People Who Became Words - 10 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The name America was given by a German cartographer Martin Waldseemuller

Amerigo Vespucci was a 15th century explorer and cartographer. His voyages to South America in the years between 1502 and 1504 resulted in the knowledge that there was a new continent. In 1507, a German cartographer named Martin Waldseemuller made the first map showing the new continent. He called this continent America in honour of Amerigo's explorations.

Answer: It is named after Bacchus, the Roman god of wine

The Bacchanalia were secret rites (festivals) based on the older Greek festival of Dionysia, which honored the Greek god of wine, Dionysos. The mystery rites were organised by priestesses known as Bacchantes (2nd century BC). This group, initially restricted to women, was later on expanded to include men.

The drunken orgies of this sect were thus named Bacchanalia after Bacchus. The Roman rulers suspected the group of conspiring against the state and tried to ban it, but were not successful.

Answer: Charles Dickens

The novel 'Our Mutual Friend' by Charles Dickens had a character named Mr. Boffin who was a dustman. The word 'boffin' is derived from his name to denote someone who is 'odd-looking'. This terms was used affectionately to refer to scientists and technicians (probably based on their dress sense) and later on became a regular word used to describe not just scientists but any expert.

Answer: Use of 0's and 1's

George Boole was a mathematician and philosopher of the 19th century, who gave a very important concept known as Boolean logic, named after him. This concept played a very important role in the development of computers. Boolean logic basically expresses all numbers in the form of 0's and 1's.

The earlier computer used vacuum tubes to store data, which could be in two states namely on (1) or off (0). The computer became a binary device using 0's and 1's to store data. Thus, the use of 0 and 1 is very important in computing and is a contribution of Boole.

Answer: True

The Emperor Napoleon had required a code to be developed to be used by soldiers to communicate at night without light and without making any sound. Thus, a system called 'night-reading' was developed by one Charles Barbier. But his system was too complex.

He explained this concept to Louise Braille, a blind youth studying at the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. Braille reworked Barbier's system and thus created the Braille script, which became the universal standard to help the blind to read. Letters in the Braille script are raised bumps on a sheet of paper which can be read with the use of one's fingers.

Answer: The Commander of the Light brigade in the Crimean War

James Brudenell was the seventh Earl of Cardigan and was the commander of the Light Brigade of the British forces in the Crimean War. Following the famous incident of the 'Charge of the light brigade' (25th October 1854), Cardigan became a hero and when he returned to London was given a hero's welcome and was knighted by Queen Victoria. To honour their hero, merchants started selling a sweater called as cardigan in his honour.

It is believed that the Earl wore this type of waistcoat. Though Cardigan was regarded as a hero by the Crown, historians later on have painted a different picture of him and some have portrayed him as a bungler and also a coward.

Answer: It is named after a Roman orator

A tourist guide needs to be able to speak well in order to do his job effectively. Marcus Cicero was a first century BC Roman politician and statesman, known for his oratorical skills. Tourist guides who take visitors on a tour of museums, palaces, etc are called cicerones (in honour of Cicero) as they need to have good speaking skills to talk about these historical places.

Answer: A courtier in the palace of Syracuse

Dionysius II was the King of Syracuse (4th century BC). He had a courtier named Damocles who used to praise Dionysius and say that the King was really fortunate to enjoy power. Dionysius wanted to teach him a lesson and offered to switch places with Damocles, who spent a day as King. Damocles enjoyed all the luxuries, waited upon by servants galore.

At the end of a meal, when Damocles looked up he saw a sword hung over his head by a thin thread. He lost his appetite for the meal and immediately vacated the throne.

He was thus taught a lesson that power brings with it danger and fear. Thus, the phrase 'Damocles' sword' is used to denote a situation fraught with danger.

Answer: Dahlia

The dahlia is a plant grown for its colourful flowers. This plant was named after a botanist named Anders Dahl who reportedly first discovered it.

Answer: It is named after the Earl of Derby

The Epsom Derby is a famous horse race, run at the race course in Epsom in England. In 1778, Edward Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby organised a horse race at Epsom which was called the Derby in his honour. This name became popular and many horse racing events around the world are known as 'The Derby'. Reportedly, a coin was tossed to decide whether to name the race Derby or after another nobleman. Derby won the toss of coin and thus the race was named after him.