The phrase “mind your Ps and Qs” has multiple possible origins, including referring to premium quality, learning lowercase letters, and avoiding overcharging at a bar. Some suggest it could mean “please and thank you”. The phrase is used less frequently now, but parents can still teach their children its meaning.
Remember that P and Q can mean being attentive, alert or, more often, polite. For example, a mother might say that Aunt Gertrude is a stickler for manners and that the children had better mind their Ps and Qs when she visits. There are several suggested origins for the phrase, often differing from how it is now used.
In the 17th century, the letters stood for “first quality”. Ps and Q were often written as pee and kews. It is cited in the Oxford English Dictionary as being used in a quote in Rowland’s Knave of Hearts. A character orders alcohol and asks for it to be Pee and Kew, suggesting premium quality.
In the 19th century, the term became associated with the difficulty of learning how these letters occurred in lowercase. Teachers told students to learn their Ps and Qs. However, this could have similarly applied to other lowercase letters such as Bs and Ds. Dance teachers may also have enjoined students to remember their pieds and tails, two dance steps.
Another possible point of origin for the phrase is the practice of bartenders keeping marks on tabs of beer served in pints or quarts. A person on a tight budget might enjoin the bartender to watch his Ps and Qs to avoid being overcharged. In fact, a bartender they didn’t pay attention to could be accused of defrauding his customers.
Some suggest that the letters could be short for please and thank you. This relates more to the actual meaning of the sentence. Clearly someone who is worrying about their manners will probably remember to say please and thank you.
Regardless of origin, the term is used less frequently than it was half a century ago. A child instructed to pay attention to his Ps and Qs may look confused at those directions. However, parents could teach their children the current meaning of the expression. This can prevent children from staring rudely at people who use the phrase.
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