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Many of the words are probably old German in origin, the modern German word "Steuerbord" means the same, "steuern" = to steer (see "styrboard", could also have
by elcapitan 8y ago
Many of the words are probably old German in origin, the modern German word "Steuerbord" means the same, "steuern" = to steer (see "styrboard", could also have become "steerboard" in English, instead of starboard). The nautic right side was called that way because on those old viking boats, the rudder was a big paddle on the right side.
- jacobush 8y agoold Germanic if I may :)
- elcapitan 8y agoThat's actually not correct - Germanic is the name for the group, while actual languages are German. Old High German, Middle High German, etc.
- depressedpanda 8y agoWell you argued (without providing any references) that Norwegian "styrbord" was probably from Old German. Given your example of Viking longboats I find it far more likely that the word is from Old Norse. Hence Germanic is correct, but German highly unlikely. Given the history of the British isles, I would also venture that English is more influenced by Old Norse than Old German.
- elcapitan 8y agoMy correction was merely about the usage of "Germanic" vs specific languages with regard to "old" ;) In general classifying it as "Germanic" is correct, yes. My original distinction was more intended to be about the difference between originally Germanic words vs Scandinavian-only ones. It's probably hard to tell in which of the languages (Norse, German, English) it originated, because there are little sources in that time (talking mid-first millennium here). From what I know German is a little older than Old Norse (700 vs 900). Regarding "viking boats", I used that as an example for a type of boat, I'm pretty sure it was a common way of building boats at the time - the Romans used similar rudders. The concept would have been known to all people building ships.
- sovande 8y agoStyrbord is not germanic, but old norse and literary means the rudder (i.e. steering board), which, as you said, was located on the right side of the ship. Viking ships could therefore only dock on the left-side, hence port for the port side.
- tokai 8y agoOld Norse is a germanic language.
- elcapitan 8y agoExactly, as are Old German and Old English - that's why I was pointing out the Germanic relation there and the meaning behind the word :)
- elcapitan 8y agoAt least in English and German the 'board' (or 'bord' part earlier) means 'side of a ship' (but it is derived from board as piece of wood, but not necessarily the rudder, see 'Backbord' in modern German for the opposite side). See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/starboard#Etymology https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/starboard#Etymology for details.