WALTER'S OWN


Moderators: Walterhog
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
What is origin of the phrase "square meal"?
 Login/Join
 
One of Us
posted
I wanted to confirm the origin of the phrase "square meal." I did a NON-GOOGLE search among the many etymology web sites to confirm that it originated with U. S. Military Academy (West Point) cadets' slang in its early days. I had been informed that [at least] in the first years of West Point's existence, during meals cadets must sit "at attention" and use precise jerky motion of "feeding arm" that vaguely resembles a square or parallelogram to raise food from plate to mouth.
***
I realize how ridiculous this reads. But for one who was in infantry OCS, it reads no more ridiculously than the method to move more than 200 junior candidates through a meal in a mess hall that seats fewer than 80 people in less than 30 minutes. And that method was know as "Pig Privileges." Here's how it it accomplished by the Tactical Officer of the meal:

Junior Candidates, At Ease (sit at attention). You have ten minutes to clear the mess hall (be served your meal; eat all of it; and get out.). You have Pig Privileges! (You may not use utensils. You must use both hands and just keep filling your mouth until your tray is empty, mastication optional) Carry On.
***
I found several different etymology sites having origins differing from one another. I found zero corroboration for my version. Does anyone have any origin that might be considered solid, a near certainty?
***
One last thing. People who were in the U. S. Marine Corps believe that Parris Island OCS and basic training to be the most "vigorous" in terms of destroying civilian mode of thought and remanufacturing as the Marine Corps' mode of thought - that is, trash one kind of "stuff" and installing a different kind. Accomplish this with absurdist routine.

"Pig Privileges" is kind've tough to beat.


It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it. Sam Levinson
 
Posts: 1496 | Location: Seeley Lake | Registered: 21 November 2007Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I had always heard that a square meal came from the Navy (British?) where the sailors ate off a square or rectangular wood plate. Hence the term three square meals a day.
 
Posts: 531 | Location: Louisiana | Registered: 01 January 2010Reply With Quote
One of Us
Picture of NormanConquest
posted Hide Post
That brings to mind the saying "There ain't no free lunch". The free lunch was a regular sight in any bar prior to the Volstead act (proabition in 1919). The bars were laden with food. You bought a beer they looked at askanse for a bit but if you bought a whiskey you could eat like a king.When the amendment was repealed in 1934,spirits were now available but there was "No Free Lunch".


Never mistake motion for action.
 
Posts: 17357 | Location: Austin, Texas | Registered: 11 March 2013Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Square means tidy, good, orderly, fair, proper, precise. A square meal, a square deal, a square knot. Goes back to construction and took on additional uses on wooden sailing ships hundreds of years ago. Glad we could get that all squared away.
 
Posts: 1928 | Location: Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: 30 November 2006Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
I always thought it referred to square rigged sailing ships.
What about a "square head " ?
 
Posts: 7636 | Registered: 10 October 2002Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
Square head. Ya sure, you betcha.

Dave
 
Posts: 2086 | Location: Seattle Washington, USA | Registered: 19 January 2004Reply With Quote
One of Us
Picture of Huvius
posted Hide Post
I figured it was a meal that consisted of a meat, bread, vegetable and dairy.
 
Posts: 3232 | Location: Colorado U.S.A. | Registered: 24 December 2004Reply With Quote
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


Copyright December 1997-2023 Accuratereloading.com


Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia