At Sea With Nautical Terminology
January 12, 2012Well Twinner I’m slogging my way through the Dr. Trelawny parts (I just scanned ahead and it looks like I’m mere pages from the return of Jim–thank goodness).
Anyhow as I read through the Doctor’s narration I find myself more and more confused by his use of sea-faring jargon. Here are some examples:
“The gunwhale was lipping astern”
or
“If we let the current have it’s way we should come ashore beside the gigs”
What the?!? I encountered a similar confusion with professional jargon while recently reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (spy term this, spy gizmo that). I enjoy the verisimilitude, but come on dudes throw me some context clues. Those sentences might as well be written in Sanskrit for all the help they provide me in making mind pictures of this novel.
Luckily Jim speaks at a child’s level…which is just about where I’m at with all boat talk with the “jibs” and the “gigs” and “astern” whatsamawhosits that all the pirate kids are using these days.
Speaking of what pirate kids are saying these days…I was walking by the boatyards the other day and I overheard a young Captain Hector Barbossa muttering to his friends, “Argh! Me wonders what happened to Justin’s posts? I think they should call that weblog “Reading Alone With A Lonely Guy That Like Cat Mysteries” Argh! G’day!” (did I mention that he was an Australian pirate, because he was. Also odd that this young pirate used such antiquated Internet terminology.).
I didn’t say that…just some random Australian pirate youth talking about how you haven’t posted in a while (since November).
Isn’t it good to know that we have a reader!
Just let me know if you want to guide this blog to shore…
Until Next Time (?)
Jon
