HISTORY LESSON 101

[Dave Wilton]

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of Grant Barrett
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 6:12 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: HISTORY LESSON 101


>On 2/15/02 21:52, "Donald M Lance" <lancedm at MISSOURI.EDU> wrote:

>> Someone forwarded this item to me.  I have no idea where it originated
and
>> don't really want to know.  Accompanying comments indicated that the
>> previous two recipients took it as "gospel truth."  You lexicographers
and
>> slangographers out there might want to check your etymologies on these
>> expressions and make appropriate corrections in your files.  You bet!

>Snopes does a pretty good job of casting doubt on the whole thing.

>http://www.snopes2.com/language/phrases/1500.htm


There's another version floating about the Internet. This one, similarly
bogus, was forwarded to me the other day:

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras.  One's image was either
sculpted or painted.  Some paintings of George Washington showed him
standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both
legs and both arms.  Prices charged by painters were not based on how many
people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted.  Arms
and legs are "limbs" therefore painting them would cost the buyer more.
Hence the expression "It'll cost you an arm and a leg,"

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year!
(May & October)  Women always kept their hair covered while men shaved their
heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.  Wealthy men could afford
good wigs.  The wigs couldn't be washed so to clean them, they could carve
out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell and bake it for 30 minutes.
The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term "big wig."  Today
we often use the term "Big Wig" because someone appears to be or is powerful
and wealthy.

In the late 1700's many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair.  Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and used
for dining.  The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor.  Once in a while an invited guest
would be offered to sit in this chair during a meal whom was almost always a
man.  To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge.  Sitting
in the chair, one was called the "chair man."  Today in business we use the
expression/title "Chairman"

Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement.  As a
result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood.  The women
would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your own bee's wax."
Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile."
Also, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt and therefore
the expression "losing face."

Ladies wore corsets, which laced up in the front.  A tightly tied lace was
worn by a proper and dignified lady, as in "straight laced."

Common entertainment included playing cards.  However, there was a tax
levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the ace of
spades.  To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead.
Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be
stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing with a full deck."

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what was
considered important to the people.  Since there were no telephones, TV's or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs and
bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to people's conversations
and political concerns.  Many assistants were dispatched at different times,
with instructions like, "you go sip here" and "you go sip there."  The two
words "go sip" were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion
and thus, we have the term "gossip."

At local taverns, pubs and bars, people drank from pint and quart sized
containers.  A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep
the drinks coming.  She had to pay close attention and remember who was
drinking in "pints" and who was drinking in "quarts."  Hence the term
"minding your "'P's and Q's."