People Shared the Popular Sayings They Do Not Think Are True

I’ve never liked the phrase “everything happens for a reason.”

I mean, I guess it’s true in the sense that effect follows cause, but the other day I left a burrito in the microwave too long and it exploded so hard I had to clean the thing out for an hour and I missed a call from my girlfriend who then thought I was ignoring her and I had to explain that no, my burrito exploded.

I’m just saying that I don’t think that was a part of any sort of elegant cosmic plan.

And I’m not the only person who has a bone to pick about these things:

What popular saying is actually bullshit? from AskReddit

What’s on the list of our linguistic pet peeves? Let’s find out.

1. Instigators

“It doesn’t matter who started it.”

Of course it f*cking does.

Even legally the concept of who did what first is recognised as vital.

– ActualTymell

2. Looks

“Looks don’t matter.”

They do. Not always, not completely, but they very much do matter.

Humans are kind of superficial in that regard.

– InAndOut51

3. Karma

‘What goes around, comes around.’

I’ve seen so many good, honest people get screwed over by toxic, immoral people who never get their comeuppance.

The concept of karma is bullsh*t.

– mogmuv

4. Practice

“Practice makes perfect!”

I had a teacher that used to point out that no, practice makes permanent.

If you practice something in an incorrect way, you’re going to perform incorrectly.

– JudahBotwin

5. Spelling

I before e except after c.

– WalkingOnPavement

6. Sleep

“Sleep is for the weak” or “I’ll sleep when I die”

Well actually, not sleeping is making you weaker and decreasing your lifespan as you gloat about it right now.

Sleep is essential people.

– byawaworht

7. Grief

Time heals all wounds.

Malarkey.

– augenwiehimmel

8. Pain

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me

– Bish182

9. Bad influences

Using the phrase, “it’s just a few bad apples,” to protect an institution when the full proverb says, ” a few bad apples spoils the bunch.”

– Ohmmy_G

10. Learning

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

You can, just the owner is a stubborn old bag.

– Darkenie

11. Hurt

This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.

LIES!!

– FierceMilkshake

12. Health

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

– josephgulag

13. Money

“Money can’t buy happiness.”

Poverty can’t buy anything.

– TwistyMaKneepahls

14. Knowledge

What you don’t know can’t hurt you.

While yes it’s technically true it’s also not a positive thing.

Theoretically if someone’s partner was cheating on them yes they don’t know so they can’t be hurt but it’s still a bad thing

– DaRkxDaSHeR

15. Pots

“A watched pot never boils.”

It does, I’ve checked.

– JellyRollGeorge

“Money can’t buy happiness” is an especially sticky one. Money actually CAN make you happier – right up to the point where the lack of it is no longer a cause of stress.

Past that, no, it’s not gonna have any long term positive effect on you mentally. You’re just a hoarder.

What saying do you hate?

Tell us in the comments.

The post People Shared the Popular Sayings They Do Not Think Are True appeared first on UberFacts.

July 15, 2020

This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From

When someone tells you to take something with a “grain of salt,” you should be skeptical about what you’ve heard, because your source may be unreliable.

A grain of salt is tiny. It is also a reflection of not putting too much belief in something that has already proven itself worthy of reservation.

But where does the association between salt and skepticism come from? We’ll tell you what we know, but you take this information with a grain of… well, you know.

Photo credit: Pixabay

The phrase itself goes all the way back to 77 A.D. It’s earliest recorded use comes from Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder, who created an antidote to poison in his Naturalis Historia—it called for figs, walnuts, rue (an herb), and a “grain of salt.”

It didn’t appear to have a symbolic meaning until a few hundred years later.

In the 17th-century, Anglican Bible commentator John Trapp included it his A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments as a metaphor concerning his own writing.

Just what its meaning was to Trapp, however, is still unclear.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Over the years, the phrase continued to make its way through the English language in literal and figurative speech, but wasn’t used in its current incarnation until just after the Second World War.

It was then that became widely used by Americans and the British, who slightly altered the phrase to a “pinch” of salt.

In 1948, English author F.R. Cowell first included it with this particular meaning in his book, Cicero & the Roman Republic. According to Cowell, Cicero and those around him “took more than the proverbial pinch of salt before swallowing everything written by these earlier authors.”

Photo credit: Pixabay

Do you use this idiom or know of others with equally fascinating origins?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From appeared first on UberFacts.

