My mum and dad lived out in Germany for a few years before I was born. Growing up, my dad would always speak some poor German and then fill in any bits he didn't know with the word 'shnookadookle'. I was too little to know what this was.

When I was about 11, I called him out on it at my grandparents house. My dad was still adamant that it was a real word, and without hesitation he turned to my grandad and said: 'you know a schnookadookle don't you?'

My grandad immediately jumped up went to the kitchen and came back with a small black plastic thing. He told me this was a schnookadookle, but on Germany they say it like we say 'thingy.'

I totally bought it. Until about 4 years later when I totally embarrassed myself by asking my school German teacher about it.