Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 239
November 8, 2019
November 7, 2019
The Stranger-Than-Fiction History Of “Ye”
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Call it the English language’s oldest marketing ploy: Stores, restaurants, and pubs using “medieval” names such as “Ye Olde Shoppe” or “Ye Olde Tavern.” While these linguistic configurations are meant to evoke a bygone age, do they actually reflect ancient language patterns?
Words such as “ye” and even “olde” are what we call archaisms—conscious imitations of ancient words and phrases from Old and Middle English. Other examples include pronouns such as “thou,” phrases like “vim and vinegar,” and verbs such as “unhand.” Most, like “vim” and “thou,” are linguistic fossils that have managed to retain a shred or two of linguistic currency. Others, like “olde,” represent inventions that came into parlance centuries later to mimic this old-fashioned “speak.”
Of course, all of this begs the question: was the word “the” pronounced “ye” in Old and Middle English? Absolutely not! Read on for the truth about “ye” and the secret letter that solves the mystery.
Ye Olde Spelling Mayhem
Few archaisms prove quite as dated and kitschy as “ye olde.” Rather than a true artifact of another age, this article-adjective combination represents a clever—and recent—marketing invention. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “olde” is a “pseudo-archaic, mock-antique variant”—say that five times!—of “old” first used in the late 19th century. And as for “ye olde”? It was heavily used and scrutinized in English print materials by 1896. 
Before diving into the strange history of “ye,” let’s take a quick look at how its partner in crime, “olde,” fits into the picture.
Numerous medieval sources confirm that “olde” is a latter-day linguistic invention. Although this spelling occurred on rare occasions in documents as early as the 13th century, think of them as misspellings. If such a thing existed back then… Hold that thought for a moment.
The most popular configurations for “old” started with an “a,” “au,” or “aw.” Here are what those historic spellings actually looked like:
Awld
Auld
Alde
Ole
By the 15th and 16th centuries, “olde” gained in popularity but only in very limited usage as a noun referring to elderly people. In other words, using “olde” to talk about anything other than senior citizens was grammatically incorrect according to “Auld” English. Of course, there were always exceptions to the rule.
Remember that thought I told you to hold? Here it goes. Because the English language didn’t develop consistent orthography until a couple of centuries ago, people often spelled the same word in many different ways. So, the way we think of spelling and misspelling today is quite different than the fluid way writers viewed it even 250 years ago. Back then, it was pretty hard to go wrong.
Whether a 19th-century marketer happened across one of these rare occurrences of “olde” in a medieval text or just made it up—based on knowledge of how poor historic English spelling was—we may never know. Getting to the bottom of “ye,” however, is a different story.
How “ye” Whole Thing Got Started
When it comes to “ye,” the story gets really interesting. You see, “ye” is indeed an ancient form of the word “the.” That said, if you pronounce “ye” with a “y,” you’re doing it wrong. But, it’s not your fault because the spelling is wrong.
Once upon a time, the English language contained another letter of the alphabet represented by the symbol:
þ
Known as the letter thorn, it’s one of a handful of letters that didn’t make the final cut when it came to the English alphabet! A derivative of the Old English runic alphabet Futhark, thorn—or Thurisaz—is still used in Icelandic to this day. I know, mind-blowing, right?
So, what did thorn sound like? It was pronounced exactly like the consonant digraph we use to this day: “th.” In other words, that article we all know and love, “the,” originally looked like this:
þe
And, as you’ve no doubt already figured out, it has always been pronounced “the.” After all, Old English already contained the word “ye,” and it was a pronoun that meant the plural form of “you.” In other words, it filled the void for modern-day expressions like “you guys,” “y’all,” and my personal favorite “all of y’all.”
