Assume the Position

OLLL   Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:30 am GMT
Hi, I have this phrase on my t-shirt. What exactly does it mean? Thanks.
Jon Reremy   Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:34 am GMT
When preparing a porn-starlet for a shoot, one may say "assume the position."

The film director will order his female star to get down on her knees, for example, ready to receive her male counterpart from behind. She assumes the position and assuming he's "up for it", he will go forth and invade her.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b100/DuGeMon/RonJeremy.jpg
K. T.   Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:27 am GMT
It used to be said by people who were about to punish their children (by spanking, for example). I don't know if this has another origin in military punishments or not.
Another Guest   Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:07 am GMT
It means "get into the position".

Why did you get a t-shirt with a message you don't know the meaning of?
Holy Ghuest   Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:14 am GMT
<<Why did you get a t-shirt with a message you don't know the meaning of? >>

Have you ever been to foreign countries? Practically all their clothes have English writing on them, it's in fashion. I suspect a great number of them don't know or care what it says on them.
choose   Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:56 am GMT
>>I suspect a great number of them don't know or care what it says on them.
You have no clue how true that is.
In my homecountry, some people have gone so far as to print and hand out leaflets and brochures warning shoppers against buying those kinds of shirts with perverted statements/jokes. Some of the literature even has tables with such slogans/messages and their respective meanings in my country's official language.
I myself fell victim to one of those shirts at one point. During my first month in the US, one of the first shirts I purchased was from Walmart and had a "101% Red Neck" phrase on it. I didn't know what it meant at the time until my ex-roommate (who just soo happened to be BLACK), aware that I was just a FOB, gave me a friendly lecture on the implications of that message.
I didn't know that "US Americans" took this matter (that whatever message your shirt carries could potentially reflect your views) so seriously until that one day when this girl at the gym's front desk asked me, "so you're into cycling?" Surprised, I replied, "No. I have never been a big fan of cycling." Pointing at my tank-top, she giggled, "Did you just like it and that's why you bought it?"
Yeah, that's why.
From that point on, to avoid prejudice, I started paying more attention to what I put on.
K. T.   Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:59 pm GMT
No Way! I can't believe the Redneck story. If true, it's a good story, though.

I have seen English speakers with poorly drawn Kanji tattoos (not all of good meaning), wallpaper with Kanji/Hanzi hung upside down and scrubs that had the Kanji for "Alcohol" (the drinking, not the rubbing kind) all over it.
choose   Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:20 am GMT
>>No Way! I can't believe the Redneck story. If true, it's a good story, though.

Actually, what I am having a hard time believing is WM selling/promoting those kindsa shirts. But I'd give em the benefit of the doubt and assume that shirt just slipped thru the cracks. Maybe? Or maybe not.
Travis   Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:54 am GMT
No, it is more than plausible; they really do sell all kinds of inane T-shirts that would be utterly embarrassing to much of the population but which somehow appeal to a sufficient number of people for them to be worthwhile making.
choose   Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:17 am GMT
Oh, I see how this goes. And I thought KT was saying that the story was unbelievable, not implausible. But he's actually questioning my veracity.
Well, mister, it did happen. Don't take the matter on faith. Go ask my ex-roommate and some of my ex floormates if you don't believe me.
Carol   Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:09 am GMT
Check out http://www.engrish.com

They post pictures of bad but funny english on signs, tshirts, etc. Click on the clothing link for tshirts and such.
K. T.   Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:04 pm GMT
Choose,

I can believe it, actually. Some people in my part of the US take pride in being a "redneck" and there are a lot of jokes (ala Jeff Foxworthy) about redneck culture. I don't know your background, but if you don't look as if you would fit into that demographic, wearing such a shirt could be interpreted various ways.
K. T.   Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:15 pm GMT
You don't need to call me "mister", btw. There is another "KT" here, a Chinese guy, I think. (I understand your usage of mister, though, like "buster", a hilarious older way of saying the same thing, I think.)
choose   Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:57 pm GMT
>> You don't need to call me "mister", btw
What would you like me to call you then, honey?
K. T.   Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:50 am GMT
How about K. T., Choose?