Job Discussion Forums

[SueH]

Just a small point, but it's 'ostler' without the H. I was actually posting to muse on the question of how many Br. English idioms are either nautical or from the King James bible.

As I'm just having a little nightcap I'll start you off with the nautical one
'three sheets to the wind'.... I can think of quite a few others but does anyone else want to contribute?

[bnix]

Three sheets to the wind on only one night-cap? Incidentally,maybe we can start a thread sometime on drinking expressions.

Nautical terms?Well of course,there is"walking the plank",and "keelhauling"(a form of punishment ,but I have no idea exactly what was involved)...and of course, the pirate flag,the Skull-and Crossbones.also referred to as the "Jolly Roger"

And, speaking of privacy,how many people have read "A High Wind in Jamaica"....a tale of piracy on the high seas...with a curious twist? Also made into a rather obscure movie starring Anthony Quinn.

[bnix]

Don't all jump on it at once.Someone was pestering me...something about teaching a class or something. Anyway,just a typo.

[johnslat]

Dear bnix,
I read the book, but never have seen the movie. But I don't think I'd call it " rather obscure "; Quinn got an Academy Award nomination out of it and both the book and the movie have had a considerable " cult following " for many years. It's a strange read, indeed, part fairy-tale, part horror story - a truly haunting, very unsentimental view of childhhood. In that respect, rather like Golding's " Lord of the Flies ", but probably even more ironic. I highly recommend the book, and I'll bet the movie's great, too. I'll have to check it out this summer.
Regards,
John

[travellingscot]

I was in uk Merchant Navy for a while-steel ships not wooden-but didn't hear of the other "Devil" meaning.Spent most of my spare time doing young male things so possibly missed that piece of knowledge.
Keelhauling was used as a punishment in days of yore and involved tying a rope to both the victims hands and feet and hauling them under the keel from one side of the ship to the other.The barnacles present on the hull made this a rather nasty experience i would imagine.
How about a thread on practical jokes played on beginners?? In Merchant Navy junior personnel would be sent to fetch a "Long stand", or some "Elbow grease" (There was a substance called Albow grease i believe, so those who refused to obey orders thinking it was a joke were caught out).

[Stephen Jones]

"HIgh Wind in Jamaica" is an excellent book but the movie fails because it treats a highly cruel and sombre novel about the selfishmess of childhood as a mere kids adventure.

Spielberg made the same mistake with Ballard's excellent "Empire of the Sun".

[bnix]

Those practical jokes you mentioned...reminds me of"sending someone for a left-handed monkey wrench",....and also' "going on a snipe hunt"....alos jokes played on tyros...but not in the Navy,necessarily.

[arioch36]

I did aeromedical evacuation in the Air Force. We would send newbies to the hospital to get some fallopian tubes. amazing how often it worked!