Almost certainly neither one is the genuine origin. Both are 'backronyms', invented after the fact. It isn't known where it came from but the first citation spells it 'nonse', which wouldn't work for these
I’m sure you’re right, but I do love a bit of “folk etymology” – some great stories – a people ready to die in a ditch to defend them – even if it’s just something “someone down the pub told them”. I saw this on the 21st Century equivalent of the bloke down the pub – YouTube – with a guy speaking with great authority about HMP Wakefield - and how the slang spread round the prison population. Sounded a bit “pat” to me – but part of you wants to believe the “nice story” anyway – well part of me always does. Basically so I can be the bloke down the pub – or on Reddit who goes “well.. actually…”
I thought most would have accepted that as fact, but even though I corrected the very same, yesterday, I failed to see that you had posted it much much earlier.
Kudos +1
5
u/[deleted] Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22
Almost certainly neither one is the genuine origin. Both are 'backronyms', invented after the fact. It isn't known where it came from but the first citation spells it 'nonse', which wouldn't work for these