The Daily Teaser — 23-4-2015: UN English Language Day

You know, it’s amazing!

No, really!

I’m talking about the stabbing that took place in Rollason Way: my street, in other words.

You would not BELIEVE the amount of gossip it’s generated … !

Or possibly you would.

I DO know that at least one other neighbour — Olga, a couple of floors upstairs from me, and ALSO affected by The Gas Meter Situation —has gone on record to say how shocking the incident is.

She does have a point.

Although, personally … ?

Personally, I think it could have been worse.

We could have seen a fire, there, yesterday.

We could be talking about a death toll, rather than injuries.

~≈Ê≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how every does with today’s very English questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 23rd April is UN English Language Day.   Which language family is English a member of: Dravidian, Indo-European or Kartvelian?

Q2) The date was chosen as it’s the birthday of which English playwright?

Q3) English is an official language in how many sovereign states: 57, 67 or 87?

Q4) English is a ‘de facto’ language in two countries: one in Oceania, and one in North America.   What’s the North American one?

Q5) What’s the one in Oceania?

Q6) English evolved in what’s now the United Kingdom.   In which country of the United Kingdom?

Q7) English is an official language of the Commonwealth of Nations.   The Commonwealth is what’s left of which empire?

Q8) If you speak Geordie English, you’re from the Tyneside area of Britain. In other words, the area around which city: Newcastle, Manchester or Liverpool?

Q9) English is one of twenty-two official languages on which sub-continent?

Q10) Finally … The people of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark, all use English.   The islands are collectively called what?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 22nd April, 1977, saw the first use of fibre optic cables to connect and make a telephone call.   The signal in fibre optic cables is carried by what: electricity, sound or light?

A1) Light: usually, a type of laser beam.

Q2) 22nd April, 1876, saw the first game played the the original US Baseball League: the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or National League.   How many teams originally made up the League?

A2) Eight.

Q3) 22nd April, 1967, saw the birth of actress, Sheryl Lee.   One of her best known roles involved being wrapped in plastic: in a David Lynch TV series.   Which TV series?

A3) Twin Peaks.

Q4) 22nd April, 1915, saw Chlorine gas used as a weapon: during the Second Battle of where?

A4) Ypres.

Q5) Finally … 22nd April, 1930, saw the signing of the London Naval Treaty: by the UK, USA, Japan, France and Italy.   It regulated warfare in what sort of ship: aircraft carrier, dreadnaught or submarine?

A5) Submarine.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

James D Nicholl.

And these three songs … 





Have a good day.

*        You probably aren’t the first person to say so, Debbi.   In fact, I seem to recall hearing the term ‘tech noir,’ at about the same time Neuromancer: usually to describe things like Gibson’s work.   (Oh, and my pleasure! :D )