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Re: Dictionary

Subject: Re: Dictionary
From: lyndsey -dot- amott -at- docsymmetry -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 14:31:23 -0500


Isaac Rabinovitch writes:

I have to mention one trivial fact that has bothered me for a long time. Every dictionary I've looked in insists that the nautical term "starboard" comes from an old usage, "steering board". (Before the rudder was invented, ships were steered by oars, most often a single oar on the right side of the ship.) Which isn't logical -- in all related terms "board" means "side" not "piece of wood". (Inboard, outboard, overboard, freeboard, to board; they used to say "larboard," but it was easy to misunderstand on a noisy steam vessel, so now they say "port".) I feel an urge to do something, but what? I don't have the background to document my views, and even if I did, this "fact" is to well-established to expunge.

According to my trusty Merriam-Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary starboard comes from "ME sterbord, fr. OE steobord, fr. _steor_- steering oar + _bord_ ship's side."
I guess you're going to have to join the Merriam-Webster camp!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lyndsey Amott
www.docsymmetry.com
Winnipeg, MB R3G 2J3

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