Return-Path: Received: (qmail 17173 invoked from network); 14 Jul 2003 19:36:52 -0000 Received: from netmail02.services.quay.plus.net (212.159.14.221) by mailstore with SMTP; 14 Jul 2003 19:36:52 -0000 Received: (qmail 20224 invoked by uid 10001); 14 Jul 2003 19:36:51 -0000 Received: from post.thorcom.com (193.82.116.70) by netmail02.services.quay.plus.net with SMTP; 14 Jul 2003 19:36:51 -0000 X-SQ: A Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 19c97O-0005Zl-Dy for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Mon, 14 Jul 2003 20:36:14 +0100 Received: from [212.135.6.10] (helo=smarthost0.mail.uk.easynet.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 19c97K-0005Zc-Fq for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 14 Jul 2003 20:36:10 +0100 Received: from tnt-1-114.easynet.co.uk ([195.40.206.114] helo=captbrian) by smarthost0.mail.uk.easynet.net with smtp (Exim 4.10) id 19c97J-000BuT-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 14 Jul 2003 20:36:09 +0100 Message-ID: <000301c34a3f$561ad520$72ce28c3@captbrian> From: "captbrian" To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 20:36:27 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Subject: LF: YL XYL YF PR? Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.6 required=5.0tests=ORIGINAL_MESSAGE,SUBJ_ALL_CAPSversion=2.55 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.55 (1.174.2.19-2003-05-19-exp) X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false No. Remember this was all devised long before before ww2. OM equalled "old man" as a form of address of pre-war everyday useage similar to "mate" or "chum" today . YL equalled Young Lady - ie "my girl-friend " or even " steady " today. . In polite pre-war days courtship had serious and honourable intentions so it was assumed that courtship ended in marriage not just an "affaire". After marrying the "Young Lady" she became ex-Young-Lady. Hence XYL - not an insult but a compliment. When I was a bright-eyed teenager (around the beginning of time according to my grandchildren now ) YF was equally common-place morse usage for Wife, but that seems to have died. Of course, if so called same-sex marriages catch on a whole new raft of abbreviations could be devised !! ' Morse code usage is a living social history ' - discuss. ;-)) Bryan G3GVB -----Original Message----- From: Alberto di Bene To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Date: 14 July 2003 14:51 Subject: Re: LF: Re: stress with xyl >Hugh M0WYE wrote: > >>I can't understand how the CW abreviation XYL came about. Please check my >> >> >OM stands for Old Man and YL stands for Young Lady, supposedly the wife >of the old man. >XYL was introduced to indicate a next-to-become YL, i.e. the fiancee, >before marriage. >Then it became customary to indicate the wife with XYL, but the correct >way should be YL. > >73 Alberto I2PHD > > > > >