s/o coincidences - Mandela effect

[Katy]

Since we're talking about weird coincidences, I'm wondering if anyone has any interesting stories about the Mandela Effect.

 

The Mandela effect is the phenomenon where many people remember something that just isn't true - like many people apparently had a memory of Nelson Mandela dying decades before he actually did.

 

Or like people remembering alternate facts being taught in school.

 

Or even something as simple as how the Berenstain Bears was spelled.  I remember very clearly in 5th grade sitting in the library, staring at the books and thinking it was weird, I was SURE when I was younger it was spelled Berenstein.

[EKS]

I remember learning to spell dilemma as dilemna.

[EMS83]

Sometimes I think my whole life is a Mandela effect.  :D  I can't think of anything off the top of my head, tbh.

[HomeAgain]

I remember learning to spell dilemma as dilemna.

 

Me, too!  I now don't feel as crazy.

[sassenach]

Since we're talking about weird coincidences, I'm wondering if anyone has any interesting stories about the Mandela Effect.

 

The Mandela effect is the phenomenon where many people remember something that just isn't true - like many people apparently had a memory of Nelson Mandela dying decades before he actually did.

 

Or like people remembering alternate facts being taught in school.

 

Or even something as simple as how the Berenstain Bears was spelled. I remember very clearly in 5th grade sitting in the library, staring at the books and thinking it was weird, I was SURE when I was younger it was spelled Berenstein.

I had to google to fact check you on Berenstain. Even my autocorrect wants to spell it with an e!

 

Was there like a massive misprint or something?

Edited January 25, 2018 by Sassenach

[Katy]

I had to google to fact check you on Berenstain. Even my autocorrect wants to spell it with an e!

 

Was there like a massive misprint or something?

 

Not one that can be found.  But there was a cartoon, I wonder if I learned the misspelling from that?

[hjffkj]

Not one that can be found. But there was a cartoon, I wonder if I learned the misspelling from that?

No the cartoon was spelled Berenstain as well. If has always been Berenstain, although I remember it as Berenstein. The first time I heard about this I went to my parents house and looked at the same exact books that I had read a million times as a child. They all said Berenstain. I simply couldn't explain why I always thought Berenstein.

[freesia]

I remember learning to spell dilemma as dilemna.

I was too. It's actually a thing If you google it. Many people were and no one knows why.

[sassenach]

No the cartoon was spelled Berenstain as well. If has always been Berenstain, although I remember it as Berenstein. The first time I heard about this I went to my parents house and looked at the same exact books that I had read a million times as a child. They all said Berenstain. I simply couldn't explain why I always thought Berenstein.

Maybe it’s a combo of the cursive font and the developmental age we all were when we read them. There’s a lot of e’s in there.

[hjffkj]

I remember being taught dilemna

[Meriwether]

I remember learning to spell dilemma as dilemna.

I do, too. I have a clear memory of it.

[EMS83]

Berenstein makes sense because so many names are spelled "stein" that the mind may do its own version of autocorrect.

Dilemna...I don't know.  I found this, and in the bottom right there's a box titled "References in periodicals archive" which lists works that use this incorrect spelling.

[klmama]

I learned dilemna, too, in the 1970s. I'm not sure when dilemma became standard.

 

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[QueenCat]

I wonder if dilemna is regional? I would have learned to spell throughout the 70s and spell it dilemma. No "n" in it where I went to school. 

[klmama]

I don't know if it's regional or not.  According to my dictionary, it's just wrong.  Could we really all be wrong about having learned it that way?  Is there some other word that ends in "mna" and is pronounced "mma" that we might be confusing it with?

 

 

[hjffkj]

It is likely that we are all wrong in remembering learning it that way.

[wintermom]

I always said Dr. Seuss with a 'z' sound, like Zeuss, but I don't think I was actually taught that I just "heard" it that way (though I'm sure it was said correctly on the Grinch who Stole Christmas animated show). When my ds was performing in the musical "Seussical" he pointed out my mispronunciation. He learned it the correct way. ;)  I even spelled the name wrong before editing this post! 

Edited January 25, 2018 by wintermom

[Ausmumof3]

Me too to the Berenstein thing.

 

And we say scarry like rhymes with Harry.

 

Never seen any other spelling for dilemma though.

[Ausmumof3]

Oh and I still say Seuss like Zeus.

[Ellie]

I learned dilemna, too, in the 1970s. I'm not sure when dilemma became standard.

 

 

 

I'm sure "dilemma" has always been the standard. :hat:

[solascriptura]

Why is it called the Mandela Effect?

[JudoMom]

It is likely that we are all wrong in remembering learning it that way.

That seems unlikely since there are so many people who remember being taught the n, some very specifically because it was so odd to them. Something happened. Maybe the alternate universe theory on one website is correct :lol: . It would be nice to know what happened.

