Lead (as in pencils) are made from graphite and clay. > > Chalks (for writing on a blackboard) are made of gypsum. > > Catgut is made from sheep guts. But all of these are examples of modern items retaining the name of the materials they were originally made from. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/93 "2011-05-31T01:46:58Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > But all of these are examples of modern items retaining the name of the materials they were originally made from. Not lead pencils. They’ve never had lead in them. ---
**Author:** ![inkling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkling)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/94 "2011-05-31T02:01:39Z")
n/m, already mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/95 "2011-05-31T02:28:15Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Not lead pencils. They’ve never had lead in them. You can write on paper with lead. It leaves a grey streak. Pencil lead was developed in an attempt to adapt the principle to an actual writing instrument. Lead didn’t work, so a substitute was developed, and called by the same name by way of analogy. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/96 "2011-05-31T02:31:54Z")
Lobster l’Americaine Or Armoricain Or neither, since they both don’t make much sense. Also, just thought of: zuppa inglese: Italian custard ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/97 "2011-05-31T02:57:40Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > But all of these are examples of modern items retaining the name of the materials they were originally made from. Wrong. Catgut was never made out of any part of a cat. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/98 "2011-05-31T03:08:45Z")
Cat walk. ---
**Author:** ![desert29rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@desert29rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desert29rat)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/99 "2011-05-31T03:36:11Z")
> [@what\_do\_I\_type\_here](#): > > Mincemeat pie apprently has no meat in it. It does if you make it right. My sister still makes mincemeat with roast beef, although she now uses apple juice instead of suet. ---
**Author:** ![Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Romeo_and_Whatsherface)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432/100 "2011-05-31T04:21:31Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > English muffins are the things that are known as muffins in England (as sold by the muffin man, who lives down Drury Lane). This is a thing that is exactly what its name says it is. Is there some way the Brits distinguish these muffins from the unfrosted cupcake-style quick bread Americans refer to as “muffins,” or how do we know the Muffin Man sold this kind of muffin? It seems to me I’ve read British novels that refer to chocolate muffins. Also, I’ve always heard that English muffins are actually a bad take on crumpets. Not so? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-examples-of-things-that-arent-what-their-name-implies/583432.md?page=6)