Salty Dog Talk: The Nautical Origins of Everyday Expressions - Softcover

Beavis, Bill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0924486821 ISBN 13: 9780924486821

Publisher: Sheridan House, 1998

Synopsis

A charming etymology for all salty-minded people. Explains the fascinating ship-board beginnings of over 200 words and expressions, with the author's own delightful cartoons.

About this title

About the Author:

Bill Beavis was a seaman turned journalist who had long been interested in nautical etymology. Richard McCloskey is a distinguished American marine historian.

Review:

Those interested in word etymology might be surprised to find that some common English phrases have nautical origin. In Bill Beavis and Richard McCloskey s Salty Dog Talk, the origins of such expressions as no room to swing a cat (referring to either lack of flogging room, lack of room for a sailing collier to swing at anchor, or a derivation of cot , a sailor s name for his hammock) are discussed, supplemented by Beavis whimsical cartoons. The pocket-sized book contains more than 20 phrases and describes how they came ashore.

Bill Beavis was a seaman turned journalist, and Richard McCloskey is a marine historian. --Soundings, January 2008

About this edition

• Publisher: Sheridan House
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0924486821
• ISBN 13: 9780924486821
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96