army1987 comments on 2012 Survey Results - Less Wrong

80 Post author: Yvain 07 December 2012 09:04PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 14 December 2012 09:09:04PM 1 point [-]

In Italy traditionally it's the other way round. (Don't ask me why.)

Comment author: thomblake 14 December 2012 09:36:56PM 1 point [-]

So apparently, according to tradition the twin that is conceived first is believed to be born last, and there are folk explanations like "The first conceived attaches to the uterus first, so is more firmly stuck". And so the later-born is considered oldest due to having been conceived first, even though that is not even a thing that can happen in the case of identical twins.

Still tracking down a decent history of the phenomenon, but it's an interesting start.

Comment author: thomblake 14 December 2012 09:18:58PM 0 points [-]

That sounds very counterintuitive. Do you have a citation? I can't find information online.

Comment author: [deleted] 14 December 2012 09:26:58PM *  2 points [-]

It's something I heard from my uncles (a pair of twins) and their mother. I can find stuff online, but it's in Italian. Googling for gemello più vecchio (Italian for ‘older twin’) does turn up relevant stuff, so it's not something my grandma made up. EDIT: apparently there was a myth about the first to be conceived is the last to be born (which for identical twins is Not Even Wrong). Someone answered on Google Answers, "if you went in a phone booth with a friend, the first of you to get in would be the last to come out, wouldn't she?"

Comment author: thomblake 14 December 2012 09:30:48PM *  0 points [-]

My Italian should be good enough for that. Grazie!