7 ms·

"Port", "starboard" are unambiguously defined relative to the vessel. "Left" and "right" require specifying or guessing a point of reference. For instance if

"Port", "starboard" are unambiguously defined relative to the vessel. "Left" and "right" require specifying or guessing a point of reference. For instance if you're facing port and I ask you to take two steps forward, you could either take two steps to port or two steps towards the bow. If I tell you to take two steps to port then the direction is unambiguous.

fsckboy 5y ago
ok, but forward on a boat is toward the bow, as unambiguous port and starboard
- hn_go_brrrrr 5y ago
  It's the difference between "forward for you" and "forward for the boat". Without words like "port", you might do the wrong thing when I say "take one step forward". Did I mean for you to go further in the direction you're already facing, or did I want you to step towards the prow?
- voidreaper 5y ago
  You can step forward to any side of the boat.
  - gnubet 5y ago
    In Soviet Russia, the boat can step forward to any side of YOU!
- LanternLight83 5y ago
  It's not as unambiguous because, to the guy with his back to starboard, forward could just as easily mean port! It may seem clear if someone's shouting, and pointing, at the bow, but if I'm recounting the action of a tense combat scene and say he "slips on a banana peel and falls 'forward'", you can't know for sure what I mean- does he fall straight towards port, or does he a break a leg, twisting, tumbling toward the bow? c:
- shagie 5y ago
  We use similar approaches with terrestrial navigation too. At the intersection of Main and Oak, go two blocks east. The building will be on the north side of the street. Those instructions are the same no matter what direction the person is facing or direction they came from. However, on a ship, the absolute positions of NSEW (relative to the Earth) aren't as useful as the ship may be heading any direction (and may be going forward or reverse). So a different absolute coordinate system is use - fore, aft, port, starboard.
  - lupire 5y ago
    Terrestrial navigation is also multidirectional.
- coldtea 5y ago
  It's not, because forward depends where you are looking it. That is, the front part of the boat might be on your back. So "move forward" doesn't say much, whereas "toward the bow" e.g. does. Same for left/right compared to port/startboard.
warble 5y ago
In theater you always specific 'stage left' or 'stage right' for the same reason, even though it's more syllables.
- temp0826 5y ago
  I've told my doctor that I had a problem with my passenger-side nostril before
  - xyzzy123 5y ago
    One fun thing about this is that I have to guess what country you're in to know which side you mean.
    - lupire 5y ago
      The passenger side is where the booger is sitting.
- coldtea 5y ago
  It's still ambiguous. "Stage left" as if I'm standing looking towards the stage from the audience, or looking from the stage towards the audience?
  - dboreham 5y ago
    No it isn't because the term was invented specifically to avoid this confusion -- it means "left from the perspective of the performer facing the audience".

fsckboy 5y ago

ok, but forward on a boat is toward the bow, as unambiguous port and starboard

hn_go_brrrrr 5y ago
It's the difference between "forward for you" and "forward for the boat". Without words like "port", you might do the wrong thing when I say "take one step forward". Did I mean for you to go further in the direction you're already facing, or did I want you to step towards the prow?
voidreaper 5y ago
You can step forward to any side of the boat.
- gnubet 5y ago
  In Soviet Russia, the boat can step forward to any side of YOU!
LanternLight83 5y ago
It's not as unambiguous because, to the guy with his back to starboard, forward could just as easily mean port! It may seem clear if someone's shouting, and pointing, at the bow, but if I'm recounting the action of a tense combat scene and say he "slips on a banana peel and falls 'forward'", you can't know for sure what I mean- does he fall straight towards port, or does he a break a leg, twisting, tumbling toward the bow? c:
shagie 5y ago
We use similar approaches with terrestrial navigation too. At the intersection of Main and Oak, go two blocks east. The building will be on the north side of the street. Those instructions are the same no matter what direction the person is facing or direction they came from. However, on a ship, the absolute positions of NSEW (relative to the Earth) aren't as useful as the ship may be heading any direction (and may be going forward or reverse). So a different absolute coordinate system is use - fore, aft, port, starboard.
- lupire 5y ago
  Terrestrial navigation is also multidirectional.
coldtea 5y ago
It's not, because forward depends where you are looking it. That is, the front part of the boat might be on your back. So "move forward" doesn't say much, whereas "toward the bow" e.g. does. Same for left/right compared to port/startboard.

warble 5y ago

In theater you always specific 'stage left' or 'stage right' for the same reason, even though it's more syllables.

temp0826 5y ago
I've told my doctor that I had a problem with my passenger-side nostril before
- xyzzy123 5y ago
  One fun thing about this is that I have to guess what country you're in to know which side you mean.
  - lupire 5y ago
    The passenger side is where the booger is sitting.
coldtea 5y ago
It's still ambiguous. "Stage left" as if I'm standing looking towards the stage from the audience, or looking from the stage towards the audience?
- dboreham 5y ago
  No it isn't because the term was invented specifically to avoid this confusion -- it means "left from the perspective of the performer facing the audience".