X = kiss, O = hug ??
nancy g.
Is an X a kiss and an O a hug? Or is it the other way around?
I think this may turn out to be one of those things that
"everybody knows", except that what "everybody" knows is
actually different than what "everybody else" knows. Someone
posted a note about this subject in which they said,
"Everyone knows that 'xoxo' represents kisses and hugs ..."
From the first reply that I saw:
"I think it is the other way around.
I do think X = hug, and O = kiss."
The next reply:
"X = kiss. I think O for hug came about
because O goes with X."
And from the third and last reply that is currently available on my ISP:
"X's are kisses, O's are hugs, or vice versa"
What was interesting to me is that the original note did *NOT* ask what
the X or O stood for -- it simply asked if there is a word for the act of
using letters like XOXO to represent things like kisses and hugs. Yet
each person replying went on to explain what they think X and O stand for.
Is this perhaps a regional difference? Here in New England, I have always
considered the X to be a kiss and the O to be a hug, and as far as I know
so have all the people I've grown up with in this area. However, my S.O.,
who comes from the southern part of the U.S., says he's always thought
they were just the opposite.
Those who say that the X represents the hug because you fold or cross your
arms in an "X" around someone when hugging them can be countered by those who
feel that a hug involves encircling someone in the "O" of your arms. Does
anyone have any explanation for why either X or O might represent a kiss?
Nancy G.
Who assumes that "SWAK" is still understood by all
Bun Mui
>
> X = kiss, O = hug ??
U.K. people like to end their signature with a kiss (X).
Most cuz most U.K. don't have love handles.
Comments?
OOOOOOOO
Bun Mui
Podibanda Kuruppu
"nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> writes:
> From the first reply that I saw:
>
> "I think it is the other way around.
> I do think X = hug, and O = kiss."
That was me! And this makes perfect sense to me. Nobody is
going to invent something because he woke up on the wrong
side of his bed. I know this sounds silly, but I personally
like to see why X is for a kiss! As I said, when you hug someone
(to give a kiss) you put your left arm over the other person's
shoulder, the right arm a little over the other person's hip.
So the kisser's outstretched hands cross those of the kissee -
giving you the letter "X" - see what I mean?
I'm going to research this idea now that I have completed my
summer project -:)
>
> Is this perhaps a regional difference? Here in New England, I have always
> considered the X to be a kiss and the O to be a hug, and as far as I know
> so have all the people I've grown up with in this area. However, my S.O.,
> who comes from the southern part of the U.S., says he's always thought
> they were just the opposite.
See - someone does think the same way as I do!
(P.S. I wonder why the F-word,S-word, and now kissing are finding their
way into posts lately. I suspect that this is due to Viagara being
sold in Canada! Does anyone have a better theory?)
Bob Flaminio
Podibanda Kuruppu wrote in message ...
>"nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> writes:
>
>> From the first reply that I saw:
>>
>> "I think it is the other way around.
>> I do think X = hug, and O = kiss."
>
>That was me! And this makes perfect sense to me. Nobody is
>going to invent something because he woke up on the wrong
>side of his bed. I know this sounds silly, but I personally
>like to see why X is for a kiss! As I said, when you hug someone
>(to give a kiss) you put your left arm over the other person's
>shoulder, the right arm a little over the other person's hip.
>So the kisser's outstretched hands cross those of the kissee -
>giving you the letter "X" - see what I mean?
I always thought it was X=kiss and O=hug, with the X representative of
puckered lips, and the O representative of the shape your body is in when
hugging (as viewed from above, perhaps), with the huggee in the center.
But I believe the recipient of such symbols would be appreciative either
way.
-Bob
O.Det
In article <yxx1ztd...@seegiri.nsd.3com.com>, Podibanda Kuruppu
<podiN...@seegiri.ewdnospam.3com.com> wrote:
>"nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> writes:
>> From the first reply that I saw:
>> "I think it is the other way around.
>> I do think X = hug, and O = kiss."
