American Traditions That Confuse The Rest of the World

Saying "Ma'am"

It used to be a common courtesy to refer to olden women, like teachers, mothers, or grandmothers as "ma'am," but now that seems antiquated and unnecessary. It was a common phrase in the South, but in countries like Europe, "ma'am" hasn't been used in decades. You'll only catch Oliver Twist saying it in the old movies.

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The More You Know

  • A reindeer's eyes can change colors with the seasons.
  • The CIA reads up to 5 million Tweets a day.
  • War pigs were used in ancient warfare to counter against war elephants, which feared the pigs (and their squeals) and would bolt. War pigs were sometimes lit on fire to enhance this effect.
  • A 26-sided shape is known as a small rhombicuboctahedron.
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