I enjoyed reading about these tidbits and although I found the explanations very entertaining, I wondered how accurate they were. I found that at least a few of them probably belong to a category known as folk etymology. For example the origin of the word gossip, according to several sources including the Oxford English Dictionary, is from god and sibb, the term for godparents. Again there is a lengthy article in Wikipedia concerning the origin of the brass monkey expression, (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_(colloquial_expression) that examines several theories and rejects the one involving cannonballs. A certain measure of skepticism is called for I think. Vernon Smith > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:01:15 -0700 (PDT) > From: Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> > Subject: [MarinGenSoc] For the history buff in all of us > To: Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> > Cc: maringensoc-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <879432.93602.qm@web52703.mail.re2.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > There is a bit of?history buff in all of > us.?? Here are some interesting tidbits that just maybe you didn't > know. > > > > 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, 'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm > and a leg.'?? (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to > paint) > > > > As > incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and > October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads > (because > of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made > from > wool. They couldn't wash t he wigs, so to clean them they would 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 'here comes the 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 folded down from the wall, > and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair > while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was > usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit > in > the chair meant you were important and in charge.? They called the one > sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the > expression > or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.' > > > > 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'.? In addition, when they sat > too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . Therefore, the expression > 'losing face.' > > > > Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and > dignified woman, as in 'straight laced'. . Wore a tightly tied lace. > > > 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 required 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 the people considered important. Since there > were > no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to > local > taverns, pubs, and bars.? They were told to 'go sip some ale' and listen > to people's conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were > dispatched at different times.? '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 ' > > > > One more and betting?you > didn't know this! > > > In the heyday of sailing ships, all war > ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round > iron > cannon balls.? It was necessary to keep a good supply near the > cannon.? However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck?? > The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on > top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.? Thus, a > supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the > cannon.? There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer > from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal > plate > called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. >> However, if this plate > were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to > the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize > that > brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when > chilled.? > > > > Consequently, when the > temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much > that > the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey.? Thus, it was quite > literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.' (All this > time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you.)? > > > > If you don't send this fabulous bit of historic knowledge to > any and all your unsuspecting friends, your floppy is going to fall off your > hard drive and kill your mouse. > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:46:20 -0700 (PDT) > From: Elizabeth Waud <ewaud@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [MarinGenSoc] For the history buff in all of us > To: maringensoc@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <783685.66605.qm@web110111.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > > Bravo! Thanks, Jerry! > > Betsy Waud > > --- On Thu, 6/25/09, Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> wrote: > >> From: Jerry Moore <perfinhole@yahoo.com> >> Subject: [MarinGenSoc] For the history buff in all of us >> To: "Jerry Moore" <perfinhole@yahoo.com> >> Cc: maringensoc-L@rootsweb.com >> Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 10:01 PM >> There is a bit of?history buff in >> all of >> ? us.?? Here are some interesting tidbits that just >> maybe you didn't >> ? know. >> >> >> >> 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, 'Okay, >> but it'll cost you an arm >> ? and a leg.'?? (Artists know hands and arms are >> more difficult to >> ? paint) >> >> >> >> As >> ? incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths >> only twice a year (May and >> ? October) Women kept their hair covered, while men >> shaved their heads (because >> ? of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could >> afford good wigs made from >> ? wool. They couldn't wash t he wigs, so to clean them >> they would 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 'here comes the 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 >> folded down from the wall, >> ? and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' >> always sat in the chair >> ? while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. >> Occasionally a guest, who was >> ? usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair >> during a meal. To sit in >> ? the chair meant you were important and in charge.? >> They called the one >> ? sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in >> business, we use the expression >> ? or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.' >> >> >> >> 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'.? In >> addition, when they sat >> ? too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . >> Therefore, the expression >> ? 'losing face.' >> >> >> >> Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A >> proper and >> ? dignified woman, as in 'straight laced'. . Wore a >> tightly tied lace. >> >> >> 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 required 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 the people considered >> important. Since there were >> ? no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent >> their assistants to local >> ? taverns, pubs, and bars.? They were told to 'go sip >> some ale' and listen >> ? to people's conversations and political concerns. >> Many assistants were >> ? dispatched at different times.? '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 ' >> >> >> >> One more and betting?you >> ? didn't know this! >> >> >> In the heyday of sailing ships, all war >> ? ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. >> Those cannons fired round iron >> ? cannon balls.? It was necessary to keep a good >> supply near the >> ? cannon.? However, how to prevent them from rolling >> about the deck?? >> ? The best storage method devised was a square-based >> pyramid with one ball on >> ? top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested >> on sixteen.? Thus, a >> ? supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a >> small area right next to the >> ? cannon.? There was only one problem...how to >> prevent the bottom layer >> ? from sliding or rolling from under the others. The >> solution was a metal plate >> ? called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. >>> However, if this plate >> ? were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust >> to it. The solution to >> ? the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few >> landlubbers realize that >> ? brass contracts much more and much faster than iron >> when >> ? chilled.? >> >> >> >> Consequently, when the >> ? temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations >> would shrink so much that >> ? the iron cannonballs would come right off the >> monkey.? Thus, it was quite >> ? literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a >> brass monkey.' (All this >> ? time, you thought that was an improper expression, >> didn't you.)? >> >> >> >> If you don't send this fabulous bit of historic knowledge >> to >> ? any and all your unsuspecting friends, your floppy >> is going to fall off your >> ? hard drive and kill your mouse. >> >> >> ? ? ? >> ______________________________________ >> >> A big "THANK YOU"? to all of you that give so >> generously of your time volunteering for the Society. >> --------------------------------- >> Visit our website: http://www.maringensoc.org >> >> Read the meeting >> notices:???<http://www.maringensoc.org/News/newsletters.htm> >> >> Read the Society's blog run by Gene Pennington: >> http://maringensoc.blogspot.com/ >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> MARINGENSOC-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the >> subject and the body of the message >> > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To contact the MARINGENSOC list administrator, send an email to > MARINGENSOC-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the MARINGENSOC mailing list, send an email to > MARINGENSOC@rootsweb.com. > > __________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MARINGENSOC-request@rootsweb.com > with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of > the > email with no additional text. > > > End of MARINGENSOC Digest, Vol 4, Issue 82 > ******************************************