h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"UFO... First, remember what the U stands for in UFO. Now there is a fascinating frailty of the human mind, that psychologists know all about, and it's called 'Argument from Ignorance', and this is how it goes, OK. Somebody sees lights flashing in the sky. They've never seen it before, they don't understand what it is. The say, "A UFO!". The U stands for Unidentified. So, they say, "I don't know what it is, it must be aliens from outer space visiting from another planet."

Well, if you don't know what it is, that's where your conversation should stop. You don't then say it *must be* anything. OK?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSJElZwEI8o

In reference to that interesting clip, does anyone know the origins of the term Chinese Whispers and why that part of America call it Telephones?

I'd say that the term Chinese Whispers probably originated with early European contact with the Chinese and the differences in language and culture and the incomprehension that would arise from that. Although it may be more complicated and involve how whispering in Chinese could lead to confusion as so much meaning in Chinese dialects, like Mandarin, are dependent on tonal changes. I'll stick to calling it the Telephone Game as 'Chinese Whispers' could be deemed racist.

I never thought about the possibility that the term Chinese Whispers could be deemed racist, but I suppose it could be. I assume that this has always been called "Telephone Games" in America (or at least since the invention and widespread use of the telephone) ?