>That was me! And this makes perfect sense to me. Nobody is
>going to invent something because he woke up on the wrong
>side of his bed. I know this sounds silly, but I personally
>like to see why X is for a kiss! As I said, when you hug someone
>(to give a kiss) you put your left arm over the other person's
>shoulder, the right arm a little over the other person's hip.
>So the kisser's outstretched hands cross those of the kissee -
>giving you the letter "X" - see what I mean?
This is totally nit-picky, and smacks of a troll, but here
goes:
When you hug someone, you put your arms around them, if
they were to vaporize at that moment, you'd be making
a big "O" with your arms. O = hug.
When you pucker to kiss, you make creases in them, which
form a sort of "X" or "*". X or * = kiss.
Then you have on-line-isms:
:-) = smiley
;-) = winky
:-X = keeping a secret, mouth closed tight
:-* = puckered, for a kiss or after eating a lemon
{Bob} = hugging Bob (see the arms around him?)
{{{Bob}}} = a BIG LONG hug for Bob.
Then you have "X" = "eckss", which sounds a little
like "kiss"
To be honest, in 38 years, this is the 1st I've heard
of anyone suggesting X=hug, O=kiss. Not saying they're
wrong -- the words mean whatever you and the person to
whom you're talking agree they mean -- it's just the
first I've ever heard of it.
When *I* send you <xoxox>, that's 3 kisses with 2 hugs.
It often comes with "are you naked?", which is just a
playful way of saying "hi, how're you?"
--
If you reply to the newsgroup, please don't e-mail, it confuses me.
To reply via e-mail, remove the spam-blocker word and dot.
I will not patronize any business which sends bulk unsolicited
commercial e-mail and/or which collects e-mail addresses from usenet.
Podibanda Kuruppu
ol...@DELETESPAM.odet.net (O.Det) writes:
> This is totally nit-picky, and smacks of a troll, but here
I was not been facetious by any means. Thanks for the long
explanation and, a lot of O's to you!
Mike Barnes
In alt.usage.english, nancy g. <nan...@tiac.net> spake thuswise:
>Is an X a kiss and an O a hug? Or is it the other way around?
>
>I think this may turn out to be one of those things that
>"everybody knows", except that what "everybody" knows is
>actually different than what "everybody else" knows.
I'm not part of the "everybody" who knows even that X's and O's
represent hugs and kisses. It's news to me.
>[snip]
>
>Does
>anyone have any explanation for why either X or O might represent a kiss?
Around here, people just put X's for kisses. The hugs are taken as
read. Our way of doing things does lend weight to the theory that X's
are kisses and O's are hugs, as opposed to the other way round. But I'm
afraid it doesn't *explain* anything.
>Nancy G.
>Who assumes that "SWAK" is still understood by all
I understand it, though I know it as "SWALK".
--
-- Mike Barnes, Stockport, England.
-- If you post a response to Usenet, please *don't* send me a copy by e-mail.
Aaron J. Dinkin
> Is this perhaps a regional difference? Here in New England, I have always
> considered the X to be a kiss and the O to be a hug, and as far as I know
> so have all the people I've grown up with in this area. However, my S.O.,
> who comes from the southern part of the U.S., says he's always thought
> they were just the opposite.
>
> Those who say that the X represents the hug because you fold or cross your
> arms in an "X" around someone when hugging them can be countered by those who
> feel that a hug involves encircling someone in the "O" of your arms. Does
> anyone have any explanation for why either X or O might represent a kiss?
I'm from New England. My first guess - when I was six years old or so - was
that "X" meant a hug (crossing your arms) and that "O" meant a kiss
(puckering your lips into a circle). My mother, however - also from New
England - immediately corrected me: "O" was a hug ("the 'O' of your arms",
as you put it) and "X" was a kiss (bringing in the sides of your mouth, so
the corners seem to form a cross).
One of the _Sesame Street_ segments dealing with the letter <X> is about
all the things "X" can represent as a symbol ("X can mean stop; it can mean
go; it can mean treasure", and so forth.) One of the meanings mentioned was
"X can even be a kiss."
