Trivia, a Brief History

Since many of our readers love trivia, I thought it would be fun to write a blog post on the subject. I went online and read everything there was on the subject. It was fascinating and what I learned would make great questions for any trivia game.  

The Oxford Dictionary defines trivia as:

1. Details, considerations or pieces of information which are of minor importance or value
   
   

 The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has four definitions for the word:

1. Unimportant facts or details
   
   
2. Facts about people, events, etc. that are not well-known
   
   
3. Unimportant issues
   
   
4. A quiz game around obscure facts
   
   

 The first known use of the word dates back to the late 1400s or early 1500s. Trivia was derived from two words tri (three) and via (way) meaning the point where three ways meet. The implied meaning was ‘common place.’ Travelers would meet at these intersections and share information with each other. Part of the information they shared was common place, or inconsequential (trivial).

 The second use of the word during that same time period was in the educational system. The three areas of basic education were grammar (rules of a language), logic (philosophy and mathematics) and rhetoric (to speak or write convincingly). These areas of study were known as common place or trivial basic education.

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Trivia, as we know it today, was not invented until the twentieth century. In the early 1900s the word trivia was used in the titles of books containing short moral stories.  

The first known trivia game was at Columbia University in 1965. From there the world’s love of trivia blossomed. Books were written on the subject and television aired well-loved game shows. The TV show Jeopardy is fifty years old, and still ranks in the top five-most-popular programs.    

All of my life I have loved learning new things and consider all knowledge to be valuable. To me trivia is fun – and is anything but inconsequential.  

What is your opinion? Does trivia have value or is it just fun and games?