[ummm]

I used to think that "Francesca" was actually "Franjessica".

[TheGoat]

I don't know if this has been said already but..

I was terrified of the idea of chewing gum staying in your system for 7 years if you swallow it when I was younger.. Now I know it isn't true 8-)

And not really a common misconception but.. I know people who were told that when ice-cream vans play music, they're telling you they have no ice-cream left 8-)

[PatrickD]

(Original post by Airel)
Use to think the phrase 'passtime' was 'pasttime'

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

(Original post by Ice Constricter)
I don't know if it's just americans but I always see people online type I could care less instead of I couldn't care less.

For example they'll say "I could care less if you hate me"

It's not even a typo, so I have no idea why alot of people seem to say that

I've always been annoyed by this too and I believe it is an American thing. I've seen American's justify this on a forum a while ago by explaining that it's actually some sort of sarcasm. Even so, it doesn't sound right, sarcasm doesn't transfer well over the internet and 'couldn't' makes so much more sense.

[James2593]

When a child, thinking that if you ate the seeds in an apple, that an apple tree would grow inside you.

[AmyTownshend]

i have learnt so much reading this thread
i feel dumb now

[Amiro123]

I always thought "past papers" were called "pass" papers because they help you pass your exams.

[geetar]

I used to think that Peter Schmeichel's name was actually Petish Michael.

[chocolate buttons]

In primary school everyone thought 'damn' was the worst word you could say.

I thought earwigs were bugs that lived in your ear.

I thought that all TV was live. Once I was watching a game show that had an EastEnders actor in it and I thought he ran to the set after the game show to be in the episode (which was on after the game show).

[FreakyStyley]

(Original post by Alarae)
"Bananas do not grow on trees"

I just read that on the Wikipedia article. What do they grow on then?? *googles*

EDIT: While they look like trees they are actually 'herbs'... I did not know that...

Another misconception is that herbaceous necessarily means things are herbs.. A Banana plant is not a herb

[Barden]

(Original post by Bellissima)
what is it then?

its myoglobin

[naomidawn]

(Original post by Airel)
Use to think the phrase 'passtime' was 'pasttime'

It's pastime...as in hobby...

[Sophie1805]

Used to think a handbag was a 'hambag'

[Psyk]

When I was little I didn't realise Americans had different accents, I just thought that's how people talked when they were on TV.

[Noirla]

(Original post by Sophie1805)
Used to think a handbag was a 'hambag'

I also used to think that *high five*

I also used to forget the date of Christmas every year and think it was on the 31st because that seemed both logical and convenient. (I don't know when I thought boxing day and new year were?)

My ex had called me stupid because he said the lyrics to that soulja boy song were 'yahh drink yahh' instead of 'yahh trick yahh' and that wouldn't make any sense... like ANY of his lyrics do?

People at my primary school said I couldnt be half Jamaican or a quarter Welsh because I couldn't speak the language/dialect

Up until this year I thought that the last name of Duncan on dragons den was Valentine not Bannatyne

Great thread OP

[cloudcatcher]

I thought it was "pindles and needles" not "pins and needles"

No idea what I thought pindles were :L

[Mr. Gutsy]

'Hamsterdam'. Nuff said.

[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.

[Piprod01]

"Alot" isn't a word.

Science doesn't prove things.

When physicists say, "If you think you understand Quantum physics, then you haven't understood Quantum Physics", they aren't endorsing quantum conciousness or other new age ideas.

DNA is NOT analogous to language.

It does mater which way you draw the twists on DNA.

[LaBelleEtLeBete]

My dad told my little sister that a dwarf lived in the ticket machines in car parks, she believed that until she was about nine. She also used to pronounce squirrel 'squee-eal' until that age.
Reminded of a great email from Russell Brand's 'Innocence' show on 6music.
Child: Are we prostitutes?
Dad: No dear, we're Protestants.
and
"I used to think guerillea (sp?) warfare was monkeys with guns!"

[x8Charlotte8x]

When I was really small, and had just started primary school, I thought that no one could hear you when you hummed! I got told off quite a lot for that, and I had no idea why.

Also, I thought that 'fruit of thy womb, Jesus' was 'fruit of vival Jesus' (I learnt the Hail Mary by ear)!! It's not even a word, and they don't even sound similar, but I kept on using 'vival' until well into middle school, even though by then I did actually know the correct words.

I also used to say 'soup-case' instead of suitcase, and I always had trouble saying 'Railway'. And I thought that there was a tiny orchestra or band living inside cassette tapes, to make the sounds!!!