# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 186
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3709 "2022-02-13T01:43:58Z")
@BippityBoppityBoo Sorry, I didn’t realize that we were double-posting 🙂 . So it’s not a sweat gland, but it is related? That’s still interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3710 "2022-02-13T01:56:46Z")
I know that people like to call the French and Indian War/Seven Years War “the _First_ World War because it was fought on N. America and Europe and India. But TIL, by that technicality the Second Northern War aka “Let’s Beat Up Poland Again” also counts, since the Swedes and their Native American allies fought the Dutch, including peg-leg Peter Stuyvesant, in North America. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3711 "2022-02-13T02:11:51Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > (Question: just how closely are the two languages related? I mean, are they mutually-intelligible, so to speak?) Not really. A European Spanish (Castilian) and Portuguese speaker will be able to communicate with each other better than speakers of 90% of other distinct-but-related language pairs (e.g. Dutch and German) but it will take a lot of work. Cite: I have worked with European Spanish and Portuguese people in the same office for many years and that’s what they told me. They can however READ each other’s languages very well. For example they can be forwarded an email in Spanish and not have to translate it before responding. Of course they are helped by having lots of contextual clues and business jargon thrown in. This was ten years ago, before email systems offered translation by default. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3712 "2022-02-13T02:16:00Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Some people assume that everyone in South America just speaks Spanish. > > Actually in Brazil they speak Portuguese. And Dutch in Suriname, and English in Guyana, and French in French Guyana. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3713 "2022-02-13T02:27:36Z")
Slightly more people in South America speak Portuguese than Spanish, I think. And less than 1% combined speak English, Dutch or French as a first language. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3714 "2022-02-13T03:25:47Z")
In 1932, Hershey went to court to argue that their chocolate counts as food… Chocolate isn’t candy, said Hershey. Candy is made of just sugar, while chocolate also contains milk solids and maybe even fruit and nuts. Chocolate deserved to be taxed at the same rate as regular food. The case reached the Supreme Court, … and came to the conclusion that candy is a category covering all confectionery, including chocolate, and so chocolate exists separately from regular food. Not particularly surprising, shoot your shot. The surprising fact? Today, many states go by a standard that says if it contains flour, it’s taxed as a food. That means that a Hershey bar is candy. But Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème? That’s food. As is Twix, Kit Kat, and even Twizzlers. [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/hershey-went-to-court-to-argue-their-chocolate-is-food-and-lost) ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3715 "2022-02-13T13:35:15Z")
A function is its own zeroth derivative. It makes perfect sense, of course, but I had never thought of it like that before [stealth brag] I was learning about kth-degree Taylor polynomials of functions of two variables[/stealth brag] this morning. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3716 "2022-02-13T14:48:00Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > in Brazil they speak Portuguese. > > (Question: just how closely are the two languages related? ) I dunno how close Portuguese is to Spanish, but I was really surprised to learn that Portuguese is mutually intelligible with …Romanian. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3717 "2022-02-13T15:28:13Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > I dunno how close Portuguese is to Spanish, but I was really surprised to learn that Portuguese is mutually intelligible with …Romanian. Wait, what? The mutual intelligibility of Romanian and Portuguese is a LOT lower than Portuguese and Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, Portuguese and Catalan. Probably much lower than Portuguese and French. I work for a company with operations in and employees from Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and Romanian speaking countries (and Greek, German, Dutch, several Slavic languages, some global projects are a veritable Tower of Babel) At least in written form Spanish, Portuguese and Italian speakers can figure out short passages with minimal difficulty, e.g. if they need to read a short email or a PowerPoint slide in another language, 90% of the time they will get it no problem. Romanian and French, spoken or written the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese speakers have much, much less comprehension. I do not speak any of these languages, but an a keen observer of how people interact across language barriers. It’s fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3718 "2022-02-13T15:43:31Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > At least in written form Spanish, Portuguese and Italian speakers can figure out short passages with minimal difficulty, e.g. if they need to read a short email or a PowerPoint slide in another language, 90% of the time they will get it no problem. Sounds about right. More reading here: > **[Mutual intelligibility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_intelligibility)** > > In linguistics, mutual intelligibility is a relationship between languages or dialects in which speakers of different but related varieties can readily understand each other without prior familiarity or special effort. It is sometimes used as an important criterion for distinguishing languages from dialects, although sociolinguistic factors are often also used. > Intelligibility between languages can be asymmetric, with speakers of one understanding more of the other than speakers of the other ... Sort of related… I had to read Gulliver’s Travels long ago. I noticed that all nouns were capitalized, which AIUI is a German thing to this day. And isn’t it interesting to see that weird double s in the Declaration of Independence etc., looking like fs instead? Here’s the detail at the end of spelling for Congress: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Long-s-US-Bill-of-Rights.