There is a superstition among thespians that wishing "good luck" is bad luck, so they wish the opposite. There was a similar tradition in the Luftwaffe (German air force), where pilots leaving on missions would wish each other "hals und beinbruch" (break your neck and legs). Rob Woof, South Hurstville

What is the origin of the tradition that a bride must wear "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"? This good-luck saying dates from Victorian times and the last line actually reads "and a silver sixpence in her shoe". Something old represents continuity with the bride's family and past. Something new represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life. Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. Something blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. A "silver sixpence in her shoe" is to wish the bride wealth. Some brides still place a penny in their shoe before the marriage ceremony. David Buley, Seaforth

Why are ancient Egyptians always painted in profile? They are always painted walking sideways, too. They clearly had a tangential approach to life and didn't want to get offside with anyone.

Joyce Alexander, Blayney The Egyptians painted their figures as profiles in order to convey maximum meaning. They perceived that painting faces in profile enabled them to show a greater amount of a figure's character. They painted in a culturally symbolic fashion; the apparent distortion purely artistic.

Catherine Blake and Mala Wadhera, Strathfield If a would-be know-all is a "smart alec", who was Alec?

Smart Alec was the brother of Clever Dick. Robert Gotts, Winmalee "Smart Alec" dates from mid-19th-century America and refers to a pimp called Alec Hoag, who had secret panels in the walls of his brothel rooms, allowing him to sneak in and rob clients while they slept. Nowadays it is also a name for someone who looks up derivations on Google.

Jimmy Thomson, Kings Cross <h3>More Big Questions - exclusively for online readers</h3>

What happens to roadkill? According to Carl Hiaason's reclusive former Governor of Florida, Skink, it's too nutritious to leave by the roadside. Mark Higgins, Hurlstone Park

If it's lucky, it gets to go on the Tom Green Show, have a brand new mobile phone shoved where the sun don't shine, and a hapless member of the studio audience given the chance to fish it out with the reward being the phone itself! True story - I saw it on TV the other day. It's quite a world we live in. Aruna Venkatachalam, Cherrybrook

Beyond the range of council & RTA cleanup crews, it still mostly just gets consumed by natural and introduced carrion-eaters. It can be, however, a useful resource. Out west and up north, increasing numbers of discerning travellers are learning to take the unbruised cuts from the freshest victims to supplement what has become known as bull-bar stew. An often overlooked roadkill resource is the myriad insect life that ends up on the front of the car and the windscreen. If carefully and selectively prepared this can be a very nutritious garnish to the above so think! ... before you wash that windscreen with detergent at the fuel-stop.

Laurie Mangan, Tamworth Some roadkill are party animals. They are the ones that look more or less whole on your way there and have gone when you're coming back. They've sobered up enough to crawl back to their burrows or hop back under a tree. (The reality is they've been pulverised and turned into vapour by the impact of five or six eight-wheeler coal trucks.)

Andrew Macdonald, Cooks Hill It goes to heaven, where all day the animals get to ride in bumper cars and try to hit pedestrians (who are the dead drivers that once hit roadkill). Frank Reichmann, Westchester Country, NY, USA

It is collected by Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel in The Simpsons (who refers to it as "flatmeat"). Some of it is for consumption by his family, some of it is delivered to Krusty Burger. Vaughan Argent, Panania

If you're in Louisiana USA you can take it home and cook it ... Otherwise, the carrion gets a feed. David Russell, Coonarr, Qld It becomes meals on wheels for those further down the food chain.

Robin Palmer, Morningside, Qld It is eaten by feral cats - I have seen them sitting waiting and they are big.

Margaret Hudson, Cleveland, Qld Singer songwriter Eric Bogle once suggested that after an appropriate length ot time and and appropriate degree of flatness and dessication the departed cats made excellent frisbees. This was an introductory preamble to his song Nobody's Moggy Now ... "Soggy little moggy by the side of the road, flat little moggy who forgot his highway code" etc. Paul McCarthy, Chittaway Bay

Why do actors, when wishing other actors luck before a performance, say "Break a leg"? Superstition against wishing an actor "good luck" led to the adoption of this phrase in its place. Dave Wilson's eymology site informs us the phrase derives from the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln by actor, John Wilkes Booth, who leapt to the stage of Ford's Theater after the murder, breaking his leg in the process.

