Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 4]
Discussion
Dr Jekyll said:
Jonboy_t said:
Theoretically, would it be possible to completely domesticate a Jaguar? As in, have it live in your house and not eat you and stuff?
Doubt it. Even domestic cats aren't particularly domesticated, not compared with dogsDr Jekyll said:
Jonboy_t said:
Theoretically, would it be possible to completely domesticate a Jaguar? As in, have it live in your house and not eat you and stuff?
Doubt it. Even domestic cats aren't particularly domesticated, not compared with dogsTheoretically you can domesticate anything with enough time. Dogs, like most animals were domesticated more through breeding than training.
V8mate said:
How do animals know how to swim?
Humans don't know how to swim. They have to be taught.
So how do (land) animals manage to just crack on and swim without lessons?
Left to your own devices, as a baby, you would have learned on your own to walk, and in time, to swim. Floating is as simple as holding your breath, and performing the cycle of exhaling and re-inhaling quickly.Humans don't know how to swim. They have to be taught.
So how do (land) animals manage to just crack on and swim without lessons?
Animals are the same, they're just born with those skills closer to fully developed. I don't know why.
SpeckledJim said:
Left to your own devices, as a baby, you would have learned on your own to walk, and in time, to swim. Floating is as simple as holding your breath, and performing the cycle of exhaling and re-inhaling quickly.
Animals are the same, they're just born with those skills closer to fully developed. I don't know why.
By general mammalian standards humans are born premature, something to do with babies head sizes vs pelvis sizes. Animals are the same, they're just born with those skills closer to fully developed. I don't know why.
captain_cynic said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Jonboy_t said:
Theoretically, would it be possible to completely domesticate a Jaguar? As in, have it live in your house and not eat you and stuff?
Doubt it. Even domestic cats aren't particularly domesticated, not compared with dogsTheoretically you can domesticate anything with enough time. Dogs, like most animals were domesticated more through breeding than training.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_red_f...
Not sure how you'd pick the friendliest animals to breed if the givaway sign of their displeasure is that they tear your head off though.
Dr Jekyll said:
SpeckledJim said:
Left to your own devices, as a baby, you would have learned on your own to walk, and in time, to swim. Floating is as simple as holding your breath, and performing the cycle of exhaling and re-inhaling quickly.
Animals are the same, they're just born with those skills closer to fully developed. I don't know why.
By general mammalian standards humans are born premature, something to do with babies head sizes vs pelvis sizes. Animals are the same, they're just born with those skills closer to fully developed. I don't know why.
Who decided that in the UK we'd use individual numbers when referring to Fiat cars e.g. one two seven when in Italy they call them by the whole number e.g. centoventisette / one hundred and twenty seven....apart from the Fiat 500 where we use the same format?
And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
Spumfry said:
Who decided that in the UK we'd use individual numbers when referring to Fiat cars e.g. one two seven when in Italy they call them by the whole number e.g. centoventisette / one hundred and twenty seven....apart from the Fiat 500 where we use the same format?
And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
It's just a cultural thing, surely? English-speakers tend to say numbers that way, whereas it seems the Italians like to say it in full. And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
What always amuses me is translating evocative Italian names into English. So we have the Ferrari red head, the Lamborghini Countach four valve, the Maserati four doors, the Fiat pen, etc.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Tuesday 19th February 13:40
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Spumfry said:
Who decided that in the UK we'd use individual numbers when referring to Fiat cars e.g. one two seven when in Italy they call them by the whole number e.g. centoventisette / one hundred and twenty seven....apart from the Fiat 500 where we use the same format?
And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
It's just a cultural thing, surely? English-speakers tend to say numbers that way, whereas it seems the Italians like to say it in full. And does the same apply for Ferraris? Is a 355 a 'trecento cinquantacinque' or a 'tre cinque cinque'?
What always amuses me is translating evocative Italian names into English. So we have the Ferrari Red head. The Lamborghini Countach four valve, the Maserati four port, the Fiat pen, etc.
I've noticed this bleed into Spanish, I asked a friend in south america which plane she wen't on and she replied "siete siete siete" (meaning a B777) which oddly enough is one of our exceptions, we'd don't usually call it a "seven seven seven", I usually hear "triple seven" or "seven-seventy seven". They don't usually shorten dates, it's dos mil diecinueve (2019) as compared to just nineteen for us.
I think I'll just conclude that English is weird and I should stop trying to make sense of it
captain_cynic said:
I think I'll just conclude that English is weird and I should stop trying to make sense of it
That's probably for the best. English is a language of exceptions, and exceptions to exceptions. No wonder non-native speakers struggle with it. (And even native ones, sometimes)
Spumfry said:
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Maserati four port
'Four doors', surely? But not the most imaginative name in English, no.To be fair, in Italian "porte" is door, "porto" is where ships dock.
captain_cynic said:
You've got to love false friends when learning a new language. Embarazada in Spanish sounds like embarrassed in English... but actually means you're pregnant.
I am so pregnant to have got my initial post slightly wrong for all of 90 seconds before correcting it myself, during which time at least two people quoted me. Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff