Just A Question For My American Friends

[debris4spike]

Over tea, Mum, Dad & I had a debate about how we remembered the difference between Stalagmites and Stalagtites ... and I wondered how people who speak USA English know the difference, as neither tights (that I learnt) or trousers (that Dad learnt) are called by that name in America.

Comments

[rivertempest.livejournal.com]

LOL

Mites on floor, tites on top. ;) At least, that's how I always remembered it.

[debris4spike]

Thanks - *g*

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remeber that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[amyxaphania.livejournal.com]

I'm English, but I've always remembered it as: Stalactites have a T, so they come from the top.

[debris4spike]

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[just-ann-now.livejournal.com]

*waves from Friends-of-friends, via curiouswombat, I think*

This is how I learned it: Stalagtites stick tight to the ceiling, stalagmites might make it up there if they're lucky.

[debris4spike]

Hi - great to see a friend-of-friend.

What a great way to remember it - Thanks - *g*

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

I never thought about having a helper for it - I just look one of them up if and when I can't remember. However, I like the "t" from the top hint. That's easy and works. I will use it from now on.:)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I just learnt "Tights come down..." which is silly, as they also pull up! But more recently, D-d learnt "g for ground (stalaGmite), c for ceiling (stalaCtite)" which is pretty good, too..

[debris4spike]

Yes, I remember the tights come down phrase when I was older!!!!! But as a kid I was told to think of tights ona washing line - I just wondered what US friends did as they called them pantyhose!

I hadn't realised, until you mantioned D-d that the spellings were different in the middle - LOL

[debris4spike]

Thanks - *g*

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[louise39.livejournal.com]

We learned in grammer school - stalagMites come from the bottoM and stalagTites come from the Top.

[debris4spike]

Thanks - *g*

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[dragonflylady77.livejournal.com]

In France we learn that StalagMite Monte (go up) and StalagTite Tombe (fall/go down).

I'll try to remember the English way for when I need to teach my daughter about it!!

[debris4spike]

Well in England we had tights on the line (dad had trousers as he was pre-tights!) ... they look like they are hanging drying!

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

I always learned that stalagtites cling tight to the ceiling... which, to my childhood mind, always led to images of my young self "clinging tight" to the stalagtites so I wouldn't fall onto the pointing stalagmites on the floor!

[debris4spike]

Thanks - *g* - Now won't dare go in a cave, for fear of seeing you still clinging on for your life!
(eta - to show a different icon!)

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[lupina78.livejournal.com]

Ohhhhhhh interesting question! I´m not from America (obviously!!!) but here in Austria we do have such hints too..

In Stalagmites there´s a "M" which looks like the form of the rocks growing from the bottom..so Stalagtites automatically are the one´s hanging from the ceiling. Quite easy! ;)

*hugs*

[debris4spike]

Thanks - *g*

Brilliant - different again!

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights on a line, and they look like the stalagtiites!

[cbtreks.livejournal.com]

The way I learned it was that stalagmite has a "g" and they grow up from the ground. Stalactite has a "c" and they grow down from the ceiling.

[debris4spike]

Someone else mentioned that - I didn't even know there was a difference for that part of the word!

Thanks - *g*

I's funny - I realised how easy it was for me to remember that hang tights (pantyhose) on a line, and they look like the stalagtites!