TIL: Today I Learned

[Takhisis]

Go on, go on… (among other things, describe the toppings).

 

[Synobun]

Go on, go on… (among other things, describe the toppings).

It's like a calzone that's even sadder than calzones already are.

 

[Takhisis]

Calzoni aren't sad, they're one of the greatest culinary inventions Italy has come up with and that's saying something.

 

[sophie]

Calzoni aren't sad, they're one of the greatest culinary inventions Italy has come up with and that's saying something.

 

[Takhisis]

Ma che cazzo…?

 

[Zkribbler]

 

[Mouthwash]

TIL what happened to Jar Jar Binks.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

That is not good enough. In my mind Jar Jar Binks will always be a false identity assumed by a Sith Lord (I'd call him Darth Nugax) who gets tortured to death as soon as Palpatine no longer fins him useful.

 

[blueveil]

I found something useful when I was going through the internet the other day. I have an old refrigerator at home and I was wondering what to do with it as it does not even perform the basic functions anymore. We have been using that fridge for a long time, there are a lot of memories attached to it so I was not that keen on having it disposed of. While doing a bit of research online I came across a blog that mentioned some tips on how to repurpose an old refrigerator ( http://www.redbins.ca/innovative-ways-repurpose-old-refrigerator/ ). I found it pretty interesting and wondered that I might share it here as it might come in use with anyone facing the same problem.

 

[sophie]

TIL ounce comes from uncia ("one-twelfth" in Latin), and this is why it abbreviates to oz.

 

[Mouthwash]

I don't see the connection.

 

[sophie]

It's to do with Medieval Latin. You can also understand it if you speak any Italian.

In Medieval Latin pronunciation, -ci- and -ce-, which were pronounced /ki/ and /ke/ in Classical Latin, were pronounced /tsi/ and /tse/. Modern Italian does something similar, where -ci- and -ce- are pronounced as /tʃi/ and /tʃe/ (chi and che), as seen in, say, cucina (kutʃina). Anyway, one common way to express a /ts/ sound, particularly in the Medieval and Early Modern periods, was to use z (zeta), which was pronounced as tseta in premodern greek. German still retains this sound: z is pronounced ts in German, as in Zimmer (tsimmer), Zoll (tsoll, and Zunge (tsunguh).

So uncia in Medieval Latin would have been pronounced ontsia, and spelled onzia. onzia, of course because u -> o in Postvulgar Latin (cf., e.g. (Lat.) vinum->vinu-> (Sp.) vino. You can also see the ce->z(e) in Spanish with, e.g. lux (luce) -> luz; *narix (narice(m)) -> nariz; iudex (iudice) -> juez; uncia -> onza.

This is also the reason why videlicet ("namely", "that is to say") abbreviates to viz.

 

[Mouthwash]

You actually think the average CFCer should be able to understand what you just said, much less draw the connection between uncia and oz on their own?

 

[Takhisis]

In French, once.

 

[sophie]

In French, once.

And, interestingly, undecim -> onze

 

[Takhisis]

Spanish once (see Italian undici, dodici). Languages are fun!

 

[Hygro]

You actually think the average member of the English-speaking world should be able to understand what you just said, much less draw the connection between uncia and oz on their own?

Hence "TIL" and the lengthy explanation.

 

[sophie]

Word of the day:

stloppus -i, m. the noise of a slap on the inflated cheeks: A. Persius Flaccus

 

[Samez]

TIL the oldest ship still in service is the Kommuna (Volkhov until 1922), a salvage ship which outlasted the whole Soviet Union.

 

[The_J]

My last revelation, when I was in Italy, was that Monday means "Moon day" (guess that makes sense, after the Sun-Day).
Realized that because it's Lunedi in Italian. Never thought about this before.