# 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:** 399
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7971 "2023-11-02T13:43:18Z")
Somewhere along the way I learned that uh-oo-aht-eh-pu-it has two totally different meaning in Mancunian and Cockney. Not sure what either of them mean but I could see trouble saying it to the wrong person in a pub. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7972 "2023-11-02T13:46:01Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@eschereal](#): > > > > Are American basketaball followers the only people in the world who normally pronounce “Celtic” that way? > > No, there are Scottish soccer fans who pronounce it that way, too. Like Rod Stewart 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7973 "2023-11-02T15:28:59Z")
When I hear it, British people pronounce Worcester as what I would spell Wousta, “wou-” as in “would.” But I find it very hard to distinguish a barely rhotacized vowel from an unrhotacized one, though the British themselves clearly have no problem doing so. Leominster is “Lemsta” in the UK; I have no idea how the one in Massachusetts is pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7974 "2023-11-02T15:40:46Z")
Lemstuh is similar to UK. Worcestor is MA is more like wuhstuh. There’s only the faintest R. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7975 "2023-11-02T17:22:36Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I find it very hard to distinguish a barely rhotacized vowel from an unrhotacized one Being rhotic-speaking, I sometimes have that issue as well. I think the non-rhotic r is a lot like the dark l. Around here, the l in “calm” is not clearly articulated, but you can hear it. The vowel is palatized. Rhoticized vowels are also palatized, but more forward compared to dark-l vowels. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7976 "2023-11-02T17:42:51Z")
I remember testing the issue with a couple of non-rhotic friends: I had been very, very confused by the discussion of a new Pawn / Porn shop in town, but it turned out the two of them each had no problem distinguishing those words from each other. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7977 "2023-11-02T17:59:07Z")
I can work my way through the Boston accent pretty well but I was totally stymied at the landscape supply company checkout. I gave them the product number from tag on the pallet. There was some head scratching and back and forth among them and then someone asked me “Did you get code bricks?”. I had no idea what that meant, I repeated quizzically “Code bricks?” He said “Yes. Code.”. We stared at each other for a few moments and then someone else asked “Did they have holes in them? He’s trying to say Cored Bricks.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7978 "2023-11-02T19:00:04Z")
I’ve had a few moments, too. Asking for directions once, I was told to turn onto “Easton Avenue” “I can’t find it on the map,” I replied “It’s a major street – Easton” “Are you sure? Can you spell it?” “Yeah – Easton – E - A -S -T -E - Ah – N – Easton.” Another time I had stepped out of our laser lab (pronounced “Lasuh Lab”) while a long-running experiment was in progress. One of the junior scientists came running out, somewhat alarmed. “Cal! The Lasuh! It’s Ocking!” “It’s _what_?” “Ocking! It’s Ocking!” I had to run it over in my head a few times before it registered. “It’s Arcing!” I shouted in triumph. “Yeah, it’s Ocking! What do we do?” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7979 "2023-11-02T19:05:02Z")
I saw some Maryland license plates at a rest stop and decided to ask my fellow Marylanders what part of the state they’re were from. Took me a second to translate “Aston Shaw” (eastern shore). ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7980 "2023-11-02T23:36:09Z")
As for English surnames: Featherstonehaugh is pronounced fanshaw, and Cholmondeley as chumley. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2023, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7981 "2023-11-02T23:45:25Z")
Just fail to get anyone going on about how to pronounce “Enroughty”. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7982 "2023-11-03T01:28:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’ve had a few moments, too. Asking for directions once, I was told to turn onto “Easton Avenue” > > “I can’t find it on the map,” I replied > “It’s a major street – Easton” > “Are you sure? Can you spell it?” > “Yeah – Easton – E - A -S -T -E - Ah – N – Easton.” One of the high schools I went to brought in a Bostonian to talk to us about underage drinking. Took me a moment to suss out that he was referring to parties rather than bathrooms. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7983 "2023-11-03T02:14:04Z")
Have any of you ever met someone from the UK or Ireland? These examples are the tame American versions of pronunciations that skip certain consonants. I’ve never had a problem understanding someone from Boston. But for Game of Thrones episodes, I need English subtitles. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7984 "2023-11-03T13:00:43Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I’ve never had a problem understanding someone from Boston. But for Game of Thrones episodes, I need English subtitles. I need English subtitles for everyone, so I don’t miss a word or phrase that’s not enunciated properly. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7985 "2023-11-03T14:07:26Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > As for English surnames: Featherstonehaugh is pronounced fanshaw, and Cholmondeley as chumley. Isn’t St. John pronounced sinjin? ---
**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:** [November 3, 2023, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7986 "2023-11-03T14:56:53Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > “Code bricks?” He said “Yes. Code.”. We stared at each other for a few moments and then someone else asked “Did they have holes in them? He’s trying to say Cored Bricks.” A woman on the next stool at the local pub asked a young server for “neck-a-roni”. After hearing it repeated, the server said “I’m afraid we don’t have that.” After an hour of catching snatches of her conversation, it became apparent she was from somewhere Mediterranean, and I realized she’d been asking for a Negroni. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7987 "2023-11-03T18:03:14Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I had been very, very confused by the discussion of a new Pawn / Porn shop in town The [conventional sign for a pawn shop](https://images.app.goo.gl/uNCkV3r7cKS4VqiX8) should tell you. Or maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7988 "2023-11-03T18:14:40Z")
Triorchidism! ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7989 "2023-11-03T19:04:24Z")
Or the Medicis? ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7990 "2023-11-03T22:12:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Somewhere along the way I learned that uh-oo-aht-eh-pu-it has two totally different meaning in Mancunian and Cockney. Not sure what either of them mean but I could see trouble saying it to the wrong person in a pub. As a Mancunian I could probably tell you what it means but I can’t work out what it’s supposed to say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=398) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=400)