July 15, 2020

This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From

When someone tells you to take something with a “grain of salt,” you should be skeptical about what you’ve heard, because your source may be unreliable.

A grain of salt is tiny. It is also a reflection of not putting too much belief in something that has already proven itself worthy of reservation.

But where does the association between salt and skepticism come from? We’ll tell you what we know, but you take this information with a grain of… well, you know.

Photo credit: Pixabay

It didn’t appear to have a symbolic meaning until a few hundred years later.

In the 17th-century, Anglican Bible commentator John Trapp included it his A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments as a metaphor concerning his own writing.

Just what its meaning was to Trapp, however, is still unclear.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Over the years, the phrase continued to make its way through the English language in literal and figurative speech, but wasn’t used in its current incarnation until just after the Second World War.

It was then that became widely used by Americans and the British, who slightly altered the phrase to a “pinch” of salt.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Do you use this idiom or know of others with equally fascinating origins?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From appeared first on UberFacts.

October 31, 2019

20 Literal Translations That Might Make You LOL

Have you ever tried to learn a foreign language? Then you likely realized – quickly – that knowing vocabulary and verb tenses is only part of becoming truly bilingual. Every language has idioms and sayings that are quirky and unique (some even vary by region!) that you have to figure out before people will make total sense when they talk.

Because some of the literal translations of those idioms? Hilarious, even if they do make a weird sort of sense!

Facebook group Monolinguals are the worst encouraged its members to share the funniest literal translations they know, and…y’all. Prepare to be amused.

20. There are wide range of how people think about ladybugs.

Image Credit: Facebook

19. Think of it as hair – that’s one way to save your diet.

Image Credit: Facebook

18. This mental image is just more than I can really compute.

Image Credit: Facebook

17. Annnnd now I want one more than ever.

Image Credit: Facebook

16. I don’t really get why, but it is funny.

Image Credit: Facebook

15. That is not at all appetizing.

Image Credit: Facebook

14. I know name calling is wrong but they kind of deserve it.

Image Credit: Facebook

13. An oddly accurate description.

Image Credit: Facebook

12. Without a thumb, but okay.

Image Credit: Facebook

11. It is quite delicious.

Image Credit: Facebook

10. Because he’s lying in wait I get it.

Image Credit: Facebook

9. That’s what it tastes like!

Image Credit: Facebook

8. The dove part is totally throwing me.

Image Credit: Facebook

7. They call them like they see them.

Image Credit: Facebook

6. Yes, yes that’s what it does so that’s what it is.

Image Credit: Facebook

5. You will find that Germans are very practical.

Image Credit: Facebook

4. I guess it depends on which side of this you’re on…

Image Credit: Facebook

3. I’m going to need someone to explain this to me.

Image Credit: Facebook

2. Let the uprising begin.

Image Credit: Facebook

1. You know what they used to do to witches, right?

Image Credit: Facebook

These renew my interest in learning another language.

Do you speak more than one? Do you have a favorite idiom that’s not totally translatable? Please share it in the comments!

The post 20 Literal Translations That Might Make You LOL appeared first on UberFacts.

June 29, 2019

It’s Too Bad We Can’t Use These 20 Irish Words in English

There aren’t too many Irish speakers out there. It’s a Celtic language that’s a cousin of other ancient languages like Welsh, Scots, Manx, and Breton. One reason is that it’s particularly tough for native English speakers to master because of complex grammar, varied inflection, and other linguistic constructs that don’t really exist in English.

Image Credit: Pixabay

In addition, the Irish alphabet is comprised of just 18 letters, and the pronunciation is…difficult. If you’re looking to be able to pronounce the words below, check out the University of Dublin’s online Irish speech synthesizer.

#20. AITEALL

The fine spell of weather between two showers of rain.

#19. BÉALÁISTE

A drink or toast used to seal a deal.

#18. CLAGARNACH

Literally it means clatter, but it refers to the sound of heavy rain on a rooftop.

#17. LADHAR

The gap between your fingers and toes – a ladhar bothairis is a fork in the road.

#16. RAGAIRE

It’s derived from the word for late-night wandering, or for sitting up talking long into the early hours – a ragaire is someone who enjoys those things.

#15. ADUANTAS

The feeling of unease or anxiety caused by being somewhere new or being in a crowd of strangers.

#14. ASCLÁN

The amount of something that can be carried under one arm.

#13. BEOCHAOINEADH

An “elegy for the living,” or a sad lament for someone who is gone but not dead.