-Aaron J. Dinkin
Dr. Whom
podi
Aaron J. Dinkin wrote:
> (puckering your lips into a circle). My mother, however - also from New
> England - immediately corrected me: "O" was a hug ("the 'O' of your arms",
> as you put it) and "X" was a kiss (bringing in the sides of your mouth, so
> the corners seem to form a cross).
>
Thanks. I'm satisfied with this explanation.
H Gilmer
Mike Barnes (mi...@exodus.co.uk) wrote:
: >Who assumes that "SWAK" is still understood by all
: I understand it, though I know it as "SWALK".
What does the "L" stand for?
Hg
Markus Laker
gil...@uts.cc.utexas.edu (H Gilmer) wrote:
'Loving'.
Markus
--
a.u.e FAQ and resources: http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~laker/aue/
Remove the 'skip this bit' bit of my email address to reply.
Michelle Slater
Loving
H Gilmer escribió en mensaje <6kpcl7$go6$3...@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu>...
>Mike Barnes (mi...@exodus.co.uk) wrote:
>
>: >Who assumes that "SWAK" is still understood by all
>
>: I understand it, though I know it as "SWALK".
>
>What does the "L" stand for?
>
>Hg
O.Det
In article <35714e74...@news.mindspring.com>,
spam...@merriewood.com wrote:
>On Fri, 29 May 1998 14:01:05 +0100, ol...@DELETESPAM.odet.net (O.Det)
>wrote:
>> When *I* send you <xoxox>, that's 3 kisses with 2 hugs.
>> It often comes with "are you naked?", which is just a
>> playful way of saying "hi, how're you?"
>You must be a recent emigre from America Online.
Actually, no -- and I'm substantially older than that. It's
not THAT kind of "are you naked?!" Also, casual aquaintences
would not get that greeting, nor would the get <xoxo>.
If you care, I'm quite unbiased in my "are you naked" greetings
(men & women), since the people with whom I use it (I didn't
start it, among my friends) consider it to be a meaningless
variant of "hi, how are ya?", but since <xoxo> has meaning to
me (kisses & hugs), I only send that to people who I might
actually kiss or hug in person.
I only mentioned it as an example of "the phrase means whatever
you and the person hearing it agree it means." You know:
"nit-nit" = "backpack". That kind of thing.
P.S. What *IS* it with AOL, that they seem to attract such...
well, YOU know... ???
O.Det
In article <adinkin-ya0231800...@news.nii.net>,
adi...@commschool.org (Aaron J. Dinkin) wrote:
>In article <356EEACE...@tiac.net>, "nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> wrote:
[snip]
>One of the _Sesame Street_ segments dealing with the letter <X> is about
>all the things "X" can represent as a symbol ("X can mean stop; it can mean
>go; it can mean treasure", and so forth.) One of the meanings mentioned was
>"X can even be a kiss."
That seems pretty authoritative -- who's going to argue with PBS?!
CynW514
>
> P.S. What *IS* it with AOL, that they seem to attract such...
> well, YOU know... ???
Hmmm. A matter for Car Talk's mathematics instructor, Lois Carmen
Denominator...
Cynthia Walker (Cyn...@aol.com) the cat comes in on little fog feet
K.R. O'Scuro
On Fri, 29 May 1998 13:05:18 -0400, "nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> wrote:
>What was interesting to me is that the original note did *NOT* ask what
>the X or O stood for -- it simply asked if there is a word for the act of
>using letters like XOXO to represent things like kisses and hugs. Yet
>each person replying went on to explain what they think X and O stand for.
Thanks for recognizing that Nancy. The thread has mutated into how to peel
a banana... Lots of nerd "humor", but no, I never got an answer to my original
question.
Regards,
jim
--
Jim Gorczyca k...@news.xoxo.com
Computer Artist/Animator http://www.xoxo.com
XoXo Studios Emeryville, CA
H Gilmer
K.R. O'Scuro (k...@news.xoxo.com) wrote:
: On Fri, 29 May 1998 13:05:18 -0400, "nancy g." <nan...@tiac.net> wrote:
: >What was interesting to me is that the original note did *NOT* ask what
: >the X or O stood for -- it simply asked if there is a word for the act of
: >using letters like XOXO to represent things like kisses and hugs. Yet
: >each person replying went on to explain what they think X and O stand for.
