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I Can Has Cheeseburger? Trivia Quiz

A little hodge-podge about some words in the English language and why they can be so daunting to foreigners, small children, native speakers, farm animals, etc. (In response to an author's challenge)

A multiple-choice quiz by logcrawler. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
logcrawler

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
325,343

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
7222

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Sandman212 (3/10), Guest 71 (6/10), dramla67 (5/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Why doesn't the word "phonetic" sound the way it is spelled? I mean, I thought phonics was supposed to be based on the way words sound. So, why isn't it called "fonetix," or at least, "fonetics"? Hint

no one really knows

it existed in another language other than English

as a test, to see how many people are actually paying attention

to keep confusion down

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Why did some people in the U.S. start eating "freedom fries" and "freedom toast" just after the turn of the 21st century? Hint

in support of the former French colony of Algiers

because they were honoring the Civil Rights era with reenactments

to help purchase medical supplies for citizens of Iraq

as a protest to France

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. That's weird... Remember the old "I before e except after c" thingie that you learned in school?
Luckily, the word "weird" is the only exception to that rule.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. I was wondering why people of other nationalities have such difficulty understanding English.
Keep reading...

Though I hiccough and cough, a thoroughly original thought breaks through: "the bough is tough."

As these -ough words show, the same letters may not always be pronounced the same way. In fact, two words can look exactly alike, yet be pronounced differently. What is the name for such a pair of words? Hint

a homonym or homophone

an antonym or antipode

a homograph or heteronym

a contranym or contronym

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Well, I always kind of liked the music of the rock group, Queen.
Nowadays, though, a queen can mean a slightly, or not-so-slightly, effeminate male or it can still mean a lady of royalty.

But, tell me, what on earth is a "quean"? Hint

an ocean worthy vessel

a barking dog

a stablehand

a prostitute

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. See if you can go the nut-farm figuring this one out:

Flammable means able to catch fire easily, and so does inflammable.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," at 35 letters, is the shortest sentence in the English language that uses every letter of the alphabet.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Hey. Do you like those little rubbery gummy bears that are so popular with kids? There are other shapes and names nowadays, but the original was the Gummi Bear. In what year and from what country did these chewy candies originate? Hint

1965 - Great Britain

1959 - Canada

1922 - Germany

1944 - United States

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Those who work in the automotive industry as well as others, may be familiar with the term "robotics" or mechanical robots. We get the word "robot" from which of the following venues? Hint

a thought process

a book

a play

an animal

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. English grammar can be quite confusing to those attempting to learn it as a second language.
Heck, those of us who attempt to use it as a first language ain't doin' so hot with it, either sometimes, (case in point).

Anyway, the word grammar comes into our language from which OTHER language(s)? Hint

Urdu/Hindi/Paki

French/Scottish/Greek

Polish/Uzbek/Russian

German/Dutch/Afrikaans

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: it existed in another language other than English

A "phoneme" is from a word of Greek origin, meaning "a sound uttered".
(The ph combination makes a sound that is best duplicated verbally as the letter "f".)

Since the word originally was of Greek origin, naturally it retained its root form as it lent itself to English and to other languages.

2. Why did some people in the U.S. start eating "freedom fries" and "freedom toast" just after the turn of the 21st century?

Answer: as a protest to France

On March 11, 2003, the cafeteria menus in the three United States House of Representatives office buildings changed the name of French fries to freedom fries, as well as changing French toast to freedom toast. This was intended as a symbolic rebuke of France in anger over that country's opposition to the United States government's invasion of Iraq.

In response, the French embassy noted that French fries are actually Belgian in origin. "We are at a very serious moment dealing with very serious issues and we are not focusing on the name you give to potatoes," said Nathalie Loisau, an embassy spokeswoman.

So...there!

(As an American, I find this one just a teeny bit embarrassing!)

3. That's weird... Remember the old "I before e except after c" thingie that you learned in school? Luckily, the word "weird" is the only exception to that rule.

Answer: False

I thought the rule was "I before E, except after C."
Except of course, in "science".

And "weird".

And neighbor.

Not to mention therein... reign... rein...seize...
And all this only when it makes the 'ee' sound...

My gosh, what kind of "rule" is this supposed to be, anyway?

4. I was wondering why people of other nationalities have such difficulty understanding English. Keep reading... Though I hiccough and cough, a thoroughly original thought breaks through: "the bough is tough." As these -ough words show, the same letters may not always be pronounced the same way. In fact, two words can look exactly alike, yet be pronounced differently. What is the name for such a pair of words?

Answer: a homograph or heteronym

A word that is spelled the same but has a totally different sound or meaning may be called by either of these two synonyms (words that mean essentially the same thing). For example, I found myself dismayed when my friend decided to desert me in the middle of the desert, leaving me stranded.

By the way, I don't wonder why the difficulties anymore; not after studying this little jewel.

5. Well, I always kind of liked the music of the rock group, Queen. Nowadays, though, a queen can mean a slightly, or not-so-slightly, effeminate male or it can still mean a lady of royalty. But, tell me, what on earth is a "quean"?

Answer: a prostitute

Yup. Or an impudent woman. Or worse names.

6. See if you can go the nut-farm figuring this one out: Flammable means able to catch fire easily, and so does inflammable.

Answer: True

Ok, that's crazy. But it gets even crazier. If something doesn't catch fire easily it must be unflammable, right?
Nope. No such word.

So there won't be a word uninflammable, will there? Wrong again, Bozo; there is such a word. It means something that doesn't catch fire easily.

So how about nonflammable? Yep, there is such a word. It too, means something that doesn't catch fire easily.

In which case how about noninflammable? Not a word.

I think I'm going to call those nice young men in their clean white coats, now.
Dr. Demento; take me awaaaay!

7. "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," at 35 letters, is the shortest sentence in the English language that uses every letter of the alphabet.

Answer: False

Sorry, but try this one that is 3 letters shorter;

"Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs."

Answer: 1922 - Germany

The candy came from Germany where it is popular under the name Gummib�r, meaning "rubber bear", or Gummib�rchen; "little rubber bear". A candy maker from Bonn, Hans Riegel, invented the Dancing Bear, a fruit gum made in the shape of a bear in 1922.

(And here you probably thought they were as American as apple pie.)

9. Those who work in the automotive industry as well as others, may be familiar with the term "robotics" or mechanical robots. We get the word "robot" from which of the following venues?

Answer: a play

The word "robot" was first used to describe advanced humanlike machines. It made its appearance in 1920 in "R.U.R.", which was an early science fiction play by the Czechoslovakian playwright, Karel Capek.

The Czech word, robota, means "compulsory labour."
I suppose that this could mean any type of forced manual labor, not just that of machines.

10. English grammar can be quite confusing to those attempting to learn it as a second language. Heck, those of us who attempt to use it as a first language ain't doin' so hot with it, either sometimes, (case in point). Anyway, the word grammar comes into our language from which OTHER language(s)?

Answer: French/Scottish/Greek

The word "grammar" entered medieval English as "gramarye," by way of Scotland. The Scots had borrowed it from the French. It was derived from, "grimoire", a word that meant a collection of magic spells.
This "magical connection" was made because grammar seemed like some form of magic to most of the population, who were illiterate, for the most part. Thus, anyone who could read or write was viewed suspiciously as dealing in sorcery.
(Many others believe it to have originally come from the Greek; then passed on to the French.)

Source: Author logcrawler

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
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