Umbrellas, unicycles and universes

Ok ESPECIALLY universes...

Didn't find your answer?

a) Why is it an umbrella but a universe and a unicycle?

ii) Why does a plural exist for UNIverse? Or for that matter for UNItards and UNIversity?

3) Is it just me or is this the longest January ever? Like, it's been going for a good 50 days now, is that normal? Also I can't sleep, is that normal? What about the elephant sat on my be-oh, he, sorry, SHE says that's normal and I should have a lie down... Okey dokey lokey!

Replies (6)

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RLI
By lionofludesch
07th Jan 2017 08:56

Umbrella - or oombereller as it's properly pronounced - derives from the latin umbra, or shadow. It's [***] all to do with uni- or one.

Hence the difference ..........

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Replying to lionofludesch:
Quack
By Constantly Confused
07th Jan 2017 11:15

lionofludesch wrote:

Umbrella - or oombereller as it's properly pronounced - derives from the latin umbra, or shadow. It's [***] all to do with uni- or one.

Hence the difference ..........

I meant why is it AN umbrella, but A universe/unicycle :)

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Stepurhan
By stepurhan
07th Jan 2017 11:59

All questions are answered somewhere on the internet

(short version, it depends how the "u" is pronounced)

https://www.quora.com/Why-dont-we-use-an-before-a-hard-u-sound-like-in-U...

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Portia profile image
By Portia Nina Levin
07th Jan 2017 12:09

It is a Numbrella, a Yuniverse, and a Yunicycle. Where is the difficulty again?

And there has to be a plural for universes due to the possibility of alternatives.

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Replying to Portia Nina Levin:
Stepurhan
By stepurhan
07th Jan 2017 12:23

Portia Nina Levin wrote:

It is a Numbrella, a Yuniverse, and a Yunicycle. Where is the difficulty again?

There isn't a difficulty if you follow the link I already posted (which actually explains things clearly instead of leaving someone who is claiming sleep deprivation to puzzle it out like you have)
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Portia profile image
By Portia Nina Levin
07th Jan 2017 13:22

Oh, and I forgot to mention that it is a "complete dick".

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