How important is using the correct terminolgy.

[Roberto]

My daughters learnt the basis of language and verbal expression on board, now we are back on land I hear them say "I'll go to sleep in my cabin", when it rains "may I have my yellow oilies to go to school", or "dad can you tie a knot on the ropes of my shoes"

no way I am teaching them the "proper" land language

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I've found that when we've got non sailing guests onboard, they are usually keen to learn a few nautical terms.... so providing you don't go over the top, and take care to explain, then it can make it more fun for them....

....as for us... we use, what I hope, is a sensible balance.... its rooms, not cabins, and loos, not heads.... but we do use halyards, sheets, port, starboard, forward and aft, etc... anywhere that could be ambigous tends to be in nautical terms.

 

[NormanS]

... anywhere that could be ambigous tends to be in nautical terms.

That is the crux of it, in a nutshell.

 

[RichardS]

I've found that when we've got non sailing guests onboard, they are usually keen to learn a few nautical terms.... so providing you don't go over the top, and take care to explain, then it can make it more fun for them....

....as for us... we use, what I hope, is a sensible balance.... its rooms, not cabins, and loos, not heads.... but we do use halyards, sheets, port, starboard, forward and aft, etc... anywhere that could be ambiguous tends to be in nautical terms.

PoH has hit the spot for me!

Richard

 

[windlipper]

Some time ago six of us went on a long sailing weekend, for amusement and a bit of an experiment we agreed never to use any traditional nautical term. If used by accident there was a forfeit of £1 into a kitty for each word used. As we were all relatively experienced there was plenty in the kitty for a round of drinks after only one day sailing. And, guess what - the only confusion was caused by the laughter.

 

[Novachris]

On our boat (passenger/cargo) ferry we use a mixture of nautical and landlubber terms, such as "who's driving today?",up front, upstairs,steering" but also port starboard,aft, below,ropes,warps, astern, I think my crew would throw me in the oggin if i give them the hornblower treatment....i once had a yachtie and his wife on board who told me off,quite rightly for saying "i am driving today",and he said "you dont drive a boat,you helm it".

 

[Lakesailor]

They are not used within the industry. Only by motorists, and I've never understood why!

See post #79 for a generic explanation.

 

[Woodlouse]

I quite often ask crew to take the wheel before leaving the tiller to them.