Question: what is the origin of the word “trivia?” Answer: The English word “trivia” may have been borrowed in the 15th century from the Latin “trivialis”, the possessive form of “trivium”, or “crossroad” (literally “three roads”). A meeting place of three roads, a street corner, was a popular place for commoners to spend time having everyday, or trivial, conversations. Another source claims that the earliest English use of “trivial” in 1432 had nothing to do with crossroads or gossip. It is the adjectival form of an entirely different “trivium.” In Medieval English the “quadrivium” is a term taken from Latin, referring to the upper four liberal arts: arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and music. The lower three were the trivium: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. These were the “three ways” of knowledge. Trivia, therefore being a lower form of knowledge.
Today, we know “trivia” as facts unimportant to everyday life. That doesn’t stop us from creating games based around this “useless” information. In the 1960s, nostalgic college students began casually trading questions and answers about the popular culture of their youth. The first documented branding of this casual parlor game as “Trivia” was in a Columbia Daily Spectator column published in 1965. Since the 1960s, the plural “trivia” in particular has broadened to include knowledge that is mildly interesting but not crucial, specifically elaborate knowledge of popular culture and especially nowadays, celebrity life and sports statistics.
It has become something to aspire to, this pursuit of knowledge of all that is trivial, something to lord over our friends and to impress strangers with. Now, weekly trivia games have become a community activity, a way in which to bond with our closest friends, make new ones, and remember the names of the six whale species that make up the list of heaviest mammals on earth – all while enjoying a pint.
The best part: if you get that answer right, your bar tab may be covered! So continue your quest for useless facts and go out to one of the many bars that host a trivia night. You’re sure to have a good time, and probably learn those species of whales while you’re at it!
The Experts
The Short Bus
Nick Groves
Age: 32
Profession: Real Estate
Where do you get your trivia on? District Trivia at The Barking Dog in Bethesda
What is your team name? The Short Bus
Is there a story behind it? Our organizer actually rode the short bus to middle school.
How long has your team been around? In its current form it has been nine years.
What’s your category of expertise? Eighties pop culture, movies and music.
Most memorable question? Q: What is the only word in the English language that has three sets of side-by-side repeating letters? A: Bookkeeper.
Make or break question? Q: Whose music was featured in the movie, “A Clockwork Orange?” A: Beethoven.
What keeps you coming back? We have attended many different trivia nights in the DC metro area and the format at District Trivia is by far the best we have seen. Questions that range from easy to hard in each round get even the slowest members of our team involved in the game. The pace also allows us to talk to each other and catch up with old friends who we haven’t seen in a while without being slow.
Best prize your team has won together? As a result of the Clockwork Orange question (the final question of the night), we won the 2011 Winter Tournament and $1000 in cash and free beer for a year!
The Government
Eric Wind
Age: 25
Profession: Senior Analyst at a consulting firm in DC.
Where do you get your trivia on? Old Glory
What is your team name? The Government
Is there a story behind it? When the team started in summer 2010, the initial group was almost entirely working for the government. That has changed, but the team name stuck.
How long has your team been around? Since the summer of 2010.
What’s your category of expertise? Politics, sports, history, current events.Most memorable question? A final question one night that our team answered correctly: “The Ford Mustang came to define what class of sporty cars?” The answer was the pony class.
Make or break question? The Trivia Kings Tournament of Champions in January came down to the last question, which was “What car has the longest hood ever made?” The answer was apparently the Pontiac Grand Prix and this was referenced in the movie “Knight and Day”. Unfortunately, no one on our team had seen that movie and we guessed the Lincoln Continental Mark III.
What keeps you coming back? We love Casey the Trivia Master and Kandi the Barkeep! In addition, it is always fun catching up every week.
Best prize your team has won together? We won four seasons in a row at Old Glory: Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2010-2011, and Spring 2011!
Whooo!
Carmen, Ryan, T.J., Natalie
What is your team name? Whooo!
Where do you get your trivia on? “Uhh, Murphy’s, of course!” It’s only a block away, and the pasta is delicious!
What is your category of expertise? We’re really good at guessing.
Most memorable question: Finish the lyric of an N’Sync song, but we put “I want it that way,” by the Backstreet Boys…Natalie wasn’t there that week!
What keeps you coming back? We came in second last week…and did we mention it’s only a block away!
Best prize your team has won: $20.
Pastorbation
Phillip Gaines
Age: 55
Profession: Lutheran Pastor
Where do you get your trivia on? Union Jack’s in Ballston
What is your team name? Pastorbation
Is there a story behind it? I’ve been a trivia regular since it began at Union Jack’s. Our team changed its name each season, until two years ago when we couldn’t decide on a new name. Our current name was suggested by Casey because of my occupation and because our team is just a bit on the naughty side.
How long has your team been around? Since trivia began at Union Jack’s at Ballston.
What’s your category of expertise? Some music and picture rounds.
Most memorable question? The music round featuring TV theme songs.
Make or break question? In the game Scrabble, what two tiles hold the 20 point value?
What keeps you coming back? We have fun and we like to test our skills against some of the biggest nerds on the east coast.
Best prize your team has won together? First place!
Brits by the Bar
Mark, Kate, Caroline, Fred, Matt, Carrie
What is your team name? Brits by the Bar
Is there a story behind it? We’re British and we’re sitting by the bar, it’s quite literal!
Where do you get your trivia on? Murphy’s of D.C.
How long has your team been around? About a year.
What’s your category of expertise? Anything except American college football teams, although we did get one right!
Most memorable question: The Neosporin question from a couple of weeks ago, because it’s the only question Caroline has ever gotten right.
