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

We forget when we use English phrases that they might not mean the same elsewhere.

From at least the fourteenth century to stop cloth from shrinking too much and to keep its shape whilst being manufactured it was streched on a frame called a 'tenter' kept in place by the hooks. Hence 'tenterhooks', to be kept in suspence is to be on 'tenterhooks'. Tenter comes from the latin 'tendere' to strech.

No I'm not a smart arse, I had to look it up.

Regards GA

you should know I am notorious with word associations. I mix Dutch and English words...the fun is not always to explain my wordplaying...

tenter hook made think of tender hook which they use in slaughterhouse. I did not want look it, because that would take the blood out of the joke...

Most people do say 'tenderhooks' because it has become corrupted. Only we pedants can be bothered.

How is Holland? I had a Dutch man who lived above me in a YMCA hostel, a really great guy who was convinced clog dancing on Sunday mornings was just the thing, it wasn't you was it?

do not know how in one of the two holland provinces are...I live in one of the twelve other provinces of the Netherlands...now I am pedant...

I blame the annoying bbc news department still using annoying sport chant name...may be I need call UK England again...

Pedants and parochials unite.

may be my hootoo space is now a bit more clear!

Just been watching one of our TV news presenters kayaking through 'The Bitches' some challenge.