# Where did this come from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 8, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952 "2000-07-08T14:58:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![my85car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed8c4c/32.png) [@my85car](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/my85car)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/1 "2000-07-08T14:58:10Z")

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The other day, my daughter asked me where “Mind your P’s & Q’s” came from. I don’t have any idea. What does it stand for? Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![tatertot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@tatertot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tatertot)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/2 "2000-07-08T15:03:17Z")

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It comes from back in the day when they actually had to use those type-things, I don’t know what they are called. Sort of like raised letters on a block that you had to fit into a frame to make a page. I’m sure you’ve seen them. Anywho, p and q look very similar and it was a problem if they got them mixed up. I don’t know how, but it was. So, it became a phrase to mean “watch the little details”.

Sorry…that probably wasn’t the detailed answer you were looking for, but it’s a start, right?

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/3 "2000-07-08T15:32:44Z")

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Mister C has already answered this one:

[What’s the origin of the expression “mind your P’s and Q’s”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_264.html)

Looks like an answer to me.

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**Author:** ![lswote](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lswote/32/5737_2.png) [@lswote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lswote)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/4 "2000-07-08T15:36:37Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tatertot \*  
> \*\*I don’t know how, but it was. So, it became a phrase to mean “watch the little details”.  
> \*\*

You are correct. Typeface is reversed, so a typeset “p” looks like a regular “q” and vice versa. The admonition is a reminder that the letters are reversed so don’t forget that and put a “q” where a “p” goes, or as you said “watch the details”.

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**Author:** ![untateve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@untateve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/untateve)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/5 "2000-07-08T16:04:02Z")

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my mother always told me not to go out with a girl who didn’t mind herpes and q’s. 😉

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-come-from/24952/6 "2000-07-08T20:51:00Z")

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**untateve** , try writing it “herpes and queues.” (After all, why would you date a girl who liked to stand in line?)