We use the term Posh in the UK to describe a person who speaks properly and without a regional accent.
We also use the term posh to describe a person of a certain class.
Yes!! the class war is alive and well in the UK.
We use posh as if it was a descriptive word to denote snobbery.
But is posh a word and where did it originate?
Posh is not a word, it is in fact an abbreviation P.O.S.H.
In the days of the British Empire it was commonplace for English families to travel regularly to India. In those days the method of travel was by steam ship and the journey very long.
Unaccustomed to the heat, the journey would prove arduous for most English people leaving a much colder climate.
So if you had sufficient money you could book a cabin on the shady side of the ship. It did cost rather more to do this as there was a great demand for this facility.
This meant a Port cabin on the way over and a Starboard cabin on the return trip back home.
So the booking clerk would abbreviate this to P.O.S.H. on all travel documents, Meaning Port Over and Starboard Home.
Just another example of an English word originating from our sailing past.
Not a lot of people knows that.... as Michael Caine would say.
