Description

Book Synopsis

This book explores the nautical history of some of our most common expressions in an entertaining and informative volume.

As the crow flies'''', ''''chunder'''', ''''cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'''', ''''three sheets to the wind'''' - many terms like these are used in everyday English language conversation and writing. But how many landlubbers know that they derive from naval slang or know what the phrase originally referred to?

The navy has helped to shape modern society and is famous for its traditions, quirks and nuances. It is distinctly different to wider society and nowhere is this more evident than in language. The naval community once had its own language, incomprehensible to anyone who was not a sailor, which described and explained his unique world. But on shore leave these men introduced their language to the populations of bustling ports and harbours and the usage slowly spread inland.

Today through the mediums of film, t

Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat

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    A Hardback by Martin Robson

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      Book details

      Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
      Published 22 February 2018
      ISBN-13 9781472834201
      978-1472834201
      ISBN-10 1472834208
      Also in:
      Dictionaries, Reference & Language Dialect, slang and jargon Military History

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      This book explores the nautical history of some of our most common expressions in an entertaining and informative volume.

      As the crow flies'''', ''''chunder'''', ''''cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'''', ''''three sheets to the wind'''' - many terms like these are used in everyday English language conversation and writing. But how many landlubbers know that they derive from naval slang or know what the phrase originally referred to?

      The navy has helped to shape modern society and is famous for its traditions, quirks and nuances. It is distinctly different to wider society and nowhere is this more evident than in language. The naval community once had its own language, incomprehensible to anyone who was not a sailor, which described and explained his unique world. But on shore leave these men introduced their language to the populations of bustling ports and harbours and the usage slowly spread inland.

      Today through the mediums of film, t

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