Thorn: Rendered Obsolete by Technology
After Johannes Gutenberg invented the first printing press in Strasbourg, France, in 1440, this technology spread like wildfire across Europe. But it came at a cost to the English language. In German and French, the letter thorn didn’t exist, and so this character never found its way into movable type sets. English printers simply made do by substituting a “y” in its place. Since Gothic-style fonts made the two letters almost interchangeable, this printing hack worked. For a while… 
As later printers got savvier and realized thorn was never going to be added to the printing alphabet, they substituted the “y” with “th” providing the correct phonetic symbol. In essence, technology squeezed thorn out of existence. By the 19th century, when advertisers and business owners were pilfering historic documents for clever ways to make establishments seem older, they stumbled across the “ye” and mistakenly took the “y” meant to represent thorn for the “y” that represented “y.” And really, can you blame them?
Since thorn had been kicked out of the English club centuries before, even if some of those advertisers also happened to be Old English aficionados, they would have had to re-introduce the former letter of thorn back into common parlance just to sell a few drinks. That’s a whole lot of work for an entrepreneur merely trying to trick tourists into visiting a local pub’s 19th-century version of “Happy Hour.” Wouldn’t “ye” agree?
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
The Stranger-Than-Fiction History of “Ye”
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Call it the English language’s oldest marketing ploy: Stores, restaurants, and pubs using “medieval” names such as “Ye Olde Shoppe” or “Ye Olde Tavern.” While these linguistic configurations are meant to evoke a bygone age, do they actually reflect ancient language patterns?
Words such as “ye” and even “olde” are what we call archaisms—conscious imitations of ancient words and phrases from Old and Middle English. Other examples include pronouns such as “thou,” phrases like “vim and vinegar,” and verbs such as “unhand.” Most, like “vim” and “thou,” are linguistic fossils that have managed to retain a shred or two of linguistic currency. Others, like “olde,” represent inventions that came into parlance centuries later to mimic this old-fashioned “speak.”
Of course, all of this begs the question: was the word “the” pronounced “ye” in Old and Middle English? Absolutely not! Read on for the truth about “ye” and the secret letter that solves the mystery.
Ye Olde Spelling Mayhem
Few archaisms prove quite as dated and kitschy as “ye olde.” Rather than a true artifact of another age, this article-adjective combination represents a clever—and recent—marketing invention. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, “olde” is a “pseudo-archaic, mock-antique variant”—say that five times!—of “old” first used in the late 19th century. And as for “ye olde”? It was heavily used and scrutinized in English print materials by 1896. Before diving into the strange history of “ye,” let’s take a quick look at how its partner in crime, “olde,” fits into the picture.
Numerous medieval sources confirm that “olde” is a latter-day linguistic invention. Although this spelling occurred on rare occasions in documents as early as the 13th century, think of them as misspellings. If such a thing existed back then… Hold that thought for a moment.
The most popular configurations for “old” started with an “a,” “au,” or “aw.” Here are what those historic spellings actually looked like:
Awld
Auld
Alde
Ole
By the 15th and 16th centuries, “olde” gained in popularity but only in very limited usage as a noun referring to elderly people. In other words, using “olde” to talk about anything other than senior citizens was grammatically incorrect according to “Auld” English. Of course, there were always exceptions to the rule.
Remember that thought I told you to hold? Here it goes. Because the English language didn’t develop consistent orthography until a couple of centuries ago, people often spelled the same word in many different ways. So, the way we think of spelling and misspelling today is quite different than the fluid way writers viewed it even 250 years ago. Back then, it was pretty hard to go wrong.
Whether a 19th-century marketer happened across one of these rare occurrences of “olde” in a medieval text or just made it up—based on knowledge of how poor historic English spelling was—we may never know. Getting to the bottom of “ye,” however, is a different story.
How “ye” Whole Thing Got Started
When it comes to “ye,” the story gets really interesting. You see, “ye” is indeed an ancient form of the word “the.” That said, if you pronounce “ye” with a “y,” you’re doing it wrong. But, it’s not your fault because the spelling is wrong.
Once upon a time, the English language contained another letter of the alphabet represented by the symbol:
þ
Known as the letter thorn, it’s one of a handful of letters that didn’t make the final cut when it came to the English alphabet! A derivative of the Old English runic alphabet Futhark, thorn—or Thurisaz—is still used in Icelandic to this day. I know, mind-blowing, right?