#12. CODRAISC

A riff-raff or rabble of people, but also a random collection of worthless or useless objects.

#11. MAOLÓG

The part heaped above a too-full container. Also, someone who sticks out from a crowd or a small knoll or hill.

#10. AIMLIÚ

Something that is ruined or spoiled by exposure to bad weather – plants, soaking clothes, or even one’s health.

#9. BACHRAM

Rambunctious behavior, but also a sudden or violent downpour of rain.

#8. BOGÁN

An egg without a shell; soft, unsteady ground; mushy, overcooked food; or a spineless person.

#7. FOISEACH

Grass that can’t be easily reached to be cut, like the longer grass at the edge of a field or lawn.

#6. PLOBAIREACHT

Trying to speak while crying and being unable to make yourself clear.

#5. AIRNEÁNACH

Someone who takes part in the traditional custom of “night-visiting,” in which everyone in a village or area would go to a local’s home for an evening of music and entertainment.

It can also be used to describe someone who likes working or staying up late into the night.

#4. BACACH

It can mean lame or limping, but also a beggar or someone who outstays their welcome or drags their heels.

#3. BOTHÁNTAÍOCHT

The practice of calling on all your neighbors to catch up on all the gossip.

#2. IOMBHÁ

A sinking boat half submerged in water, or a place where there is a danger of drowning.

#1. POCLÉIMNIGH

It literally means “buck-jumping,” but could also refer to an energetic, excitable leap into the air – a jump for joy.

If I ever have time to learn a new language I know which one I’m choosing!

The post It’s Too Bad We Can’t Use These 20 Irish Words in English appeared first on UberFacts.

June 29, 2019

It’s Too Bad We Can’t Use These 20 Irish Words in English

Image Credit: Pixabay

#20. AITEALL

The fine spell of weather between two showers of rain.

#19. BÉALÁISTE

A drink or toast used to seal a deal.

#18. CLAGARNACH

Literally it means clatter, but it refers to the sound of heavy rain on a rooftop.

#17. LADHAR

The gap between your fingers and toes – a ladhar bothairis is a fork in the road.

#16. RAGAIRE

It’s derived from the word for late-night wandering, or for sitting up talking long into the early hours – a ragaire is someone who enjoys those things.

#15. ADUANTAS

The feeling of unease or anxiety caused by being somewhere new or being in a crowd of strangers.

#14. ASCLÁN

The amount of something that can be carried under one arm.

#13. BEOCHAOINEADH

An “elegy for the living,” or a sad lament for someone who is gone but not dead.

#12. CODRAISC

A riff-raff or rabble of people, but also a random collection of worthless or useless objects.

#11. MAOLÓG

The part heaped above a too-full container. Also, someone who sticks out from a crowd or a small knoll or hill.

#10. AIMLIÚ

Something that is ruined or spoiled by exposure to bad weather – plants, soaking clothes, or even one’s health.

#9. BACHRAM

Rambunctious behavior, but also a sudden or violent downpour of rain.

#8. BOGÁN

An egg without a shell; soft, unsteady ground; mushy, overcooked food; or a spineless person.

#7. FOISEACH

Grass that can’t be easily reached to be cut, like the longer grass at the edge of a field or lawn.

#6. PLOBAIREACHT

Trying to speak while crying and being unable to make yourself clear.

#5. AIRNEÁNACH

Someone who takes part in the traditional custom of “night-visiting,” in which everyone in a village or area would go to a local’s home for an evening of music and entertainment.

It can also be used to describe someone who likes working or staying up late into the night.

#4. BACACH

It can mean lame or limping, but also a beggar or someone who outstays their welcome or drags their heels.

#3. BOTHÁNTAÍOCHT

The practice of calling on all your neighbors to catch up on all the gossip.

#2. IOMBHÁ

A sinking boat half submerged in water, or a place where there is a danger of drowning.

#1. POCLÉIMNIGH

It literally means “buck-jumping,” but could also refer to an energetic, excitable leap into the air – a jump for joy.

If I ever have time to learn a new language I know which one I’m choosing!

The post It’s Too Bad We Can’t Use These 20 Irish Words in English appeared first on UberFacts.

January 25, 2018

The idiom “Turning a blind eye” is attributed…

The idiom “Turning a blind eye” is attributed to Admiral Horatio Nelson who, in the midst of battle and given the permission to retreat by his superior, lifted the telescope to his eye (blinded from an earlier injury) and said “I really do not see the signal” and pressed on with the attack. 00