Topic: What does CQ stand for/where did it come from?

[spud]

Just as "bad" as me thinking sic stands for "Spelling is correct" for the last five years.

[Harry Doyle]

Am I the only one who was taught that CQ stood for "correct but queer"?

[Tucsondriver]

-30- ?

[Oscar_Madisoy]

Am I the only one who was taught that CQ stood for "correct but queer"?

Like I said a few posts earlier, that was my understanding of it as well.

[inthesuburbs]

-30-?

Yes, 30, the notation placed by a writer at the end of the last take, or sheet of copy, to indicate that it is the last, that there is no more. If none of this means anything to you, you're too young to remember a bulldog edition, paste pots or pica poles.

It's funny that we inherit these terms (cq, potus, scotus, 30) from our telgraphic forebears, and then make up meanings for them ("correct but queer"? "correctly quoted" "cadit quaestio" LOL), because the terms were passed down, but not the meanings, or it never had any meaning to begin with: It's just a two-letter shorthand for "correct," just as igc stood for "ignorance" and rdx for "ridiculous."

It's like having a family portrait on your wall, but not remembering who is in the picture.

[budcrew08]

The whole exercise of pointing out others' mistakes in print just makes me sic.

Well-played.

[Steak Snabler]

-30-?

Yes, 30, the notation placed by a writer at the end of the last take, or sheet of copy, to indicate that it is the last, that there is no more. If none of this means anything to you, you're too young to remember a bulldog edition, paste pots or pica poles.

It's funny that we inherit these terms (cq, potus, scotus, 30) from our telgraphic forebears, and then make up meanings for them ("correct but queer"? "correctly quoted" "cadit quaestio" LOL), because the terms were passed down, but not the meanings, or it never had any meaning to begin with: It's just a two-letter shorthand for "correct," just as igc stood for "ignorance" and rdx for "ridiculous."

It's like having a family portrait on your wall, but not remembering who is in the picture.

I'm sure 50 years from now, people will be wondering where texting short-hand like "lol," "idk" and "rotflmao" came from and what it means ...

[fishwrapper]

Or, "Go fuck yourself."
I understand the intention, and don't have a problem using it...but the phrase has always bothered me.

[Moderator1]

I hope people forgot LOL as much as I hope people stop using it.  Every time I see that, I want to yell THE FUCK YOU LAUGHING AT?  It ain't funny.

I suppose some use it as a way of saying "I mean this to be funny."

If you have to tell us it is supposed to be funny, that's a pretty good hint it isn't.

[deskslave]

I hope people forgot LOL as much as I hope people stop using it.  Every time I see that, I want to yell THE FUCK YOU LAUGHING AT?  It ain't funny.

I suppose some use it as a way of saying "I mean this to be funny."

If you have to tell us it is supposed to be funny, that's a pretty good hint it isn't.

LOL!

[fishwrapper]

I hope people forgot LOL as much as I hope people stop using it.  Every time I see that, I want to yell THE FUCK YOU LAUGHING AT?  It ain't funny.

I suppose some use it as a way of saying "I mean this to be funny."

If you have to tell us it is supposed to be funny, that's a pretty good hint it isn't.

LOL!

Ok. That one got me.

[DirtyDeeds]

CQ doesn't stand for colloquial.

It doesn't stand for "correct as quoted."

And it doesn't come from Latin.

It means correct, and has meant that since at least 1879.

It's from the Phillips Code, an early teletype code, a type of shorthand. Phillips was Walter P. Phillips of the Associated Press.

That's the same place we get SCOTUS for Supreme Court, and POTUS for President of the United States, and "30" for no more, etc.

Not sure how this can be argued, although spnited's is pretty good.

-30-
(end of thread!)

[fishwrapper]

CQ was (also) the kiss ass the officers would put in charge at night.

[OTD]

CQ was (also) the kiss ass the officers would put in charge at night.

As i

CQ was (also) the kiss ass the officers would put in charge at night.

As in, "Lieutenant, Private Fishwrapper left his bunk to rub one out at 0200 hours, sir."?

[fishwrapper]

For the most part, I've blocked it from memory.