So, what did thorn sound like? It was pronounced exactly like the consonant digraph we use to this day: “th.” In other words, that article we all know and love, “the,” originally looked like this:
þe
And, as you’ve no doubt already figured out, it has always been pronounced “the.” After all, Old English already contained the word “ye,” and it was a pronoun that meant the plural form of “you.” In other words, it filled the void for modern-day expressions like “you guys,” “y’all,” and my personal favorite “all of y’all.”
Thorn: Rendered Obsolete by Technology
After Johannes Gutenberg invented the first printing press in Strasbourg, France, in 1440, this technology spread like wildfire across Europe. But it came at a cost to the English language. In German and French, the letter thorn didn’t exist, and so this character never found its way into movable type sets. English printers simply made do by substituting a “y” in its place. Since Gothic-style fonts made the two letters almost interchangeable, this printing hack worked. For a while… As later printers got savvier and realized thorn was never going to be added to the printing alphabet, they substituted the “y” with “th” providing the correct phonetic symbol. In essence, technology squeezed thorn out of existence. By the 19th century, when advertisers and business owners were pilfering historic documents for clever ways to make establishments seem older, they stumbled across the “ye” and mistakenly took the “y” meant to represent thorn for the “y” that represented “y.” And really, can you blame them?
Since thorn had been kicked out of the English club centuries before, even if some of those advertisers also happened to be Old English aficionados, they would have had to re-introduce the former letter of thorn back into common parlance just to sell a few drinks. That’s a whole lot of work for an entrepreneur merely trying to trick tourists into visiting a local pub’s 19th-century version of “Happy Hour.” Wouldn’t “ye” agree?
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
November 6, 2019
November 5, 2019
2,500 Years Of Death In Oaxaca, Mexico
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
While the Spanish may have conquered the Central Valleys region of Mexico nearly 400 years ago, millennia of history still remains undiscovered in the area’s ancient and dense jungles.
The first evidence of humans in the region of Southern Mexico known as Oaxaca dates back to 11,000 B.C. Nomadic at first, the people developed agriculture sometime around 2000 B.C., producing ample supplies of corn, chocolate, tomatoes, and peppers. In the following centuries, the culture known as the Zapotec developed. They became one of the many warring tribes spread across Mexico. Factions across the Valleys became prolific builders, constructing numerous forts, temples, and even sports complexes throughout the centuries—many of which remain unexplored to this day.
The Zapotec are believed to have developed one of the earliest forms of writing in America, developing a system of glyphs that would serve as the predecessor for both the Mayans and Aztecs.
Referring to themselves as Be’ena’Za’a, or “Cloud People,” the Zapotecs believed their leaders had descended from the clouds. They worshiped a pantheon of deities representing natural elements like the Sun, corn, and rain. Bloodletting rituals and human sacrifice are believed to have been a part of their religion.
Known to be excellent craftsman, Zapotec artists have left behind many skulls covered in jade. While these skulls were likely meant to honor people of particular importance, a skull in the Ripley collection has another feature: shell discs covering the eyes.
Thanks to excavations done at a mound nearby a Zapotec pyramid in Oaxaca, experts believe they have uncovered some of the symbolism behind different materials used in dedication rituals. Shells—being from under the sea—were connected to the underworld.
By the 14th and 15th centuries, the power dynamics of Mexico began to change. Though the Spanish would arrive in another century and devastate native tribes, the Aztecs were already threatening Oaxaca and the Zapotecs. After centuries of conflict, the Aztecs managed to rule the region for just 30 short years before their empire was obliterated by Hernán Cortés.
With what had been an oppressive empire crushed, the Zapotecs sought to ally with the conquistador. Despite accepting Spanish rule and even undergoing superficial conversion, the Zapotec people would never fully return to their home of Oaxaca. As tribes splintered into warring factions and disease killed 90% of native populations, thousands of years of culture were eliminated in just a few short decades.