: Thanks for recognizing that Nancy. The thread has mutated into how to peel
: a banana... Lots of nerd "humor", but no, I never got an answer to my
: original question.
Yes, you did. At least two of us answered. I said they're just
symbols. Someone else said something else. I don't remember what,
but you can look it up on
as well as I can.
Hg
Mike Zorn
In <199806020445...@ladder01.news.aol.com> cyn...@aol.com (CynW514) writes:
>Hmmm. A matter for Car Talk's mathematics instructor, Lois Carmen
>Denominator...
I've been waiting to ask what the name of that thing/style is (using
names as puns). Is it just a pun? Not only the Brothers Clack, but
also Garrison Kiellor, use it to a pretty refined degree. Garrison has
"Warren Peace", "Natalie Dressed" (countered by the other guys'
"Natalie Attired (which is, after all, more automobilic than
"Dressed")), and recently, "Paige Turner" (I'm making up the
spelling). The Car Show guys have an edge in that their names are
connected with titles (like 'mathematics instructor'), which
illuminate the name. Garrison almost always uses them in the
"produced by..." segment.
Does anybody have any history on this? Did it start with
"Everyman"?
Mike Zorn rigo...@kaiwan.com
Troy D. Spencer
In article <6kn26r$atc$1...@gate.ea.com>,
>>
>>> From the first reply that I saw:
>>>
>>> "I think it is the other way around.
>>> I do think X = hug, and O = kiss."
>>
>>That was me! And this makes perfect sense to me. Nobody is
>>going to invent something because he woke up on the wrong
>>side of his bed. I know this sounds silly, but I personally
>>like to see why X is for a kiss! As I said, when you hug someone
>>(to give a kiss) you put your left arm over the other person's
>>shoulder, the right arm a little over the other person's hip.
>>So the kisser's outstretched hands cross those of the kissee -
>>giving you the letter "X" - see what I mean?
>
>
>puckered lips, and the O representative of the shape your body is in when
>hugging (as viewed from above, perhaps), with the huggee in the center.
>
>But I believe the recipient of such symbols would be appreciative either
>way.
>
>-Bob
>
>
>
I seem to recall reading once that the use of "X" to mean KISS
originated from early (medieval?) times, when people used wax
seals to close letters and correspondences. They would mark
an X next to the seal and then kiss the X as a sign of their
blessing. This was also used on official documents signed by
royalty. From this practice come the terms "sealed with a kiss"
and "X marks the spot" as well as the practice of having one
who is illiterate, such that one cannot sign one's own name,
place an "X" where the signature should be.
I warn you all that this is from memory, and, as they say,
the memory is the SECOND thing to go.
Very respectfully,
Troy
Troy D. Spencer
>
>I seem to recall reading once that the use of "X" to mean KISS
>originated from early (medieval?) times, when people used wax
>seals to close letters and correspondences. They would mark
>an X next to the seal and then kiss the X as a sign of their
>blessing. This was also used on official documents signed by
>royalty. From this practice come the terms "sealed with a kiss"
>and "X marks the spot" as well as the practice of having one
>who is illiterate, such that one cannot sign one's own name,
>place an "X" where the signature should be.
>
>I warn you all that this is from memory, and, as they say,
>the memory is the SECOND thing to go.
>
>Very respectfully,
>
>Troy
>
>
Please forgive me for following up my own post.
After clicking the "send" tab for the previous post, I
looked through a book in my office called "Imponderables"
(ISBN # 0-688-05914-7) and found the reference on page 128.
It turns out that I was wrong about the "X marks the spot"
phrase, but the rest is correct. Also, the letter "X" was
chosen because it represents Jesus Christ, as in "X-mas".
Therefore, kissing the X was like placing your hand on a
Bible to take an oath.
Very respectfully,
Troy.
OBTW, the Imponderables collection of books is a great source
of trivia. It will turn anyone into the Cliff Claven of any
gathering.