Does anyone know the meaning behind the phrase mind your P&Q's?

Question

I think i know but i just wanted to see what you all have heard out there!!!!!

Answer 1

punctuations & questions! maybe now you can help me on "im in a pickle question"! LOL

Answer 2

"mind your p's and q's"
(Phrase Origins)

This expression, meaning "be very careful to behave correctly",
has been in use from the 17th century on. Theories include: an
admonishment to children learning to write; an admonishment to
typesetters (who had to look at the letters reversed); an
admonishment to seamen not to soil their navy pea-jackets with
their tarred "queues" (pigtails); "mind your pints and quarts";
"mind your prices and quality"; "mind your pieds and queues"
(either feet and pigtails, or two dancing figures that had to be
accurately performed); the substitution of /p/ for "qu" /kw/ in the
speech of uneducated ancient Romans; or the confusion by students
learning both Latin and Ancient Greek of such cognates as _pente_
and _quintus_. And yes, we've heard the joke about the instruction
to new sextons: "Mind your keys and pews."

The most plausible explanation is the one given in the latest
edition of Collins English Dictionary: an alteration of "Mind
your 'please's and 'thank you's".

Answer 3

I agree with pints and quarts in pubs. However I heard it was a reminder to the server to keep track of whether they had served pint-size or quart-size drinks in tallying the bar tab.

Answer 4

Mind your Pints and Quarts. It comes from drinking in pubs in England. It meant don't drink too much that you misbehave.

Answer 5

when the printing press was widely used to print things you had to put them on the press backwards since a q looks like a backwards p you had to be careful when putting them on the press.

Answer 6

straighten up and fly right?..Better yet, you will get in trouble when you get home for not minding your P's and Q's....Heard this all the time growing up!....especially in church...lol

Answer 7

Kinda means be careful...