Re: OT: Re: Dictionary
Dick wrote:What's obscure? "Port" and "larboard" (loading side) obviously mean the same thing. I've read official stuff from late 19th-century navies ordering people to say "port" instead of "larboard". The rationale was that on a steam ship, where there's lots of mechanical noise, it's too easy to confuse "larboard" and "starboard".
So is "port" in this case just a cognate of "bord"?
No, but the etymology is obscure. Theory is, since the rudder was on the right, ships tied up on the left. But I think that's conjectural.
I have to admit that I've totally overstated the degree to which the "steering board" mistake is in authoritative dictionaries. All the better ones have it right. A lot of hack dictionaries have the "obvious" explanation, and you see it a lot on sailing web sites.
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References:
Re: OT: Re: Dictionary: From: John Cornellier
Re: OT: Re: Dictionary: From: Dick Margulis
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