What keeps you coming back? We won last time, so we’ve got money to spend.
Best prize your team has won together: $40 at Murphy’s, but at a quiz in Silver Spring, we won bar glasses, and forgot them at the bar!
Lord Stanley’s Protective Cup
Anna Jordan
Age: 27
Profession: Higher Ed, Graduate Admissions
Where do you get your trivia on? Meridian Pint
What is your team name? Lord Stanley’s Protective Cup
Is there a story behind your team name? We have a lot of hockey fans on the team. We used to be the Shufflin’ Shatners. I confess to not being super involved in the team naming process. Call me a sicko, but, I have been impressed with a few other team names over time. Most notably: “My couch pulls out but I don’t” and “Michelle Bachman raises my straw poll.”
How long has your team been around? Since last winter.
What’s your category of expertise? I personally am the science person and I know more than I should about reality or otherwise trashy television and bad music. We have a music ringer on our team (actually he drums for We Were Pirates) so we infrequently miss a music question. We also have a serious theology vein on our team (two theology degrees and two seminary employees) so we normally shine at religion questions! I’d also consider myself a state flag afficianado. I’m waiting for the day I dazzle folks by reciting the presidents in order (thanks Mrs. Daniels.)
Most memorable question? I am either clairvoyant or everyone on my team has a terrible memory. I swear we have had this question twice, “What Ivy League school did Stone Philips quarterback for?” No one else remembered having this question and I got to look like a genius when I confidently answered, “Yale.” Also one time after a hard sell to my team I convinced them that KC and JoJo was the answer to the question about which brother R&B duo confessed to having a drug problem. I was so proud that I did a victory lap around the bar.
Make or break question? I’m not sure if this is make or break, but, I LOVE the 3,6,9 round. You get to choose your own fate a little bit as far as points and upcoming categories.
What keeps you coming back? The beer selection at Meridian Pint is amazing and the service isn’t bad either. I might or might not be addicted to the rarebit sauce as well. But, honestly, we are the only team to ever win a season at Meridian Pint and so we have that streak to defend!
Best prize your team has won together? At the end of the night the first place winner gets a $50 gift card, which allows us to actually be able to pay our bar tab. I was really pumped when for a while Sierra Nevada had these reusable bags that fold into a pouch on a keychain.
Carpe Beerum
Brian Gubin
Age: 25
Profession: IT Specialist for a government contractor
Where do you get your trivia on? Union Jack’s at Ballston Mall
What is your team name? Carpe Beerum
Is there a story behind it? Our friend’s dad showed up one night and came up with the name on the spot. We like beer and it sounds smart because of the Latin so we went with it.
How long has your team been around? A little over two years.
What’s your category of expertise? I know everything about Seinfeld. Everything.
Most memorable question? They asked “Said only once during the series, what is Malcolm’s last name from Malcolm in the Middle?” My friend somehow pulled Wilkerson from somewhere and it turned out to be right. Great pull.
Make or break question? What is the most popular college major for undergrads? We had to get it right to win the night and we did. Business.
What keeps you coming back? Union Jack’s offers a good variety of trivia, from sports to food to the Bible. And the hosts are awesome.
Best prize your team has won together? The grand prize from Union Jack’s Ballston, of course!
Tuesdays With Maury
Miranda
Age: 30-something
Profession: Public Health
Where do you get your trivia on? Old Dominion Brewhouse
What is your team name? Tuesdays with Maury
Is there a story behind it? Who doesn’t want to watch Maury Povich on their lunch break and find out the results of paternity tests and cheating partners’ lie detector tests? And seeing it live is even better. The name is still evolving, though.
How long has your team been around? 1.5 years.
What’s your category of expertise? Eighties music and death metal, baseball, foreign foods, and any Chicago sports team.
Most memorable question? We killed it. Even beat those people who cheat using Shazam. Ha!
Make or break question? Hmmm… it usually breaks us, so I’ve probably blocked it from my memory.
What keeps you coming back? The hope that the stars will align for a trivia night of cheesy eighties music, death metal, baseball, foreign foods, and Chicago sports teams so that we can finally beat that really smart table.
Best prize your team has won together? Bar tabs.
It’s A Hard knox Life
Sam B., Becca R., Helen K., Kevin R., Amit S., Tamar A.
Age: Average Team Age: 23.6
Profession: We all work at J Street, a pro-Israel, pro-peace organization.
Where do you get your trivia on? The Front Page
What is your team name? It’s a Hard Knox Life
Is there a story behind it? Our team name switches every week, as we are always vying for that extra bonus point for funniest team name. We drew inspiration for “It’s a Hard Knox Life” from the fact that Amanda Knox had just returned to the US.
How long has your team been around? Our team has been in existence since August 2011. We are all co-workers and thought it would be a great way to get to know each other outside of the workplace and let off steam from the work day simultaneously.
What’s your category of expertise? Everything except for sports.
Most memorable question? Q: What chemical is the most common active ingredient in spermicidal condoms and gels despite claims by the World Health Organization that it’s not very effective? A: Nonoxynol-9.
Make or break question? What Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 has been unable to obtain the web URL for one of its chief brands from the discount retail chain that is using it to sell cheap generic products? The URL in question is held by Dollar General and the correct answer was Dolce & Gabana!
What keeps you coming back? We could say that we have bonded through our Tuesday night outings, but honestly, who doesn’t love to fill their heads with useless knowledge? Of course, winning is always an added incentive! As are The Front Page’s half price burgers!
Best prize your team has won together? A $50 gift certificate to The Front Page. . . . and the now-collective knowledge that Diedrich Bader’s acting career did not end after The Drew Carey Show.
