- Going commando
-
For the video game, see Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando.
Going commando is the practice of not wearing underwear under one's outer clothing. The term is theorized to be related to the much earlier term "going regimental", which refers to wearing the kilt military style, that is, without underwear. (see True Scotsman)
In Chile, the act of not wearing underwear has been called "andar a lo gringo" (to go gringo-style) for decades.[1][2]
In Portugal, the expression used is "andar à caçador" (to go hunter-style).[3][4]
Earliest uses
The origins of the phrase are uncertain, with some speculating that it may refer to being "out in the open" or "ready for action". Slate magazine's Daniel Engber dates the modern usage to college campuses circa 1974, where it was perhaps associated with soldiers in the Vietnam War, who were reputed to go without underwear to "increase ventilation and reduce moisture."[5] The earliest known use of the term in print occurred on January 22, 1985 when Jim Spencer wrote in the Chicago Tribune "Furthermore, colored briefs are 'sleazy' and going without underwear ("going commando", as they say on campus) is simply gross." Seinfeld's sixth season episode "The Chinese Woman" presented the term in 1994. A 1996 episode of the television sitcom Friends, "The One Where No One's Ready", has been credited with introducing the term "into the popular vernacular".[6]
See also
References
- ^ "Juran que a Jennifer López le gusta andar a lo gringo: Sin chitecos". La Cuarta. December 11, 2006. http://www.lacuarta.cl/diario/2006/12/11/11.31.4a.ESP.JURAN.html. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
- ^ Brennan, John; Taboada, Alvaro. How to Survive the Chilean Jungle (2nd ed.). Santiago, Chile: Dolmen Ediciones.
- ^ {{cite web | title = Grupo Que gosta de andar a caçador ! xD | work = Facebook | url= http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130795530264356&v=wall
- ^ {{cite web | title = Grupo Eu já me esqueci dos boxers em casa e tive de andar à caçador. | work = Facebook | url= http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=135207083170678&v=wall
- ^ Engber, Daniel (January 10, 2005). "Do Commandos Go Commando?". Slate. http://slate.com/id/2112100/. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ Heller, Jason; Koski, Genevieve; Murray, Noel; O'Neal, Sean; Pierce, Leonard; Tobias; VanDerWerff, Todd; Zulkey, Claire (June 21, 2010), TV in a bottle: 19 great TV episodes largely confined to one location, AV Club, http://www.avclub.com/articles/tv-in-a-bottle-19-great-tv-episodes-largely-confin,42284/2/, retrieved June 21, 2010, ""[T]he episode also introduced the term 'going commando' into the popular vernacular.""
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
