tlc

[fredpuli47]

When was TLC for 'tender loving care' first recorded? Where did the abbreviation originate? Is it from, say, notes made by nurses or doctors or does it have its origin in texting ?

[Quizmonster]

Fred, the OED defines it as "especially solicitous care such as is given by nurses." The earliest recorded use of the phrase - rather than the acronym - was in a reference to a concordance to Les Fleurs du Mal published in 1973.
It would seem, therefore, that the best one could offer in respect of a colloquialism such as TLC itself might be along the lines of "At some time in the past 35 years." I suspect it might be considerably more recent than that, probably not pre-dating the texting - or shd I say txting? - age.

[fredpuli47]

I suspected as much QM. It has an air of counselling speech about it, and we know how, in the last 35 years, everyone who thinks themselves anybody is expected to have a personal counsellor with whom they can 'share'.

I still like my original speculation, that it is from abbreviations or acronyms in case notes in nursing. Some of these are , supposedly, abusive, some are frank, some simply describe a treatment or medical condition but none are for the patient to understand on sight.Putting TLC would indicate that there's nothing wrong with the patient which tender loving care would not cure' or ameliorate !

[jno]

no, it predates texting, Quizmonster - I can't place it precisely but I knew it back in the late 70s. I suspect fredpuli is right. Doctors' notes sound like quite a plausible source: FLK (funny looking kid), NFN (normal for Norfolk), BBSS (big boobs, see soon), HIVI (husband is village idiiot) and so on.

[Quizmonster]

The thing about your other medical examples - not to mention the famous DNR - Do Not Resuscitate - is that they are all, in effect, taking the mickey out of if not downright anti the patient, J!
In other words, they reveal the hard-nosed aspect of hospital life. TLC stands out from these by revealing the exact opposite attitude. It just doesn't sound medic-related to me at all.
Of course, I cannot quibble with your claim to have heard it in the 70s, though it feels much more recent to me. It's just a pity the OED doesn't list such acronyms, so we could have an accurate date for it. One for Vicki Coren and her Balderdash & Piffle programme, eh?

[jno]

right, just realised where I first came across it: on the last page of Goldfinger, written in 1959. A Mr Bond announces his plan to offer a Ms Galore some TLC: 'what they write on most papers when a waif gets brought in to a children's clinic'.

So, it is sort of medical. (I have no idea if the origin suggested is correct, though.)

[Quizmonster]

"Go, Salisbury, and tell them all from me,
I thank them for their tender, loving care."
Henry VI Part II

That was published in the 1590s, I believe, so the OED is 'way out on dating the phrase, except that they do refer to it as a colloquial usage, which I don't suppose really applies to extracts from Shakespeare!

Having looked a little further into the dictionary entry, I note that it does refer - from The Listener in 1977 - to the phrase and acronym together.

Having said that, your Goldfinger reference sounds pretty convincing, J, as regards the TLC version.

[jno]

aha! Quizmonster, I wouldn't be in the least surprised if Shakespeare is the origin of the phrase, then - I can just see some well-read doctor carrying it over into medical usage, and Fleming picking up on it.

Just goes to show I know my Fleming better than my Shakespeare.