Most of us are familiar with the term 'going commando' meaning wearing no underwear. But has anyone ever thought of the origin of the term? There are a few theories around it:
- It derives from the earlier term 'going regimental', with reference to the Scottish army where, traditionally, nothing is worn under the kilt.
- Some have speculated that it could mean being 'ready for action' or 'out in the open'.
- An American journalist is known to say that the term emanates from the Vietnam war, where it was discovered that many soldiers went without underwear to increase ventilation and reduce moisture. He believed that the phrase was first used on college campuses in 1974.
Confused? You are now!
My belief is that the term originates from a situation where you have to shit without any toilet paper.
Rather than hold it in 'til he found a suitably equipped W.C. facility, the 'commando' would use his underwear as a substitute then discard them, hence the term.
nice one cat i luv mindless trivia,
heres another one for you mate,and its a true fact,more people are killed each year by donkeys than die in plane crashes,
also some of the old fashioned sayings i find interesting too,like saved by the bell,doing the graveyard shift ect,
think i might be sending yoiur thread in the wrong direction cat,please forgive me mate,
take care neil aka the bays
[quote user=baylisstic]nice one cat i luv mindless trivia,
heres another one for you mate,and its a true fact,more people are killed each year by donkeys than die in plane crashes,
also some of the old fashioned sayings i find interesting too,like saved by the bell,doing the graveyard shift ect,
think i might be sending yoiur thread in the wrong direction cat,please forgive me mate,
take care neil aka the bays[/quote]
Hi Neil and Kat,
Hope you're both well!
I think that's a good idea - if anyone knows of origins of sayings, post them here. Educational if nothing else!
In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'
Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden'...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.
When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... 'goodnight, sleep tight.'
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.'
It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'
Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.
there you go cat,i love this kind of trivia very facinating,
as yes we are both well thanks,
luv ya the bays xxxxx
In Hereford you can shoot a Welsh person all day on a Sunday, with a Longbow, in the Cathedral Close.
It is legal for a male to urinate in public, as long it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle and his right hand is on the vehicle.
A bed may not be hung out of a window.
It is illegal for a lady to eat chocolates on a public conveyance.
It is illegal to be drunk on Licensed Premises.
Taxi drivers are required to ask all passengers if they have smallpox or the plague.
Any person found breaking a boiled egg at the sharp end will be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks (enacted by Edward VI).
Any boy under the age of 10 may not see a naked mannequin.
Throughout the whole of England it is illegal to eat mince pies on the 25th of December.
You can shoot a Welsh person with a bow and arrow in Chester, inside the city walls and after midnight
I found the above on a website about weird laws in wales ... so any welsh person in hereford and chester wear your armour and watch out for anyone who looks like robin hood lol
Origins of some phrases I have learnt in my many travels...
In the 1700s some time Lord Lovatt was the last person to be beheaded at the Tower of London. His crime was treason. As he was being led to the guillotine, the stand that had been erected for spectators (well they had no telly in those days) collapsed and some people died. Lord Lovatt found this to be hilarious and was still laughing as the guillotine came down. Hence the phrase... "Laughing his head off"
And another...
When I was in Moscow a few years back I did a tour of the Kremlin. Our guide was telling us stories of the old days in Russia. Apparently the Kremlin apartments (where government people lived) were all bugged in every room and even the phones were tapped. Everything that went on in the apartments were listed to 24 hours a day. Hence the phrase... "The walls have ears".
I know loads of these useless little bits of trivia but these are the only 2 I can think of right now.
Oli xx
arrrr miss-cc, shoot a scotsman....not a scotswoman so you will be safe,so please do not be afraid to come down again lol