Why?

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(Another enjoyable email to share)

I don’t know the validity of these – but they sound reasonable!!

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Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

BECAUSE:

When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right! And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Why do ships and aircraft use 'mayday' as their call for help?

BECAUSE:

This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning 'help me' - and is pronounced, approximately, 'mayday.'

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Why are zero scores in tennis called 'love'?

BECAUSE:

In France, where tennis became popular, the round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called 'l'oeuf,' which is French for 'the egg.' When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans (mis)pronounced it 'love.'

Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

BECAUSE:

In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfil obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

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Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'?

BECAUSE:

In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.

Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

BECAUSE:

In early religious times people were indoctrinated to believe that the Devil lurked everywhere. So in order to frighten him away, and any other evil spirits as well, glasses were clinked together to frighten the Devil and Demons away.

Why do we "Drink a Toast" to someone we wish to honour?

BECAUSE:

As above, in early religious times when the Devil was thought to lurk in drinks, a small piece of dry bread, like today's toast, was dipped into the drink to soak up the Devil and other evil spirits so it would not be passed to the person being honoured. Toasting cups as they were known were multi handled in order to be passed from one person to another and finally the Honoured One for each to sip from. In due course people drank from their own cup or glass.

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Why are people in the public eye said to be 'in the limelight'?

BECAUSE:

Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer 'in the limelight' was the centre of attention.

Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?

BECAUSE

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

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In golf, where did the term 'Caddie' come from?

BECAUSE:

When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game 'golf.' He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into ‘caddie.’

Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?

BECAUSE:

Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

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