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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004get some way on
Let me ask a question about the following sentence from a novel. "We'll get some way on. The ship will ride more easily on a bow sea." (p142, Tom Clancy) context: The speaker here is commanding the ship. question: meaning of "get some way on" I appreciate your reply in advance. > Let me ask a question about the following sentence from a novel. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > context: The speaker here is commanding the ship. > question: meaning of "get some way on" It does look odd. "Some way" in this case means "a considerable distance" or "longer than you might expect." I found this example by Robert Louis Stevenson: to preserve the distance necessary to their purpose, they had to go some way down upon the sands It's the same as the use of "some time" in "We had to wait some time before we got in." That's the same as "quite some time" or "quite a while." "Get on" means go, travel, cover. Best -- Donna Richoux "Donna Richoux" <trio@euronet.nl> wrote... > > Let me ask a question about the following sentence from a novel. > > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > "Get on" means go, travel, cover. This is the wrong answer in this context, though. Lars explains the nautical meaning of "way" and the need to "get it on" in order to be able to control the motion of the vessel. Matti > "Donna Richoux" <trio@euronet.nl> wrote... > > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > nautical meaning of "way" and the need to "get it on" in order to be > able to control the motion of the vessel. Yes, I saw that afterwards. If there is a special nautical meaning, then that would apply.  SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux >> This is the wrong answer in this context, though. Lars explains the >> nautical meaning of "way" and the need to "get it on" in order to be >> able to control the motion of the vessel. > >Yes, I saw that afterwards. If there is a special nautical meaning, then >that would apply. It also occurs in "under way", "steerage way", and "headway". David >> Lars explains the >> nautical meaning of "way" and the need to "get it on" in order to be >> able to control the motion of the vessel. > >Yes, I saw that afterwards. If there is a special nautical meaning, then >that would apply. "Get under way" is a more familiar example of the word used with this meaning. SignatureKaty Jennison spamtrap: remove number to reply In our last episode, <bv5j0u$o6geg$1@ID-103223.news.uni-berlin.de>, the lovely and talented Matti Lamprhey broadcast on alt.usage.english: > "Donna Richoux" <trio@euronet.nl> wrote... >> [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >> >> "Get on" means go, travel, cover. > This is the wrong answer in this context, though. Lars explains the > nautical meaning of "way" and the need to "get it on" in order to be > able to control the motion of the vessel. I'm not sure I really explained all that. I'm not so sharp as I used to be, but I can still open a dictionary -- and read it, if I can find my magnifying glass. SignatureLars Eighner -finger for geek code- eighner@io.com http://www.io.com/~eighner/ "In America only the successful writer is important, in France all writers are important, in England no writer is important, and in Australia you have to explain what a writer is." ---Geoffrey Cottrell In our last episode, <86daf69f.0401270239.59245cc8@posting.google.com>, the lovely and talented Masa broadcast on alt.usage.english: > Let me ask a question about the following sentence from a novel. > "We'll get some way on. The ship will ride more easily on a bow sea." > (p142, Tom Clancy) > context: The speaker here is commanding the ship. > question: meaning of "get some way on" "(The ship will) gain speed." way: motion or speed of a ship or boat through the water (MWCD11). > I appreciate your reply in advance. SignatureLars Eighner -finger for geek code- eighner@io.com http://www.io.com/~eighner/ Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. --E. L. Doctorow > "We'll get some way on. The ship will ride more easily on a bow sea." "Way" = speed in nautucal terms. "under way" = in motion. > I appreciate your reply in advance. Did you mean you expected a reply before you posted the question? >OP wrote: >> >> "We'll get some way on. The ship will ride more easily on a bow >> sea." > > "Way" = speed in nautucal terms. "under way" = in motion. Not quite. "Having way on" does indeed specify that a vessel is moving through the water. Being "underway" does not. Note that a vessel can be moving and at the same time not actually be moving through the water This happens when a vessel finds herself in a tidal stream or other current. "Underway" means that the vessel is neither anchored nor secured to a structure or mooring of any kind. A vessel that is "underway" is not necessarily "making way," but she may be moving. Is that clear? SignatureGood luck and good sailing. s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat http://kerrydeare.tripod.com > >OP wrote: > >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Is that clear? Having served aboard some fairly large steam-powered vessels, I still recall the whistle signals when the last rope was cast off: one long blast (underway i.e., no longer attached to land) followed by three short ones (backing down -- which is how we always left the pier). Since we were backing down (CTTOI -- why do ships back "down" and not "up"?), we had way on immediately upon becoming underway. SignatureBob Lieblich Who has wrung more salt water out of his socks ... >>> OP wrote: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Having served aboard some fairly large steam-powered vessels, I > still recall the whistle signals when the last rope was cast off ... Rope? > ... one long blast (underway i.e., no longer attached to land) followed > by three short ones (backing down -- which is how we always left the > pier). Since we were backing down (CTTOI -- why do ships back > "down" and not "up"?), we had way on immediately upon becoming > underway. I think "immediately" is too strong in this instance, but maybe not. The pilot will have determined if the machinery must be engaged prior to letting go the last few lines. If your vessel was in such a situation and had engaged the machinery before being "underway,".she would not immediately be "making way." "Immediately" does not often describe large vessel maneuvers. I cannot say for sure that "backing down" is spot on, but it could be. Usually it refers to using the machinery to slow the speed of a vessel moving forward. The ferry boats that run between Manhattan and Staten Island use this technique when approaching a dock, but not always with distinction. I would have said your vessel was "making sternway,".but local usage could easily be different. When I looked at this in Google the situation was unclear. "Backing down" seems to mean whatever the writer wants it to mean, or sometimes something else. But not always. Here's what the COLREGs have to say (edited for brevity in case you have to answer the phone): Rule 34 Maneuvering and Warning Signals (a) When vessels are in sight of one another, a power driven vessel under way, when maneuvering as authorized or required by these Rules, shall indicate that maneuver by the following signals on her whistle: one short blast to mean "I am altering my course to starboard"; two short blasts to mean "I am altering my course to port"; three short blasts to mean "I am operating astern propulsion". (b) Any vessel may supplement the whistle signals prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule by light signals, repeated as appropriate, whilst the maneuver is being carried out: (i) these signals shall have the following significance: one flash to mean "I am altering my course to starboard"; two flashes to mean "I am altering my course to port"; three flashes to mean "I am operating astern propulsion". SignatureGood luck and good sailing. s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat http://kerrydeare.tripod.com >> Having served aboard some fairly large steam-powered vessels, I >> still recall the whistle signals when the last rope was cast off ... > >Rope? Clearly, Liebs didn't serve in the capacity of Captain or, say, deck-hand. I can picture him keeping the log or performing some such lawyerly task. SignatureCharles Riggs Email address: chriggs¦at¦eircom¦dot¦net >>> OP wrote: >>>> "We'll get some way on. The ship will ride more easily on a bow >>>> sea." [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > "down" and not "up"?), we had way on immediately upon becoming > underway. Sailors sure have a way with the language. And girls. Even their way, more often than not. SignatureSkitt (in Hayward, California) www.geocities.com/opus731/ |
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