The X Factor

If any letter in the English language has the X Factor then it is X. It is used in all sorts of ways and can even be pronounced differently. It can be used on its own or as part of a word or even as part of mathematical equations.

For some reason when I saw the X in the subject my mind went back a few years to a girlfriend (let’s call her Ms X) who used to end her messages with xxxx or xxx or xx or x. No x meant I was in trouble.

But why would she have used the symbol as a kiss anyway? Well that goes back to the times when literacy was low and people who couldn’t write would sign documents with an ‘X’ instead of their name. When people signed with an X it wasn’t merely a mark; it was a symbol that carried the weight of an oath. To make it even more significant some people would kiss the X.

I suppose that the use of an X in a voting booth in an election follows on from that.

There doesn’t seem to be any agreement between linguists about when that oath was transferred to being a romantic gesture but my favourite dates back to 1878 when in Florence Montgomery's novel Seaforth, she describes letters ending with “the inevitable row of kisses; sometimes expressed by x x x x x, and sometimes by o o o o o.”

One explanation I came across several times is that X could simply be the shape of the letter — that it looks like a pair of puckered lips. I’m not going with that one.

Talking about old books reminds me (with great affection) of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Where can they find the gold? Where X marks the spot on the map left by Captain Billy Bones.

Luckily, as far as I know, there has never been an X rated film of Treasure Island.

If I’m wrong about that fact then please feel free to use an X (in red ink) to indicate my error.

I still remember the feeling in one particular problem, but not the question or answer, way back when I was a student and spending ages over solving the equation and the response from the Lecturer being a big red cross through it.

Whatever the problem was it would have included something like this:
2x - 5 = 17 or 2 x 4 = 8.
On graphs, the x-axis is the horizontal line on the bottom, while the y-axis is the vertical line on the left side.

One of the weirdest uses of X also relates to mathematics in a way and that is when the Romans used X as one of their numerals. Try thinking about CXVI times XXXII.

I mentioned that X is pronounced differently depending on its position in a word. Normally, it sounds like ks, like in ‘fox,’ ‘complex’ or ‘experience’. However, there are some words that begin with X, and in these cases it's pronounced like a Z as in xenon or xylophone.

Then, of course, there is the use of the X Factor in relation to that certain something that a person, place or thing has that separates them from the norm. 

Some of the above information is from the Engoo website.

The X Factor

you’ve got it
or you haven’t

I had it
for a couple of hours
on the 3rd June
1996

unfortunately
no one was there
to notice

Terry Quinn, his mark..