Pajaholic Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 (edited) Since we're asked to find the languages most spoken rather than the languages most common as 'first language', English and Mandarin have to be the top two. The next is probably Hindi (India is the most dense large country). We now have the empire languages: Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, French and Russian. Spanish almost certainly is there as it's spoken in most of Southern America as well as being a second language in much of Europe. I'll go for Russian as the last simply because the USSR is the most recent large ex-empire. So, English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish and Russian. Edited to add: one day I'll learn to post a synopsis first and edit later! Edited June 22, 2016 by Pajaholic Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 Or English Manderin Hindi Spanish Arabic. Its one of the 2 guesses. Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 Hi Pajaholic Arabic or rather persish is spoken in a lot of arab countries as well as countries where they have migrated to. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 @speakers-corner: I thought that each dialect of Arabic was its own language -- similar to the situation in Scandinavia (but I could be wrong!) Certainly the Islamic empire was vast, but it was also a long time ago and most of it has had the time to switch to other languages and/or for regional dialects to evolve into full-fledged languages in their own right? Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 That could be said of the Chinese language. Just a thought. Anyway have a nice evening. Im off to bed. Quote
radicalmm Posted June 22, 2016 Posted June 22, 2016 Or English Manderin Hindi Spanish Arabic. Its one of the 2 guesses. Right on! DING Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 That could be said of the Chinese language. Just a thought. Anyway have a nice evening. Im off to bed. @speakers-corner: FWIW, that's why I wrote "Mandarin" rather than "Chinese". AFAICT, Mandarin is a common, Imperial language with several dialects rather than a set of languages. Whereas both Chinese and Arabic are language sets (quick Google after the fact shows that Chinese is a macrolanguage comprising over a dozen distinct, individual languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.) and Arabic is a macrolanguage comprising about a dozen and a half distinct, individual languages). So both are like "Scandinavian" -- and we consider Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish to be separate languages even though, like Chinese and Arabic, they have many similarities and share the same root. That said, I'm in this thread to learn and the question setter is always right. You have the ding, and I look forward to your next question! Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 Thanks for the Ding. And now for a complete change of theme. Name the 2 Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 Both are currently in build at Rosyth. They are HMS Queen Elizabeth (pennant number R08)and HMS Prince of Wales (pennant number R09). Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 Well done. The Ding goes to Pajaholic. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 Many thanks. HMS Queen Elizabeth has pennant number R08 and HMS Prince of Wales has pennant number R09. For the ding, what were the previous UK warships to carry those pennant numbers? Quote
Sharpeset Posted June 23, 2016 Posted June 23, 2016 Many thanks. HMS Queen Elizabeth has pennant number R08 and HMS Prince of Wales has pennant number R09. For the ding, what were the previous UK warships to carry those pennant numbers? If there is a 'clue' in the fact that the current holders are/will be Aircraft carriers, I'll go for Ark Royal and Illustrious Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Some clues: 1. You are correct that "R" denotes an aircraft carrier. 2. The Invincible class were HMS Invincible (R05), HMS Illustrious (R06) and HMS Ark Royal (R07). 3. The previous R08 was Centaur class and the previous R09 was Audacious class. Both were in commission when the first of the Invincible class was laid down but decommissioned before the last of the Invincible class was commissioned. Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Some clues: 3. The previous R08 was Centaur class and the previous R09 was Audacious class. Both were in commission when the first of the Invincible class was laid down but decommissioned before the last of the Invincible class was commissioned. With this in mind (and help from friends in the Navy) it can only be HMS Bulwark and HMS Ark Royal. Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Thanks for the Ding. Name the Royal Navy's shore bases (HMS ???) and where they are. Quote
+speakers-corner Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Shore Bases, there are three left (hint). Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Technically, the naval bases are HMNB Portsmouth, HMNB Devonport, HMNB Rosyth and the Clyde Submarine Base. Three of those have associated accommodation shore establishments. HMNB Portsmouth has HMS Nelson; HMNB Devonport has HMS Drake and the Clyde Submarine Base has HMS Neptune. HMNB Rosyth used to have HMS Cochrane until that was decommissioned. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 Thanks for the ding! On checking after the fact, I note that Rosyth no longer has the HMNB tag and that the official name of the Clyde Submarine Base is HMNB Clyde. Keeping with Royal Navy bases, HMS Rooke used to provide the accommodation for which overseas naval base? Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 When you see a car on the roads that's from another country, it's supposed to have a white oval shaped badge with a specific letter/two/three letters on it. My question is: - if you saw a car with a badge showing the letters 'KN', which country would it be from? Quote