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Long-s-US-Bill-of-Rights.jpg) In German, apparently this is **ß** > **[The Curious History of the German 'Double S' - ß](https://www.unlockyourhistory.com/post/2017/11/13/the-curious-history-of-the-german-double-s-c3-9f)** > > Ä, Ö and Ü are simple variations of familiar letters, but the ​​fourth letter that German has that we don’t is the real kicker:  ß  Eszett ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3719 "2022-02-13T15:54:05Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > And isn’t it interesting to see that weird double s in the Declaration of Independence etc., looking like fs instead? Here’s the detail at the end of spelling for Congress: That sort of thing was a gag in “The Vicar of Dibley”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1QSpAsxIkBw/maxresdefault.jpg "Alice Nearly Swears on Songs of Praise | The Vicar of Dibley") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QSpAsxIkBw&t=109) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3720 "2022-02-13T19:48:49Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > In German, apparently this is **ß** There are people with the surname “Straub”, obviously derived from “Strauss”. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3721 "2022-02-13T20:03:42Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > There are people with the surname “Straub”, obviously derived from “Strauss”. No, it appears to be a distinct name with an actual b. > **[Straub](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straub)** > > Straub is a Germanic surname that literally means "one with bushy or bristly hair". Its original meaning in Middle High German is "rough" or "unkempt". It may also refer to people who come from Straubing in Germany. Spelling variations of Straub include Straube, Strauber, Straubinger, Strauble, Strob, Strobel, Strube, Strub, Strufe, Struwe, and Struwing. > The first known Straub in the United States was Johannes Straub, one of the Palatine Germans brought to New York in 1710. There were later ar... > **[Strauss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss)** > > Strauss, Strauß or Straus is a common Germanic surname. Outside Germany and Austria Strauß is usually spelled Strauss (the letter "ß" is not used in the German-speaking part of Switzerland). In classical music, "Strauss" most commonly refers to Richard Strauss or Johann Strauss II. > The name has been used by families in the Germanic area for at least a thousand years. The overlord of Gröna, for example, went by the name of Struz and used the image of an ostrich as his symbol. Examples of it could... ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3722 "2022-02-13T20:35:22Z")
LOL, you both can be right if you’re talking about German Americans because, I’m sure, to many being processed at Ellis Island the Strauß name came out as “Your name is now ‘Straub’. NEXT!” I know one man named LeCraw because his French immigrant ancestors had Delacroix completely mangled. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3723 "2022-02-13T22:55:36Z")
I recently learned about päntsdrunk: > **[Pantsdrunk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantsdrunk)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Pantsdrunk (stylized as Päntsdrunk; Finnish: kalsarikännit, ˈkɑls̠ɑriˌkænːit (help·info)) is a form of drinking culture, originating in Finland, in which the drinker consumes alcoholic drinks at home, dressed in as little clothing as possible, mainly in underwear with no intention of going out. To a large extent, it is still considered a way of life in Finland, possibly related to the stereotyped lack of social contacts among Finns. The forced iso... ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3724 "2022-02-13T23:08:39Z")
Talking of confectionary, since the amount of sugar per TicTac is less than 0.5 grams, FDA labelling requirements permit the Nutrition Facts to state that there are 0 grams of sugar per serving. TicTacs are 90% sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3725 "2022-02-13T23:59:10Z")
The word _broadcast_ just came up as a crossword, and the answer turned out to be “sown”. It puzzled me for a bit until I remembered that’s what “sowing” is: broadly casting the seeds about you as you walk along. This was the original meaning of broadcast, and it goes back at least [as far as the 1700s](https://www.etymonline.com/word/broadcast#etymonline_v_27429). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3726 "2022-02-14T03:53:17Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Some people assume that everyone in South America just speaks Spanish. > > Actually in Brazil they speak Portuguese. This is a fact you recently stumbled across? I’d say almost everyone knows this… Brazil is 48% of the population of South America. I just looked that up, and I’m still surprised that just shy of HALF of the continent speaks Portuguese! ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2022, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3727 "2022-02-14T08:59:57Z")
> [@K364](#): > > by a ratio of twelve root of 2 I learnt this fairly in early high school, with Amstrad 600s and the [Logo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_(programming_language)) language. My friend and I hooked up two machines with an RS232 cable - the only one in the entire school, so a big responsibility - to make use of the “beep” function to play music in harmony. That the the 12th root of two multiplied by 440 Hz (concert A) gives us a semi-tone up to B♭ is one of many utterly useless facts that has stuck around in my head. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3728 "2022-02-14T14:35:56Z")
With a smattering of French and English thrown in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=185) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=187)