 

The subject has come up here before. I was taught dilemma, and still spell it that way, but because of these boards I read it silently to myself as dilemna.

Edited January 25, 2018 by JudoMom

[Word Nerd]

It is likely that we are all wrong in remembering learning it that way.

I think it’s more likely that some/many teachers were teaching it wrong.

 

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dil1.htm

[Bluegoat]

Next thing I know you guys are going to be telling me it's pronounced Richard Scar-ee and not Richard Scare-ee.  :leaving:

 

This thread is like the Twilight Zone. I think a lot of what goes on in my marriage could be attributed to this. :lol:

Dh: "I told you that!"

Me: "No you didn't!"

Dh: "Yes I did. I was standing right there and you said (insert conversation he's obviously making up here)"

Me "Well I have no recollection of that discussion. Were there small children in the room while you were telling me this?"

 

Next time I'm just going to tell him he's clearly delusional and according to the Hive he suffers from The Mandela Effect. I think I like this. 

 

I am pretty sure we must be married to the same guy.

[Meriwether]

It is likely that we are all wrong in remembering learning it that way.

I don't think so for two reasons. 1) I was a really good speller and I remember being specifically taught dilemna and thinking that it didn't make sense to spell it that way but whatever. So I learned to spell it dilemna. I remember having to train myself to spell it dilemna. 2) When I was an adult and saw it spelled dilemma, it looked wrong. And I didn't just think it was misspelled, I thought "Someone never taught them to spell it right." because that is how I would have spelled it (dilemma) if I hadn't been taught.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Meriwether

[Meriwether]

Next thing I know you guys are going to be telling me it's pronounced Richard Scar-ee and not Richard Scare-ee.  :leaving:

 

 

It is Scare-ee. The name was pronounce that way on a Busy Town video we had. I noticed because I always pronounced it that way and my SIL corrected me. The next time Dd watched the video the correct pronunciation (mine  :001_cool: ) really stood out.

[Aura]

Berenstein Bears, the location of Australia, and that genie movie with Sinbad (NOT Shaquille O'Neal) are the ones that get me. It's very annoying.

 

I swear it's BerenstEin, not BerenstAin. Australia is supposed to be closer to New Zealand, not closer to New Guinea. And Sinbad starred in a genie movie YEARS before Shaquille O'Neal.

 

I'm going with my memory being wrong because the theory behind the Mandela Effect is just too out there for even me...but still, it's very annoying!!! 

[hjffkj]

That seems unlikely since there are so many people who remember being taught the n, some very specifically because it was so odd to them. Something happened. Maybe the alternate universe theory on one website is correct :lol: . It would be nice to know what happened.

 

The subject has come up here before. I was taught dilemma, and still spell it that way, but because of these boards I read it silently to myself as dilemna.

Yes, and so many people remember it as Berenstein. So many people believe there was a Sinbad genie movie as well. Others believe that Nelson Mandela died in the 80s.

 

My thought on the dilemma dilemna thing is it is likely a form of hyper correction because of words like hymn, column, autumn, etc. Maybe some people were taught it incorrectly by teacher who believed it was dilemna because of their own hyper correction. But I doubt that is everyone. Our brains seek out the familiar and in the English language mn combination is more common than mm so the brain remembers mn.

[hjffkj]

Why is it called the Mandela Effect?

Because there are a large number of people who swear they have the memory that Nelson Mandela died while in prison in the 80s I believe. They remember it clear as day but it is clearly not true since he died in 2013.

[VaKim]

I’ve always said it that way too, but I’ve heard two podcasts in the last month on books where it was with the “scar†pronunciation. Now I’m doubting myself. :)

 

 

It is Scare-ee. The name was pronounce that way on a Busy Town video we had. I noticed because I always pronounced it that way and my SIL corrected me. The next time Dd watched the video the correct pronunciation (mine  :001_cool: ) really stood out.

Here ya go. Skip to the end to hear it.

Edited January 25, 2018 by VaKim

[Cosmos]

I don't know if it's regional or not.  According to my dictionary, it's just wrong.  Could we really all be wrong about having learned it that way?  Is there some other word that ends in "mna" and is pronounced "mma" that we might be confusing it with?

 

That's what I have wondered too. Could it be the word "column" or something like that?

 

The Mandela effect is so weird to me. I can't say that any of the examples I've read resonate with me (you can google for quite a few more). The "dilemma/dilemna" one is the closest but not quite enough for me to say I remember being taught that.

 

Instead, the things that I have remembered very clearly but are provably wrong are always just my own memory. I'm not sure which is more unsettling -- knowing that I can't rely on my own memory or that an entire group can be wrong.

[Scarlett]

I could SWEAR that Arkansas used to be spelled Arkansaw. But I don't know if that's anyone else but me. Lol

LOL.....I assure you it was not. Not anytime in our lifetime at least.

