1) how piggy banks originated?
Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.
2) why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?
The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.
3) why men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right, since most people are right-handed, and it would be easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.
4) why X at the end of a letter signifies kiss?
In the Middle Ages, many people were unable to read or write, so documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.
5) why shifting responsibility to someone else is called 'passing the buck'?
In card games, it was once customary to pass an item called a buck from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of being card dealer, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.
6) why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would then drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would merely touch or clink the host's glass with his own.
7) why people in the public eye are said to be 'in the limelight'?
Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage 'in the limelight' were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.
8) why ships and aircraft in trouble say 'mayday' when calling for help?
The French terminology m'aidez which means 'help me' is pronounced 'mayday.'
9) why someone who is feeling great is 'on cloud nine'?
Types of clouds are numbered according to their altitude, and nine is the highest altitude. If someone is 'on cloud nine', that person is floating well above worldly cares.
10) why zero score in tennis is called 'love'?
In France, where tennis first became popular, a big round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf' which is French for 'the egg'. When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it 'love'.
11) where the term 'caddie' came from?
When Mary, who later became Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl for education & survival, Louis, the King of France, learned that she loved the Scottish game 'golf'. So, he had the very first golf course outside Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure that she was properly chaperoned and guarded while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland, she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day'. The Scots pronounced it 'caddie'.
And Now You Know!
Source Unknown
Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.
2) why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?
The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.
3) why men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?
When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right, since most people are right-handed, and it would be easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.
4) why X at the end of a letter signifies kiss?
In the Middle Ages, many people were unable to read or write, so documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.
5) why shifting responsibility to someone else is called 'passing the buck'?
In card games, it was once customary to pass an item called a buck from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of being card dealer, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.
6) why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would then drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would merely touch or clink the host's glass with his own.
7) why people in the public eye are said to be 'in the limelight'?
Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage 'in the limelight' were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.
8) why ships and aircraft in trouble say 'mayday' when calling for help?
The French terminology m'aidez which means 'help me' is pronounced 'mayday.'
9) why someone who is feeling great is 'on cloud nine'?
Types of clouds are numbered according to their altitude, and nine is the highest altitude. If someone is 'on cloud nine', that person is floating well above worldly cares.
10) why zero score in tennis is called 'love'?
In France, where tennis first became popular, a big round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf' which is French for 'the egg'. When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it 'love'.
11) where the term 'caddie' came from?
When Mary, who later became Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl for education & survival, Louis, the King of France, learned that she loved the Scottish game 'golf'. So, he had the very first golf course outside Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure that she was properly chaperoned and guarded while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland, she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day'. The Scots pronounced it 'caddie'.
And Now You Know!
Source Unknown
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