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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Knowing the Ropes #132685 09/06/04 08:07 PM Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... W Wordwind OP Carpal Tunnel OP Wordwind Carpal Tunnel W Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... I was just writing to Dr. Bill that this year at school I 'know the ropes'--and then I immediately wondered, what exactly are these ropes people know? From whence came the expression? Anything to do with sailors' knots? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132686 09/06/04 11:04 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA I claim this expression as a nauticalism. The new sailor on a wind-powered vessel was expected to "learn the ropes" by sorting out which lines raised, lowered and trimmed which sails. Once mastered, it could be said that the sailor "knew the ropes" and was therefor no longer a neophyte. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132687 09/07/04 10:23 PM Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada Z Zed Pooh-Bah Zed Pooh-Bah Z Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada I was told that a new sailor was given one month to learn the ropes - all of them - on the ship after which mistakes were not accepted. Ever seen a tall ship? That's a lot of ropes. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132688 09/07/04 10:30 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 B belMarduk Carpal Tunnel belMarduk Carpal Tunnel B Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,891 >>>...after which mistakes were not accepted. What happened if they did make a mistake? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132689 09/07/04 10:38 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago musick Carpal Tunnel musick Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago The last rope they had to learn about was in the form of a noose - hung from the crow's nest - what they learned was that there was nobody alive who could tell them precisely what it was for! bullshitting-e Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132690 09/07/04 11:00 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Likewise the expression "get the hang of it" -- which refers to understanding how to "hang" the sails on a ship. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Knowing the Ropes #132691 09/08/04 01:45 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky "get the hang of it" -- which refers to understanding how to "hang" the sails on a ship. Cool--I never knew that. Father Steve, you sure know a lot about ships! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Old Salts #132692 09/08/04 02:31 AM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Although I separated from active service in the United States Navy in 1971, the barnacles have yet to drop off from my bottom. I think the salt gets in the pores and stays there. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Old Salts #132693 09/08/04 11:16 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 the barnacles have yet to drop off from my bottom. Y'oughta head on over to the wordorigins message board. They'll have an application for membership in CANOE (Committee for Attributing Nautical Origins for Everything) for you. http://p066.ezboard.com/bwordoriginsorg Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Old Salts #132694 09/08/04 02:09 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky the barnacles have yet to drop off from my bottom Snort! Ooh, that sounds a bit uncomfortable... 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