[VaKim]

I could SWEAR that Arkansas used to be spelled Arkansaw. But I don't know if that's anyone else but me. Lol

It may have been from a commercial for a learning program for remembering states and capitals. It was called Ready-Set-Remember. Here is the link to the image that went with it, if it works.

 

http://northwestmounties307.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/1/4/23145952/4352613.jpg

[Alexigail]

I "remember" several things on the lists I've seen. Jiffy Peanut butter, the genie movie, Berenstein Bears, etc.  It's weird.

[Katy]

Berenstein Bears, the location of Australia, and that genie movie with Sinbad (NOT Shaquille O'Neal) are the ones that get me. It's very annoying.

 

I swear it's BerenstEin, not BerenstAin. Australia is supposed to be closer to New Zealand, not closer to New Guinea. And Sinbad starred in a genie movie YEARS before Shaquille O'Neal.

 

I'm going with my memory being wrong because the theory behind the Mandela Effect is just too out there for even me...but still, it's very annoying!!! 

 

What?  Australia is closer to New Guinea than New Zealand?????

[Aura]

I "remember" several things on the lists I've seen. Jiffy Peanut butter, the genie movie, Berenstein Bears, etc.  It's weird.

 

Oh, yeah, I forgot about Jiffy peanut butter! I *remember* Jiffy, too.

[Aura]

What?  Australia is closer to New Guinea than New Zealand?????

 

I know!!!  :lol:

[Bluegoat]

What is the issue with the peanut butter?

[hjffkj]

What is the issue with the peanut butter?

The brand is Jif not Jiffy. It has never been Jiffy but people swear it has been.

[Tanaqui]

If the multiverse explanation is wrong, I don't want to be right. (Now, can I move to the universe where nobody stepped on a butterfly?)

[eternalsummer]

The Berenstain thing makes perfect sense; Stein or -stein is the normal spelling as a last name or part of a last name.  Lots of people named Stein/-stein (most notably, Einstein), not too many people named Stain or -stain.

 

The peanut butter I figure is a confabulation of Skippy and Jif.

Edited January 25, 2018 by eternalsummer

[Tanaqui]

As for Seuss, you're all wrong:

"You’re wrong as the deuce

And you shouldn’t rejoice

If you’re calling him Seuss.

He pronounces it Soice (or Zoice)."

[klmama]

I wonder if the Jiffy thing might also be caused by Jiffy Pop popcorn, which was still around when Jif came out.

 

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[hjffkj]

I wonder if the Jiffy thing might also be caused by Jiffy Pop popcorn, which was still around when Jif came out.

 

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Jiffy Pop is still around. I think this is the cause of the Jif confusion

[Word Nerd]

Jiffy Pop is still around. I think this is the cause of the Jif confusion

 

Jiffy is also a brand of cheap baking mixes. 

[klmama]

Really?  In the foil pan that puffs up as it cooks?  I'd love to find some, but they don't seem to sell it around here.  It was one of my grandmother's treats for us when I was little.

[hjffkj]

Jiffy is also a brand of cheap baking mixes.

I had no idea

[hjffkj]

Really? In the foil pan that puffs up as it cooks? I'd love to find some, but they don't seem to sell it around here. It was one of my grandmother's treats for us when I was little.

I see in our local store. You can buy it off Amazon

[luuknam]

No the cartoon was spelled Berenstain as well. If has always been Berenstain, although I remember it as Berenstein. The first time I heard about this I went to my parents house and looked at the same exact books that I had read a million times as a child. They all said Berenstain. I simply couldn't explain why I always thought Berenstein.

 

Because 'stein' is the correct Germanic spelling. I grew up in a neighborhood in a city in NL where all the streets ended in 'stein'. 'stain' would be Anglicized wrong or something. 

 

One of the things I love about Dutch is that for the most part we pronounce things as written, so there are fewer dilemmas like dilemma, which would be a pain to pronounce if it ended in mna. Likewise, we pronounce the p in psychologie, and the k in knie (meaning knee, and pronounced like knee, but with a k, etc). 

[hjffkj]

Because 'stein' is the correct Germanic spelling. I grew up in a neighborhood in a city in NL where all the streets ended in 'stein'. 'stain' would be Anglicized wrong or something.

 

One of the things I love about Dutch is that for the most part we pronounce things as written, so there are fewer dilemmas like dilemma, which would be a pain to pronounce if it ended in mna. Likewise, we pronounce the p in psychologie, and the k in knie (meaning knee, and pronounced like knee, but with a k, etc).

Berenstain is the last name of the authors. And as a child I can't imagine coming across too many things spelled Stein. As an adult I understand that Stein is the more common spelling but as a kid I would have no conscious knowledge of that. Clearly, my brain processed it that way because it saw things spelled Stein rather than stain.