While the native Mexicans’ fascination with death precedes the arrival of the Spanish invasion, it’s easy to see why decorated skulls can still be bought in Oaxaca to this day, and that the practice still finds a home in celebrations like Día de Muertos.
Break Into The History Of Stuntwomen – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 22
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
A long overdue golden age of stuntwomen has taken hold in Hollywood as more female performers are recognized for their massive contributions to movies throughout the decades.
Thisweek on the Notcast, Brent and Ryan crash headfirst through a plate of glass into the history of stuntwomen. Meet Heidi Moneymaker, a woman who has flipped cars as a runaway racer and crashed through walls doubling as a Marvel superheroine.
For more weird news and strange stories, visit our homepage, and be sure to rate and share this episode of the Notcast!
Source: Break Into The History Of Stuntwomen – Ripley’s Believe It or Notcast Episode 22
November 4, 2019
The Princess Of Etch A Sketch Art
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Jane Labowitch is no ordinary artist. They call her Princess Etch—and her idea of a blank canvas is the popular toy, Etch A Sketch. Jane started playing with an Etch A Sketch at the age of four. Now in her late 20s, her skills on the left-to-right and up-and-down dials have become almost innate.
Invented in France more than 60 years ago, the Etch A Sketch works by turning knobs connected to a pulley system that drags a stylus along a clear screen coated with aluminum powder. The stylus removes the powder, drawing a line that shows the dark-colored inside of the toy. Shake the toy and the powder recoats the screen, leaving a blank canvas for the next player. But trust us, you won’t want to shake up your Etch A Sketch after Jane has had her hands on it.
Princess Etch’s love for the toy comes from her fond childhood memories with her grandma. She and her siblings paid many visits to their grandmother growing up, but they were never allowed to watch much television. This lead to her Etch A Sketch obsession.
“I became obsessed with drawing on the toy, and over time my skills improved and things started to click.”
Eventually, it became muscle memory. Her skills on the toy grew hand-in-hand with her drawing skills, and now she has a full collection to show for it. Princess Etch has certainly shaken up the world with her incredibly impressive artwork.
It’s A Bird. It’s A Plane. It’s A Snake!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The animal kingdom has no shortage of creepy-crawlies and bizarre creatures to keep us up at night, but a few in particular call for special attention. Like the flying snake, for instance.
Flying High Again
Ah, yes. The flying snake. Chrysopelea, as it’s known, travels by air once it reaches the end of a lofty branch, and it does so by pulling its abdomen in and stretching out, so to speak, “the ribs”. Think of it like a concave wing, made up of most of the snake’s body. An undulating motion complements its physical alteration and, before you know it—snakes, 12 o’clock! And at a length of up to four feet, Chrysopeleas overhead would be hard to miss.
To be fair, the term “flying” is a bit misleading; “gliding” may be more accurate. So, watch out for those snakes gliding overhead. Feel better?
By Alan Couch from Australia – Chrysopelea paradisi
The genus Chrysopelea contains no less than five species: the Moluccan flying snake (Chrysopelia rhodopleuron), the Indian flying snake (Chrysopelia taprobanica), the golden tree snake (Chrysopelea ornata), and the twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias). Consider your location or vacation plans if snakes overhead leave you a bit, uh, apprehenssssssive: Chrysopelea species only take to the skies of Southeast Asia, India, and the Melanesian island.
But… Why?
Well, that part isn’t exactly clear, although some scientists and snake fanatics speculate that Chrysopelea developed this peculiar trick to escape predators. Think about it: no one really expects the tasty snake they’re chasing after to catch wind and drift away. Ingenious, we’d say!
Of course, everything that goes up—you know the rest. Should you find yourself in Chrysopelea terrain, and should one happen to land comfortably on your head, feel free to give it a light pat. You see, Chrysopelea is only mildly venomous; while its bite might mean doom for small rodents and lizards, it’s considered harmless to humans. That is, as far as we know.
By Bill Furbee, contributor for Ripleys.com
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