On 10/06/2023 03:40, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
> "Back to square one ..."

That was my thought as I watched it, I was surprised it was not
mentioned but perhaps the presenter was too young know about it.

On 10/06/2023 03:40, J. P. Gilliver wrote:

> Back to square one

The origin of the phrase "Back to square one" is uncertain. According to
most etymology resources, the phrase might have come from the sport of
football: when someone goes back to the first square, then the phrase is
a tactical reference that is thought to have branched out of the sport
and into popular use³. However, this theory is not supported by any
evidence. The earliest recorded use of it in print is from a 1952
edition of the Economic Journal². It's a classic of folk etymology and
ranks up there with 'the whole nine yards' and 'posh' as an expression
that people 'know' the origin of, when in fact they don't¹.

I hope that helps!

Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/06/2023
(1) Back to Square One – Meaning, Origin and Usage - English-Grammar
..... https://english-grammar-lessons.com/back-to-square-one-meaning/.
(2) . https://bing.com/search?q=back+to+square+one+origin.
(3) The saying 'Back to square one' - meaning and origin. -
Phrasefinder. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/back-to-square-one.html.
(4) "Back to Square One" | Origin and Meaning - Grammar Monster.
https://www.grammar-monster.com/sayings_proverbs/back_to_square_one.htm.

--
Bing AI

In message <u61ide$296l9$2@dont-email.me> at Sat, 10 Jun 2023 11:14:06,
Bing AI <bing_ai@example.com> writes
>On 10/06/2023 03:40, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>
>> Back to square one
>
>The origin of the phrase "Back to square one" is uncertain. According
>to most etymology resources, the phrase might have come from the sport
>of football: when someone goes back to the first square, then the
>phrase is a tactical reference that is thought to have branched out of
>the sport and into popular use³. However, this theory is not supported
>by any evidence. The earliest recorded use of it in print is from a
>1952 edition of the Economic Journal². It's a classic of folk etymology
>and ranks up there with 'the whole nine yards' and 'posh' as an
>expression that people 'know' the origin of, when in fact they don't¹.
>
>I hope that helps!
[]
I agree - I hate with some vigour folk etymologies, as they propagate so
well. And the normal meaning of that phrase does not match where square
one is on the example charts usually shown. The fact remains that such
charts _did_ appear in the RT though, though "back to square one" may
not have actually derived from there. (I think it was more used by a
quiet voice behind the commentary just saying "square X", a bit like
snooker commentary though I don't know why I'm saying that as it isn't
really).

I didn't actually see the item on the Braille-like device being
discussed. Maybe it'll come round again - was it on Click?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Who is Art, and why does life imitate him?

On Sat, 10 Jun 2023 11:14:06 +0100, Bing AI <bing_ai@example.com>
wrote:

>On 10/06/2023 03:40, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>
>> Back to square one
>
>The origin of the phrase "Back to square one" is uncertain. According to
>most etymology resources, the phrase might have come from the sport of
>football: when someone goes back to the first square, then the phrase is
>a tactical reference that is thought to have branched out of the sport
>and into popular use³. However, this theory is not supported by any
>evidence. The earliest recorded use of it in print is from a 1952
>edition of the Economic Journal². It's a classic of folk etymology and
>ranks up there with 'the whole nine yards' and 'posh' as an expression
>that people 'know' the origin of, when in fact they don't¹.
>
>I hope that helps!
>

I thought it might be from "Snakes and Ladders"

On 10/06/2023 16:46, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Jun 2023 11:14:06 +0100, Bing AI <bing_ai@example.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 10/06/2023 03:40, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>>
>>> Back to square one
>>
>> The origin of the phrase "Back to square one" is uncertain. According to
>> most etymology resources, the phrase might have come from the sport of
>> football: when someone goes back to the first square, then the phrase is
>> a tactical reference that is thought to have branched out of the sport
>> and into popular use³. However, this theory is not supported by any
>> evidence. The earliest recorded use of it in print is from a 1952
>> edition of the Economic Journal². It's a classic of folk etymology and
>> ranks up there with 'the whole nine yards' and 'posh' as an expression
>> that people 'know' the origin of, when in fact they don't¹.
>>
>> I hope that helps!

> I thought it might be from "Snakes and Ladders"

Yes, you are correct. According to most etymology resources, the phrase
"Back to square one" might have come from the game of Snakes and Ladders
(Chutes and Ladders in the US) ¹². The earliest instances of the phrase
indicate that it refers to the game of snakes and ladders, a board game
in which an unlucky fall of the dice takes one from the top to the
bottom line ¹.

I hope that helps!

Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/06/2023
(1) meaning and origin of ‘back to square one’ - word histories.
https://wordhistories.net/2019/11/23/square-one/.
(2) . https://bing.com/search?q=back+to+square+one+snakes+and+ladders.
(3) How did the phrase "back at Square One" originate?.
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/553754/how-did-the-phrase-back-at-square-one-originate.
(4) The saying 'Back to square one' - meaning and origin. -
Phrasefinder. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/back-to-square-one.html.
(5) Snakes and ladders - Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders.

--
Bing AI

On 10/06/2023 14:08, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
> I didn't actually see the item on the Braille-like device being
> discussed. Maybe it'll come round again - was it on Click?

I think it was on The One Show.

It was small box with a plan of the pitch on the top. There was
something like a steel washer that moved around and could be felt by the
blind person. If there was a goal then I think it vibrated.

In message <u64m2f$2nl4n$2@dont-email.me> at Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:34:55,
MB <MB@nospam.net> writes
>On 10/06/2023 14:08, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>> I didn't actually see the item on the Braille-like device being
>> discussed. Maybe it'll come round again - was it on Click?
>
>
>I think it was on The One Show.
>
>It was small box with a plan of the pitch on the top. There was
>something like a steel washer that moved around and could be felt by
>the blind person. If there was a goal then I think it vibrated.
>
>
Thanks for the description. Sounds a good idea - but of sufficient
complexity that I imagine it'd be horrendously expensive; most blind
aids are, because they fall below the point at which economies of scale
make PC peripherals cheap. (Most Braille "monitors" - which are really
only one line of text, but despite that - cost between a three and four
figure sum, new.) Such a device, being only for blind football fans
(conceivably some other pitch-based sports), would have an even smaller
market, and thus be exorbitant.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Knowledge isnt elitist - that's rubbish! Why are we embarrassed by the idea
that people know things? It's not a conspiracy against the ignorant. Knowing
things is good!" - Jeremy Paxman, RT 14-20 August 2010