# What is S&M, and what is T&A? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615 "2003-06-26T20:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/1 "2003-06-26T20:46:30Z")
I don’t think this really needs further elaboration ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/2 "2003-06-26T20:57:00Z")
Sadomasicism (getting off on causing or receiving pain, or both, depending on the person or day). Tits and Ass. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/3 "2003-06-26T21:20:08Z")
damn, and I wanted to answer ☹ ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/4 "2003-06-26T21:30:24Z")
Sadomasochism. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/5 "2003-06-27T16:11:29Z")
Spaniard & Mexicans Tires and Accessories. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/6 "2003-06-27T16:20:20Z")
Now the _real_ question is: Why is a 14-year-old whith these questions posting them to a message board instead of simply typing them into a search engine and exploring the amazing word to be found therein? Bwa-Ha-Ha!!! ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/7 "2003-06-27T16:21:52Z")
[sigh] _world_. Stinkin’ lunch is gumming up my keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/8 "2003-06-27T16:27:29Z")
Sun & Moon Think & Act ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/9 "2003-06-27T16:39:48Z")
Silly & mundane Tedious & annoying ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/10 "2003-06-27T16:47:01Z")
SandM TandA ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/11 "2003-06-27T16:47:43Z")
S&M is the name of a liquor store near me. I understand there’s a S&M Amusements somewhere, too. T&A is Transactional and Analysis, of course. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/12 "2003-06-27T18:37:55Z")
At one time there was a **T&A Cafe** in downtown Boise. Not sure if it’s still there or not. I can only imagine the crank calls they must have gotten from bored kids on summer break. ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/13 "2003-06-27T20:16:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Silly & mundane > > Tedious & annoying Well, I’m glad I got the mundane part right, this _is_ MPSIMS, right 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/14 "2003-06-27T20:32:23Z")
I always thought it was Sadism & Machochism, not Sadomachochism. Splitting hairs, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/15 "2003-06-27T21:14:09Z")
T & A: Two great Ford cars. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Gutgore\_Blooddrink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Captain\_Gutgore\_Blooddrink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Gutgore_Blooddrink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/16 "2003-06-27T21:39:46Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_065.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_065.html) See what Cecil has to say. ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/17 "2003-06-27T21:41:24Z")
Ooh, sorry, I didn’t see the answer in the archives… ---
**Author:** ![Skillet38](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Skillet38](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skillet38)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/18 "2003-06-28T00:08:13Z")
see what listening to hip hop does to your brain ? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/19 "2003-06-28T02:25:01Z")
Time and Attendance. It was amusing when I first started working for the Federal government, and the division secretary would ask me every 2 weeks if I’d filled out my T&A yet. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615/20 "2003-06-28T02:59:35Z")
Smurfs & Milkmen Tapioca & Asshats [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-s-m-and-what-is-t-a/184615.md?page=2)