You learn something everyday on the internet! What a wonderful thing it is in the right hands! ( or the left) If someone called me a "conker" in england I would probably assume they were refferring to my large proboscis! Conk in england is a slang name for the nose. Michael
--- Wojtek Dlugosz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Here in Poland horsechestnut is called > "kasztanowiec" <do not try to pronounce > it at home! it may cause some serious tongue > injuries! for correct > pronauncjation please contact with nearest polish > embassy!>. > Here we prefer doing little figures <which are > supposed to look like humans> > from those "conkers","buckeyes" or in Polish > "kasztany". It's very > popularised among children in kindergardens! > I must confess that I also like to pick them up > especially in my way to school > <I live by the park fulfiled with "kasztanowce">. I > didn't know it's such an > interantional tree! > Long live kasztany! > > Cheers, > Wojtek. > > PS you can also call someone you really dislike > "Kasztan"! Though, I don't > have any idea why is that !?! Would you feel > offended if someone called you > for example Conker? > > Dnia pi� 7. maja 2004 21:01, JOHN BENNETT napisa3: > > Fascinating! We have horsechestnuts here in Ohio > (but not the word > > "conkers") and also a close native relative, > called a "buckeye" - the nuts > > are identical, tho slightly smaller. It is the > state tree, and so anyone > > from Ohio is called a "Buckeye", it is the name of > the University's > > football team, and people wear necklaces of > buckeyes during football > > season. There's also a horribly sweet confection > called "buckeyes" which > > is a glob of peanut butter, sweetened, partly > covered with chocolate. > > > > I like to pick up new buckeyes (the nut, not the > ghastly candy nor the > > footballers) in the fall because they're nice 'n > shiny and feel so > > smooth... John > > > > Dr. John M. Bennett > > Curator, Avant Writing Collection > > Rare Books & Manuscripts Library > > The Ohio State University Libraries > > 1858 Neil Av Mall > > Columbus, OH 43210 USA > > > > (614) 292-3029 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > www.johnmbennett.net > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: michael leigh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Friday, May 7, 2004 12:58 pm > > Subject: Re: FLUXLIST: RUBBER BISCUIT > > > > > --- "John M. Bennett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > Oh Lord, what have I wrought?! > > > > > > > Michael: what are "conkers"? > > > > > > > >Hello John, > > > > > > Well, conkers are the seeds or nut of the horse > > > chestnut tree. They are found the the spikey > pods that > > > spill out their conkers in september if small > boys > > > havent thrown sticks into the trees first to > knock > > > them down. > > > The game of "conkers" started in 1845 or > thereabouts > > > and the two players must drill a hole through > their > > > conker and thread a peice of stout string > through and > > > tie a knot at the end so that it doesnt fall > off. The > > > players or combatents must take it in turns to > swing > > > their conker and knock it against the apponants > conker > > > to try and damage it and ultimately smash it > into two > > > pieces. Victorous conkers of two games are > called > > > "twoers" and five games "fivers" and so on. > > > Conkers fresh from their casings are a > beautiful > > > polished russet colour but soon dull and > wrinkle, > > > especially after a few battles! One can improve > the > > > look and strength by boiling in vinegar and > baking in > > > ovens but this is cheating as far as I'm > concerned! > > > Lots of websites about conker championships. Put > in a > > > search and see some photos of conkering in > action! > > > All the best, michael > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > > > Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate > instantly..."Ping" > > > your friends today! Download Messenger Now > > > > http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html > ____________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html
