like many.....you have tooooo much (useful/useless) info stored away. Guess that is why there are quiz nights. (Guess where quiz came from)

Yeah, I posses a large store of valueless information. Ask anybody around here!

Where quiz comes from... as in the etymology of the word? I remember two: from the Latin "qui es" (who are you), or there is the story about a wager regarding a nonsensical word becoming the talk of London overnight. I think the true root of the word is uncertain.

This is not an unusual characteristic around here. I have always believed that most CR4 members would be EXCELLENT partners on pub trivia night.

[edit] After posting I checked for the root of the word quiz: I am pretty close, except the city of Dublin is the subject of the nonsense word origin. There are a few leaks in my storage tank, I guess!

must admit I usually forget to follow words down to there roots - in my younger days - talking primary school when I discovered words came from 'somewhere' I use to go to childish extremes. Later on I have (had to) over moderated this zeal.

What I am alluding to is that I have only known of one basis for quiz, being the result of some upper crusts' bet that he could have a new word on the lips of poms by the next day. As to who he was I don't recall and haven't gone trolling for it (yet)....... I've just done some trolling in the middle of typing this post and seems he was irish...

A side note, curiosity at work, pub I believe is not a common use american term, a very common aussie word though.

"As to who he was I don't recall and haven't gone trolling for it..."

One versions of history tells us that James Daly was the driving force behind the nonsensical word story. Believable as any, I suppose.

Pub, Saloon, Bar, Gin Joint, Public House, Lounge, Tavern... You can see these on many signs around the USA. The general sense of "An establishment serving beverages and possibly food" applies equally to them all.