I was born and raised in Ohio, and I've known what the Union Jack was since I was a little kid.
And both "Union Flag" and "Union Jack" are acceptable formal names for the flag of the United Kingdom.
Things you're shocked people don't know
- Thread starter Jadzia
- Start date
I was born and raised in Ohio, and I've known what the Union Jack was since I was a little kid.
And both "Union Flag" and "Union Jack" are acceptable formal names for the flag of the United Kingdom.
I remember learning it in 4th grade English class, we even drew (something similar to) Union Jack flags. 
I don't even know how or when I learned it, because I've literally known it so long that I cannot remember not knowing it. Nor can I begin to understand how anyone could possibly not have discovered its name by the time they reach adulthood -- between James Bond, Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and Princess Diana, how could anyone who's become an adult since the late 1990s not have come across a reference to the Union Jack at some point before reaching adulthood?
Mind you, this coworker of mine is over 50.
Btw. I wonder how many people know why the Union Jack looks the way it looks (or even the American flag also, although that's more obvious).
At school we learnt about the history of flags of different countries. I know we looked at the history of the flags of Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Canada, Israel and several other countries as well.
At school we were taught that the stripes of the US flag represented the 13 original states and that the 50 stars represented the current of states.
Which astonishes me; how could you possibly not have come across a reference to its name at some point?
I have no idea. It's possible that I did and that I just didn't care enough to remember. Although, given your examples, the only one I'm mildly familiar with is Harry Potter (and then only the movies).
I don't like James Bond. I ignored the Spice Girls as hard as I could. And Princess Diana was killed when I was in grade school (and I was too young for it to really have an impact on me).
I don't like James Bond. I ignored the Spice Girls as hard as I could. And Princess Diana was killed when I was in grade school (and I was too young for it to really have an impact on me).
Nardpuncher
Rear Admiral
I think a high percentage would.
It would depend on the kind of person you asked. If you went to some part that was more working class, then you might get a low percentage.
I had a coworker that was no end of dumb.
The students were going to make a lioness mask for art class and she asked where the hair was, I asked if she meant the mane and she said yeah, so I said we're making a female so the kids won't have to do so much work for art class, she asked again where the hair was. I finally got it that she didn't know only the males have manes.
She also a vegetarian and when she saw I had a jug of protein powder she asked if that's for big muscles. I was surprised a bit because my mom and other older less-informed folks think protein powder is something other than just what the label says, but a vegetarian should know better about protein and what it does.
I have another coworker that said she and 3 friends were sitting around wondering who was on the US dime. I told her FDR, she asked how I knew that, being Canadian. I told her we see lots of dimes coming through Canada but I can understand her not remembering who was on it as we're in Taiwan now, so without a dime in your hand it could be hard to remember...then she told me that they did have dime and they were trying to figure out who it was!
Nardpuncher
Rear Admiral
Here's something I was ignorant of.. I knew that the southern hemisphere was warmer in the months of November to February and colder in June to September than the northern hemisphere...but I didn't know that they actually call June 21-September21 Winter and December 21-March 21 Summer.
I think that most Australians consider that June, July and August are the winter months and December, January and February are the summer months.
September is a spring month not a winter month.
September is a spring month not a winter month.
I know it's the combined crosses of St. George and St. Andrew, although I'm clueless as to what the two crosses originally represented, and when and why they were combined.
But, since most of us Yanks are woefully ignorant of our own history, you can't honestly expect us to know a whole lot about the mother country. For example, how many Americans know who was the longest reigning British monarch?
To you, maybe, but not to the Aussies and Kiwis.
I find it more bizarre to be singing songs about snow and sleigh rides and Jack Frost nipping at your nose when it's 75 degrees and sunny here on the Left Coast!
It also includes the cross of Saint Patrick (diagonal red saltire on a field of white).
No matter what the unknown thing is, don't laugh if it is your girlfriend that doesn't know it.
If the girl I'm dating doesn't know the difference between Osama bin Ladin and Saddam Hussein, I'm dumping her ass.
The Dunning-Kruger effect.
(although why it isn't the Kruger-Dunning effect, I don't know)
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