Mind your p's and q's !

@Sissygrl (10912)
Canada
January 7, 2009 7:19am CST
Where or what are my p's and q's and should i mind them ? Anyone know what the real meaning behind this is.. i kn ow it means to shuttup and mind your business.. but why ? I wanna know what the p and q stand for..
3 people like this
8 responses
Nisha_Verghese
@Nisha_Verghese (551)
• India
7 Jan 09
It means mind your manners... not business.. people say this usually when someone is very rude or uses a lot of offensive words. It stands for mind your "quarts" and "pints". apparantly was used in england many years back..hope this answered your question
2 people like this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
7 Jan 09
really ? i wonder why quarts and pints have anything to do with minding your manners! interesting. thanks for the answer hun.
1 person likes this
uath13
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Most offensive language occurred in a bar. You were telling someone to pay attention to their own drinks instead of your business.
Adoniah
@Adoniah (7512)
• United States
7 Jan 09
Actually mind your P's and q's came from grammatical lessons probably in the 19th century and it had to do with keeping them facing in the right direction when writing them. Later it was used to mean mind your business which would follow in meaning. Brought to you from the walking encyclopedia of trivia yours truly~ Shalom~Adoniah
1 person likes this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
8 Jan 09
but what does the p and q stand for oh mighty encyclopedia ?
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
9 Jan 09
That is brilliant. You are brilliant. . Teach me more please ;)
Adoniah
@Adoniah (7512)
• United States
8 Jan 09
The actual letters. Mind the way you write them. Get them facing in the correct direction. That was the actual origional meaning of mind your p's and q's. They are easy to reverse when you are first learning to write, and remember, a long time ago, many adults did not learn to write as children, they learned as adults. Many of the ditties such as that were greared to adult learning not children. Shalom
1 person likes this
skinnychick
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
7 Jan 09
P1ss off and quiet down?? Just a guess. LOL Anyway, good to see you and nice question.
1 person likes this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
8 Jan 09
haha i like that one. . I might use that when the kids are not around :)
cobrateacher
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
9 Jan 09
I beg to differ. This came from the early days of printing presses when peole had to place each letter in its reversed form for the letter to print correctly. If one was not extremely careful, the Ps and Qs would be switched, and the article, book, or whatever they were printing would be unacceptable. This was usually the job of an apprentice, who checked such things before the print was used. pq -- too easily switched!
1 person likes this
mag_keizer2007
@mag_keizer2007 (1282)
• Canada
7 Jan 09
hmmmmmmmmmm We could make something up.... Maybe its for pips and Quit it..... I have no idea it might be french tho....i dont know enough french to say for sure
1 person likes this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
7 Jan 09
Hey mag, your the one i was talking to that lives in armdale right ? hah I just moved home a few months ago. I am happy to be here but missing my friends in ontario.
1 person likes this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
8 Jan 09
My kids are not old enough to go to school yet. . they are 2.5 and 9 months.. are your kids all in school ? Do they go to chebucto heights ? and is that school french imersion ? i walk by all the time and the sign is in french.. is why i'm wondering..
mag_keizer2007
@mag_keizer2007 (1282)
• Canada
7 Jan 09
Yes I live on Cowie hill....You just moved back thats cool. Yeah I would understand missing your friends...glad to see you are home. Do you have any kids going to school here?
1 person likes this
Humbug25
@Humbug25 (12540)
•
7 Jan 09
Hey there Sissygrl It actually means to mind your Please (p's) and Thankyou's (q's). It has obviously been abbreviated over the years and has become p's and q's!!
1 person likes this
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
8 Jan 09
well that sounds more like it then pints and quarts like a previous responder.. but maybe both are right.. after all i dont know the correct answer so i'm just taking your words for it! lol.
Sissygrl
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
9 Jan 09
I love the word rubbish. that's hot.
myworkid1987
@myworkid1987 (755)
• United States
9 Jan 09
lol i have no idea...what the first person said. lol
SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32190)
• United States
9 Jan 09
Mind your Please, but I'm not sure what the Q means. I know that the saying means to mind your manners, and I guess in a way your business.