April Fool’s Day

Big Changes For the English Language!

Have you heard the news that the British Government has decided to adopt American spelling instead of British English spelling?

Did you know that English was invented as a ridiculous joke but so many people started using it that it became a real language?

Did you know that English teachers are going to have to pay fines every time their students make a mistake?

Well, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that none of these things are true! They are, however, examples of the type of untrue things that people tell each other on April Fool’s Day.

April Fool’s Day

April Fool’s Day, or All Fools’ Day, is a lighthearted day of hoaxes and practical jokes that has been celebrated across the world for centuries. The origins of this amusing holiday are uncertain, but it is believed to have emerged in France during the sixteenth century. Some scholars suggest that it could have been linked to the Julian to Gregorian calendar shift in the late 1500s, which resulted in the New Year’s Day moving from April 1st to January 1st. After this calendar change, people who celebrated the new year at the end of December made fun of those who still celebrated the new year in April. Some people speculate that it may have originated from ancient Roman festivals such as Hilaria or the medieval Feast of Fools.

Whatever the roots of April Fool’s Day, it has become a widely recognised and cherished tradition in many countries. From small pranks amongst friends to elaborate hoaxes that captivate the media, this holiday is all about having some fun. Some of the most popular pranks include:

Fake News

The classic “fake news” story or hoax: Spreading a fabricated story or announcement that seems genuine. For example, in 1957, the BBC television programme Panorama showed Swiss spaghetti farmers picking spaghetti from trees. The report was viewed by millions of people. Subsequently, the switchboard at the BBC was overwhelmed with calls from members of the public wanting to know where they could buy seeds for these fantastic trees to grow their own.

Another famous April Fool’s hoax was when American fast food chain Taco Bell announced that they had bought the famous Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence and renamed it “The Taco Liberty Bell”. The company was inundated with angry phone calls from people who were outraged about such apparent disrespect of their heritage.

Playing Pranks

Some people celebrate April Fool’s Day by playing tricks or pranks on friends, family or colleagues. Such tricks could involve moving or swapping an object that someone uses regularly, such as their mobile phone, office chair or keyboard, with a similar-looking but entirely different item.

Alternatively, people might try to shock or surprise someone by putting something unexpected in a commonplace object. For instance, someone might put a fake spider in a drawer or a whoopee cushion on a seat.

Another type of April Fool’s trick is the “fake phone call”: Pretending to be someone else on the phone and fooling the person on the other end of the line.

The Limits of April Fool’s Day Tricks

The tricks can’t go on all day though! April Fool’s Day tricks, hoaxes and pranks can only be done before midday. If someone tries to trick someone after midday, then they themselves become the April fool!

April Fool’s Day is an occasion for harmless fun, laughter, and a touch of mischief. It is a chance to let our hair down and indulge in the simple pleasures of amusing pranks and practical jokes. So why not join in the celebrations and come up with your own creative prank this year? Just remember to keep it light-hearted and avoid crossing any lines that could upset or offend anyone.

You can find out more about April Fool’s Day from this page of the Wikipedia.