Common Misconceptions

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Everyone always thinks that goldfish have a 3 second memory
I used to think that was why if i put my finger in the bowl, they would continuously come up and do the little fish kiss thing
Apparently they just enjoy doing that :tongue:

Reply 81

NS17

Original post by LemonPi

It is possible to lick your own elbow (disproved that you couldn't myself ^_^). And the tongue 'taste map' is false.

When I was little I once wrote 'Christmas!' on every single month, not realising each page represented a month, not a year. I also could have sworn that Christmas day was the 24th.

Hah, I also used to think that the 24th was Christmas Day. I thought I'd just gone a bit insane.

Reply 82

buchanan700

I used to think dark chocolate was poisonous to children.
I used to think Jack Frost would bite my toes off if I didn't put my feet under the covers. (Makes sense, really. Frost. Bite.)

Both cruel tricks played by my mother :biggrin:

Reply 83

Airel

Original post by PatrickD

I hate to tell you that it's actually 'pastime' (no double 's'). :tongue:

Upon googling, seems like the words are interchangable

Reply 84

Dusty12

That it's "duct tape" not "duck tape"!! :zomg:

Original post by fwed1

Growing up catholic I thought the song "walk in the light" was "war, kinder-light"

I was convinced, and would not be told otherwise that the words to the song 'Go, the Mass is ended' were "Go, the Mass is ended! Oh the mass is long!". And I thought this made perfect sense. :biggrin:

but apparently that's not the actual lyric. :ashamed2:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 85

Noirla

'green crisps will kill you'

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 86

UpsidedownLandMan

It's not "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
It goes:

"Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd,
Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd."

I learnt the hard way.

Reply 87

dungeonkeepr

When I was really little, I used to run around with my two cousins, one roughly the same age as me and one a year younger. We worked out that the one roughly the same age as me was oldest, because his birthday was last in the year and the youngest (which we knew) was born earliest in the year. It made perfect sense at the time, with him having lived longer, because presumably we believed we were all born at the same time and a birthday was arbitrary or something. :smile:

Reply 88

MyselfEtAl

For some reason I used to think the paper in the fax machine literally used to go through the wires to get to the other "number" :confused:

Oh, and until recently, I used to think Liverpool was in Scotland :s

Reply 89

PatrickD

Original post by Airel

Upon googling, seems like the words are interchangable

Fair enough. It's just that when I Google 'passtime' it asks 'Did you mean: pastime.' Pastime is also the only one that gives an instant Google definition (An activity that someone does regularly for enjoyment rather than work; a hobby.) and 'passtime' doesn't give much in the way of hobbies/activities.

Either way, it's definitely not 'pasttime'! :smile:

Reply 90

dummie

when i was in primary school i thought when kids said "she said the f word" or "he said the s word" i thought that "the f word" was the swear word not that it was jus the start letter of the swear word fk lol

Reply 91

Daniellejo.

Original post by Minotauro

Until I was 13 had no idea calling someone half caste was rude or derogatory, :colondollar:

so I'd be calling mixed race people this with out any idea how offensive I was being
and not till a couple years later did I know why it was offensive :colondollar:

I don't know anyone who finds that offensive. It's not like people use it with the same intentions anymore; especially considering that a lot of younger people (as you proved) don't even know what it means, a lot of mixed race people I know don't even know where it comes from. I think if someone gets offended by a person innocently using it then they need to get over themselves.
Hell, I use it to describe myself sometimes and I often describe people as 'quarter caste' if I have no idea what else to call them in a succinct manner; no-one bats an eyelid. :colondollar:

Maybe that's just the people I know though :dontknow:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 92

Bellissima

Original post by Barden

its myoglobin

ohh ok

Reply 93

The medjai

Used to think Man Utd and Manchester United were two different teams. Although I doubt it's common...

Reply 94

Carnationlilyrose

The expression is 'Off your own bat', not 'Off your own back.'

Reply 95

Hopple

Original post by Bobifier

This page amuses me on a number of levels. Not least of which is just the fact that it exists.

Is that the content for the next 10 series of QI? :tongue:

Reply 96

TattyBoJangles

When I was about 5, I had a bit of red muslin. I called it my "Little Muslim", and it took me years to discover that a Muslim wasn't a piece of string :/

I also thought Peru was a made up place until I was about 10. If I asked my dad where mum was (or vice-versa), they'd go, "Oh, gone to Peru." I don't know why. But I assumed Peru was some made-up place.

Reply 97

daisydaffodil

I was told at the age of eight, by my classmates, that the word sex was a really bad swear word, that they would tell the teacher and that she'd tell my mum. I spent the rest of the day panicing, then I ran home crying, worrying that my mum would think I was "dirty". I then proceeded to lie and told her I had sworn, she asked if I had said another *very mild* word, I told her I had (untrue) and she said not to worry. I was too terrified to tell her I'd said "sex" and only admitted to it about a year ago... I also thought until I was sixteen that a bloke's bits were called a pencil and that condoms were actually called Johnnies. Damn classmates.

Reply 98

nmudz_009

Original post by LeaX

I was told nits were 'tiny animals that live in your hair', so I was imagining tiny, cute little giraffes, elephants, tigers, etc. That is until the school handed out a leaflet with a picture of one on there. I was traumatised.