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>So is "port" in this case just a cognate of "bord"?
I've heard two explanations for that. One is that the left (port) side
of the ship is the one that was always facing the doc when it was
brought into port (I don't know enough about old sailing ships to know
if this is true, but it doesn't sound right...or should I say "left" to
me).
The other is that the left side of the ship is the one that has the red
running light (true), which in old sailing days was a deep red lamp that
would cast a port-wine colored light over that side. This also could be
completely bogus, but to me it at least sounds more probable.
TRMOAS for Friday: the "larboard" story reminds me of when I was very
young, and my ex-Navy uncle was teaching me about boats. He set out to
help me distinguish port and starboard. He said "Now here's a way to
remember it. The original terms were 'starboard' and 'larboard,' and you
could remember that 'larboard' and 'left' both began with the letter
"L." But we don't use 'larboard' any more, so that means 'starboard'
must be right."
Long pause.
Tiny voice from me. "Uncle Charlie, wouldn't it be easier to remember
that 'port' and 'left' both have four letters?"
I could practically see the light bulb go off over his head.
In addition to being ex-Navy, Uncle Charlie was also an engineer. He was
very pleased when I became a tech writer.
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