Posted by Terence McManus on November 11, 1998 at 02:45:59:
In Reply to: Ropes, Lines and Nautical Terminology posted by The Murrelets on November 10, 1998 at 20:47:22:
I must confess that i had not noticed - I shall have to look more closely. I think there are two aspects to this, why AR used the terminology he did and what was general practice at the time.
AR is generally "correct' in his use of nautical terms and so are his characters. The instances that I can call to mind of AR using "rope' are "alpine rope" and rope round a box: both of which I think are correct.However I have the impression that he is careful not to confuse non sailors with too many technical terms. In Swallows and Amazons in particular he introduces nautical terms naturaly through the conversations and learning experiences of the children. In this context using the word "rope" rather than "line" (if indeed he thought of such a distinction) would make the text more readable to the non-sailor.
I have less feel as to what was general practice at that time: however I suspect that since working sail was still common in small craft (barges, coasters, smacks, Brixham trawlers etc.) there would be a diversity of terminology and usage. Some sailors would be influenced by the local working sailors, others by naval terminology.
I have noticed that the children use anachronisms from time to time. In Pigeon Post Nancy commands Roger "Helm a Port, turn right" (or words to that effect). The command "helm a port" to turn the ship to starboard was phased out some-time in the nineteenth century. Is this deliberate and is there a distinction between AR's decriptive writing and the way the children and natives talk.