dodgydaved Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 When you see a car on the roads that's from another country, it's supposed to have a white oval shaped badge with a specific letter/two/three letters on it. My question is: - if you saw a car with a badge showing the letters 'KN', which country would it be from? This tweaked my interest so I googled it and was gobsmacked. :lol: Mind as the footnote (head note) on Wikipedia said : "Note: an asterisk (*) indicates that this code is unofficial (does not appear in the UN list of distinguishing codes)." Quote
+hal-an-tow Posted June 24, 2016 Posted June 24, 2016 KNotty Ash ... but only if it is a really small car ... Quote
+MartyBartfast Posted June 26, 2016 Posted June 26, 2016 Another guess, at North Korea now off to google it.... Quote
radicalmm Posted June 26, 2016 Posted June 26, 2016 Nope. Would you like a clue/hint? Yes please. Quote
radicalmm Posted June 26, 2016 Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) Kyrgyzstan? Edited June 26, 2016 by radicalmm Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 26, 2016 Posted June 26, 2016 Or even the northern hemisphere (!). No, not that. Further north. Quote
radicalmm Posted June 26, 2016 Posted June 26, 2016 If it's further north, I think it is Kazakhstan. If it is, Pajaholic already said it. Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 If it's further north, I think it is Kazakhstan. If it is, Pajaholic already said it. Sorry, incorrect. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 I'm trying for the Actic: I don't think it's Scandinavia -- Norway (N), Sweden (S), Denmark (DK) or Finland (FN?). I don't think it's Canada (CA?) or USA (USA?). It's not Iceland (IS) and Greenland isn't a country (it's a Danish territory and so carries "DK"). Similarly, Svalbard isn't a country (it's a Norwegian territory and so carries "N"). That only leaves the northern part of the former USSR. I'm racking my brains, but I can't think of a likely candidate. So I've pretty much ruled out the Actic. WRT other regions, there are way too many countries that are part of the former USSR, way too many Middle-Eastern countries; way too many African countries and way too many in Asia. The UN recognises 196 countries in all, so I suspect that you'll need to narrow it down a little more. Can you at least tell us which continent, or which latitude region (Arctic, Temperate, Sub-tropical, Tropical or Equitorial)? In the meantime, I've just looked at a World map and I'm having another guess at Nicaragua? Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 It's the Arctic. You're all but there in your post above. Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 It's the Arctic. You're all but there in your post above. So I suspect it must be one of the ones I'm not sure about. Finland is Suomi in Finnish IIRC (but it's been a while since I last spoke with a Finn), which leaves Canada; which is "Canada" in both French and English. Perhaps Canada is spelled with "K" in some Inuit dialect, so that's what I try next. Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 No, not Canada - one of their neighbours (and it's been mentioned already). Quote
radicalmm Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 Is it one of Canada's neighbouring countries? If it is, the countries are USA, and Greenland (owned by Denmark) Quote
+martin&lindabryn Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 With a choice being narrowed down to the two above I will go for Green land As I can’t see the US using KN Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 It's Greenland and I'll award the 'ding!' to radicalmm. 'KN' stands for the name of the country, 'Kalaallit Nunaat' ("land of the Kalaallit"), in Greenlandic (Kalaallisut). Quote
radicalmm Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 Wow! I'm shocked. That was a toughie. I had no idea that the Greenland was KN! Anayway, not to put more pressure, , here is another abbreviation. (or code) Which airport's abbreviation, is YYZ? Quote
+Yorkshire Yellow Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 Given my question I'm assuming the letters bear no relation to the city or location/area which the airport in question serves,but I'll have to have a think about it. Quote
radicalmm Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 It relates to airports in the area. Airports in the area have the first letters 'YZ' Quote
Pajaholic Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 Radicalmm is Canadian, so I suspect that we're looking for his local international hub. I know it isn't Vancouver (YVR). I can't think of a Canadian city that abbreviates to YZ. So I'll guess Ottawa. Quote
+martin&lindabryn Posted June 27, 2016 Posted June 27, 2016 having been there, Canada's Toronto air port Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.