Mark Higgins, Hurlstone Park The expression 'break a leg' used by actors wishing each other good luck is thought to be a translation of a similar expression used in the 1920s by German actors "Hals und Beinbruch" which literally translated means "Neck and Leg break" This expression is believed to have been invented by World War I fighter pilots, a superstitious lot, who thought it was tempting providence to wish your fellow pilot well. Better to outwit the demons by wishing him bad fortune! Michael Morton-Evans, Mosman

Theatre curtains used to have little wooden pegs or legs on the bottom of them to stop the heavy and expensive curtain fraying as it made contact with the stage. The term break a leg was a good luck wish in that it hoped the actor would have so many curtain calls that one of the legs would break or fall off. Jimmy Thomson, Kings Cross

To wish an actor well before a performance is to invite bad luck (indeed, almost certain catastrophe), reminiscent of Murphy's Law. To wish "Break a leg" is the worst thing possible, and so this avoids inviting any bad luck. This goes along with the other tradition of actor's never uttering the name "Macbeth". Nigel Herbert, Willoughby Actors say "Break a leg", when they mean Good Luck", to confuse the Gods (which were painted on the roofs of theirs theatres - hence the expression "up in the Gods" when you're at the top of the dress circle). Actors are among the most superstitious people around. They: won't go onto a stage that either has yellow predominant in the scenery colour, or wearing yellow; never quote lines or mention the real name of "that Scottish play" (Macbeth); and never whistle in the dressing rooms.

Christopher Edwards, Baulkham Hills It was started by hopeful understudies.

Sarah Macintosh, Neutral Bay What is the origin of the tradition that a bride must wear "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"? Something old symbolises the hope for a long lasting marriage your old life into a new one. Something new marks the start of your new journey together. Something borrowed is from a happily married woman whose virtues you most wish for to assist in ensuring maritial happiness. Something blue promises love, fidelity and purity. In Biblicial times blue not white symbolised purity (white is a symbol of joy).

Ron Driver, Byron Bay Why are ancient Egyptians always painted in profile?

Art was the Egyptians way of sending messages from the real world to that of the afterlife. As such, all their sculptures and paintings had rules. Artists had certain proportions in which everyone was drawn. In some cases, artists used lightly drawn boxes to ensure their figure was correctly drawn, and these can be seen in unfinished works. People were drawn with their face and feet either left or right, but their chest facing the viewer. This is known as frontalism. The most logical reason is because they were a perfectionist, obsessive race. This can be seen in any monument, tomb, or piece of artwork - everything is perfect. Their style of frontalism also allowed them to show the person's clothes, size and stance very clearly, all of which had great importance. Rob Persson, Lindfield

Egyptians are painted in profile because at that time the artists weren't sufficiently skilled to be able to carve and paint the front perspective in a manner that people felt was a good representation Nigel Herbert, Willoughby

In our ancient history class in year 12, we deduced a hypothesis for this very question. After analysing the historical evidence, it has become clear that the people of antiquity only had two dimensions (see similarity in Minoan Crete frescoes, etc). At at a later point in history, particularly in ancient Rome and ancient Greece, we can see that people eventually grew a third dimension, however only from the chest up. That is why many scupltors created 'busts' depiciting the head, neck and chest of their subject. Judging by the archaelogical evidence, having a third dimension only from the chest up, made one 'top heavy', with the real danger of falling on one's face. Hence in most busts, you will note that the noses have been crushed. Carla Robinson, Cronulla

Ancient Egyptian sculpture shows they were capable of realistic representation. But in two-dimensional art the esthetic goal was not realism and perspective, but to show the most characteristic view. For the face the most characteristic view is the profile, but for the eye it is the frontal view. So faces are seen in profile but the eyes are seen from the front. Important men were portrayed as being larger than women or servants. And everyday objects which looked more interesting when seen from the top than from the side were portrayed as being rotated 90 degrees.

