- The name of which social science discipline comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “housekeeping”?
- If something is described as ‘ranine’, what animal does it resemble?
- Why is a “Three line whip”, a strict instruction to attend a parliamentary vote, so called?
- Which word, meaning to change the shape of electoral districts for political gain, comes from the name of a Senator famous for it and the shape of the district he created?
- What is the term for a word created by combining two existing words, like spork, Oxbridge or infomercial?
- If I was in Cumbria and I said “Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera, Pimp”, what would I most likely be counting?
- Which Anglo-Saxon King’s nickname means ‘Bad Counsel’?
- The Russian word for a train station comes from the name of a station on the London Underground. Which one?
- “Marley was dead, to begin with.” Words that start which novel?
- What is the Swahili for ‘hello’ – a word that is also the root of an English word meaning ‘very big’?
Answers below (scroll down)
- The name of which social science discipline comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “housekeeping”
A: Economics
- If something is described as ‘ranine’, what animal does it resemble?
A: Toads or frogs
- Why is a “Three line whip”, a strict instruction to attend a parliamentary vote, so called?
A: It’s underlined three times in parliamentary circulars
- Which word, meaning to change the shape of electoral districts for political gain, comes from the name of a Senator famous for it and the shape of the district he created?
A: Gerrymander – from Senator Elbridge Gerry, and a salamander
- What is the term for a word created by combining two existing words, like spork, Oxbridge or infomercial
A: Portmanteau
- If I was in Cumbria and I said “Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera, Pimp”, what would I most likely be counting
A: Sheep
- Which Anglo-Saxon King’s nickname means ‘Bad Counsel’?
A: Ethelred the Unready – Unraed = bad counsel
- The Russian word for a train station comes from the name of a station on the London Underground. Which one?
A: Vauxhall. The story goes that a Russian delegation in London in the 19th century pointed at a station, asked “What’s that?”, and on hearing the reply “Vauxhall”, thought that was just the generic name for a train station and took the word home with them.
- “Marley was dead, to begin with.” Words that start which novel?
A: A Christmas Carol
- What is the Swahili for ‘hello’ – a word that is also the root of an English word meaning ‘very big’
A:Jambo/Jumbo
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