Did
you know that the Mona Lisa doesn’t have eyebrows? Or that the shortest war in history lasted only 38 minutes? Here are some fascinating and entertaining English trivia to blow your mind. 1. The Mona Lisa doesn’t have eyebrows. Take a closer look at one of the most famous paintings in the world and you’ll notice that the Mona Lisa appears to have no eyebrows. This is due to the fact that Renaissance fashion at the time dictated women should shave their eyebrows, and the artist, Leonardo da Vinci, followed this trend in his painting. 2. The shortest war in history lasted only 38 minutes. In 1896, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, between the United Kingdom and the East African island of Zanzibar, began at 9:02 in the morning and ended just 38 minutes later, with a British victory. This war remains the shortest in history. 3. There’s a word for the day before yesterday. The word for the day before yesterday is ‘ereyesterday’. Though rare, it’s still a valid and fun word to use in everyday conversation to impress your friends. 4. The longest word in the English language is 189,819 letters long. The word is the chemical name for the largest known protein, according to The Guinness Book of World Records. Several scientific sources have abbreviated the name, but technically it’s still valid to use the whole word, though it would take several hours to read. 5. The first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel was a woman. In 1901, 62-year-old Anne Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive. Her adventure was part of a publicity stunt, and she emerged from the barrel with only a small cut on her head. 6. The word ‘set’ has the most definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary. The word ‘set’ has 464 definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary, making it the word with the most definitions. Ranging from “a group of things that belong together” to “to put someone in a position or location,” the word set is a versatile one. 7. The shortest complete English sentence is “I am.” The two words “I am” make up the shortest complete English sentence, and they’re meaningful, too. This sentence serves as a complete statement and subject-verb phrase, demonstrating the simplicity and effectiveness of the English language. In conclusion, English is a quirky, enchanting language that’s full of surprises. From the lack of eyebrows on the Mona Lisa to the longest word in history, there’s always something fascinating to discover.