The goal of Egyptian art seems to be communication rather than representation. So each feature is shown at the most recognizable angle. Artistic realism is a concept that did not occur until many centuries later. Michael Robinson, San Jose, California Egyptians painted most of their paintings in profile to accentuate the nose. The nose is the most 'characteristical' feature of the face and maybe the bigger the nose, the bigger the character and maybe more interesting.

Ben Coon, Oslo It's because Ancient Egyptian art adheres to a strict style of frontalism, and all figures must face the Pharaoh, or divinity, like the sun.

Antonia Hayes, Paddington The Egyptians were said not to have mastered the mathematical notion of perspective which has been attributed to the painters of the Renaissance such as Leonardo da Vinci. However Egyptian artists by depicting flattened figures in profile portrayed their subjects with dignity and permanence looking towards a future state rather than confronting, or being confronted by the onlooker. The gaze was protected could relate to their religious belief's of the journey after death to the hereafter.

Given the mathematical marvel of the pyramids which were built thousands of years b.c. the theory of a chosen conventional representation by the Egyptians seems more likely than the Euro-centric interpretation. Gail Hennessy, Rankin Park

In Ancient Egyptian there was a Canon of Human Proportions applied to most paintings which was a square grid of 18 units (later 21 units) for a standing figure and 14 units for a seated figure. In order to depict the body correctly, not as they saw it with the eye but so as each part was clearly identifiable and a quick and logical (as they saw it) identification could be made to status, sex, age etc of each figure, artists followed strict rules: The head was drawn in profile but the eye and eyebrow were depicted in full view. Mens shoulders and upper body were also shown frontally so that the arms, hands and fingers were also visible. The belly and waist were shown in three quarter putting the belly button to the side and the behind, legs and feet were shown in profile to balance the head. The feet were always shown from the inside showing the arch until the mid Eighteen Dynasty when they reversed this and showed the outside of the foot. Women's pictures were slightly different in that the artists showed the body from under the arms down to the feet in profile to show the breasts.

Trish Powers, Roseville Where does the word "soccer" come from, and when did it cease to be football?

In the 19th century, rugby (union) football was making big gains in popularity. As is the wont of the English (and indeed, Aussies) to come up with diminutives such as "cardie" for cardigan and "pollie" for politician, Rugby football was given the nickname - "rugger". At the time 'round ball' football was known as "Association Football", so to counter rugby's nickname, the term "soccer" was coined, which derived from the "soc" in "Association". Martyn Yeomans, West Pymble The word soccer is an acronym for Sometimes Opposing Clubs' Crowds Engage (in) Riots or Seldom (do) Oceania Clubs (and) Countries Earn Respect. To most people in the world, the game is still known as football, except people like Australians and Americans, who need to differentiate between the different football codes.

David Tuch, Maroubra Soccer was originally known as football in England until the advent of rugby which led to some confusion of names. The London Football Association was formed in 1863 to promote the game that emphasised only the kicking of the ball. The game soon became known as 'association football' to distinguish it from rugby, but it was the students at Oxford University who gave the sport its popular nickname. It was common for students to shorten the length of words and at the same time add -er to the end of a word to form a colloquial or 'in' word. The second syllable in association added to -er gives the word soccer. The two ball games played on campus became known as "rugger" and "soccer".

David Buley, Seaforth Football started in England by the Football Association in 1863 and it was called "Association Football" to separate it from other types of Football. Soccer is a colloquial abbreviation of Association (assoc.) One theory is that Charles Wreford Brown came up with the term soccer, He was an Oxford University student, who apparently was famous for shortening words i.e.: brekkers for breakfast and ruggers for Rugby Football. Angela Dalton, Potts Point

Soccer is short for "Football Association". It was used to distinguish it from the other football codes. However, "football" is used in different countries or regions to describe the dominant or most popular code. So in NSW, football or footy is Rugby League, in Victoria it is Aussie Rules, New Zealand it's Rugby Union and USA it's gridiron. But anyone who watches any of these games can tell you that soccer, the world game, is the real football. Con Kominos, Rosebery

As a postscript, around Manchester, England, where I come from, association football was known as a gentleman's game played by hooligans, rugby union football was a hooligan's game played by gentleman, and rugby league football a hooligan's game played by hooligans. Eric Armstrong, Forster Why do so many people say and keep repeating the phrase "you know" in their speech?

