In the realm of etymology, certain words carry fascinating histories, often obscured by popular misconceptions. One such term is 'posh'.
On the TikTok platform, Jamie Laing, known for his roles in television and Made in Chelsea, sparked a debate on social media by sharing what he believed to be the origins of 'posh',
His explanation, however, was quickly corrected by Susie Dent, a renowned expert from Countdown's Dictionary Corner.
Jamie Laing, known on social media as @jamielaing, shared a video revealing his discovery of the origin of the word 'posh', which garnered attention across social media platforms.
The video has the caption: "What the word ‘Posh’ actually stands for"
In the footage, he claimed that "posh" was an acronym related to boat travel. According to him, wealthier individuals would sit on the Port side of the boat during outbound journeys and on the Starboard side for the return trip. This led to the saying "posh," standing for "Port side out, Starboard home."
He explained: "The word 'posh' is actually an acronym. Back in the day we used to travel by boat and you could pay more money to sit on a certain side of the boat".
"On the way home you would sit on the Starboard side because, again it was less wet, less dangerous. Hence the saying 'posh', 'Port side out, Starboard home'. 'Posh' is an acronym.". He added.
One person said: PORT OUT, starboard home, Posh with a capital P-o-s-h POSH.
A second wrote: I knew this because of chitty chitty bang bang the song grandad sings
While a third commented: You’re kind of correct, wasn’t that it was safer but rather that it was warmer as the sun would hit those cabins and make them warmer.
Someone else said: bacronym I'm afraid, posh is either a word for money, or a shortening of polished, the boat acronym came to fit the word not the other way around.
Another added: P.O.S.H POSH...First cabin and the captains table, regal company! Name the film???
However, Laing's explanation turned out to be incorrect, and stepping in to correct him was Susie Dent, renowned as Countdown's expert in Dictionary Corner, who swiftly provided a significant correction.
Susie Dent intervened, pointing out the lack of evidence to support Laing's theory. According to Dent, the word 'posh' likely derives from a Romani term for money, debunking the popular but flawed maritime explanation.
She wrote on X: "It’s always been a great story but there’s no evidence for it Jamie. Our best bet is that it’s from a Romani word for money."
According to Merriam-Webster, Historically, the misconception about 'posh' traces back to the P&O shipping line, which operated between the UK and India from 1842 to 1970.
It was purported that 'posh' stemmed from tickets stamped with 'P.O.S.H', indicating preferential cabin placement to avoid the intense Indian sun. However, Merriam-Webster clarifies that this specific usage only emerged in the 1930s, debunking any earlier claims.
In conclusion, while the allure of 'posh' being an acronym for 'Port Out, Starboard Home' persists in popular culture and advertisements, credible sources and experts like Susie Dent and Merriam-Webster underscore its lack of historical grounding.
The true origin remains elusive, adding to the intrigue surrounding this commonly used word.