"You know" or, more frequently, "yer know" peppers the speech of befuddled thinkers because they have not yet discovered those other substitutes for clear expression, "if you like", "I guess", "sorta" and "kinda". "Yer know" is especially prevalent in that cultural oasis Merseyside(UK) where it is usually extended to "yer know, like..." c.f. Queensland's "ay" as in "Take the Train, Ay" (with apologies to John Coltrane). Ron Corden, Tamworth

American sitcoms etc. have a lot to answer for, you know. Anita Jeisman, Goulburn The saying "you know" is a subconscious form of asking for acceptance. People who litter it throughout their prose are asking for one to 'accept' their view, their opinion.... Most of us say it without realising it.

Gerard Piper, Mitchelton, Qld Because they are not sure that we do know. It stems from uncertainty but then becomes, you know, a bad habit.

Theodore Ell, Hunter's Hill This and other empty phrases are called fillers, fumbles or hesitation sounds. Sometimes, they are used to say: Hang on, there's more -- I just have to think of the right words" and they are sometimes used to prevent others from entering the conversation. People who choose their words carefully need intervals to think. If a speaker merely pauses during a conversation, the listener might, er, interject. However, during telephone conversations, a listener will intermittently say words such as Really? Oh dear! You don't say! Otherwise, a speaker would imagine the listener had lost their attention. These small words play an essential part in lubricating social intercourse. Paul Roberts, Lake Cathie

Malcolm Fraser pioneered the solecism when he was prime minister from 1975 to 1983. It becomes a habit, of which the practitioners are not really conscious but jars on the listener, who is bracing for the next one to spew out. Descendants of the term are basically, actually, literally, necessarily and, of course, absolutely. Michael Wilson, Pymble

If a would-be know-all is a "smart alec", who was Alec? Alec was my grandfather who lived in the West Midlands in the UK, he was definately a "smart alec" or so he thought. In his latter years he used to give my grandmother sixpence each day to put a bet on the afternoon horse racing, a particular "sure bet" he had chosen earlier that morning. Well gran never put the bets on and the sixpence always went straight in her purse, most afternoons of course she would say "Not today Alec". Every now and again just to maintain his interest she used to give him a few shillings and a complimentary " Hey smart Alec you've won today"- he was chuffed when he won. Neil Jackson, Mosman

According to G.L. Cohen, author of Studies in Slang Part 1 (1985), the phrase smart alec(k) arose from the exploits of one Alec Hoag. A celebrated pimp, thief, and confidence man operating out of New York City in the 1840's, Mr. Hoag, along with his wife Melinda and an accomplice known as "French Jack," operated a con called the "panel game," a method by which prostitutes and their pimps robbed foolish customers. Mark Higgins, Hurlstone Park

Because it is more refined to say "Smart Alec" than "Smart a---". Jacqueline Trost, Nambour, Qld What was the best thing before sliced bread?

They used to say that sliced bread was the best thing since floating soap. Rick Salisbury, North Sydney

ANY ANSWERS? * How do they get teflon to stick to the bottom of the pan? * Why do bluebottles come ashore only on a north-easterly breeze?

* How can people say they have a metallic taste in their mouth if they have never eaten metal? * How can a leather strop sharpen a steel blade?

* What happens to you if you swallow chewing gum? * Why did women of yesteryear faint so easily and why don't they now? READERS' RESPONSES: Email your answers - or questions - to bigquestions@smh.com.au; write to Big Questions, Spectrum, SMH, GPO Box 506, Sydney 2001; or send a fax to 9282 2481. Limit questions to one short sentence and answers to a maximum of 100 words, and state your name and suburb/town.