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Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat: Naval Slang and Its Everyday Usage
 
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Not Enough Room to Swing a Cat: Naval Slang and Its Everyday Usage (Hardcover)

by Martin Robson (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Conway Maritime Press Ltd (20 Aug 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1844860736
  • ISBN-13: 978-1844860739
  • Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 12.4 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 70,651 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Product Description

'As the crow flies', 'chunder', 'cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey', 'three sheets to the wind' - many terms like these are used in everyday English language conversation and writing. But how many landlubbers know that they derive from naval slang or know what the phrase originally referred to? The navy has helped to shape modern society. The navy is famous for its traditions, quirks and nuances. It is distinctly different to wider society and nowhere is this more evident than in language. The naval community once had its own language, incomprehensible to anyone who was not a sailor, which described and explained his unique world. But on shore leave these men introduced their language to the populations of bustling ports and harbours and the usage slowly spread inland.Today through the mediums of film, television and music, naval slang has been brought to the wider public and has become fully integrated into the English language to point where many phrases are used by people who have no concept of their meaning.Presenting terminology thematically, this book provides a compilation of naval slang throughout the world, from terms relating to ship-handling and seamanship through to food and drink, discipline and insults. The text is further enhanced with original black line drawings that illustrate certain technical terms, such as 'splice the mainbrace'.It covers not only the Royal Navy, but US and Commonwealth navies as well. The entries are divided thematically. It features specially commissioned black line artwork. It follows in Conway's extremely popular pocket-book series.


About the Author

Martin Robson is a former Caird Research Fellow at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. His Ph.D. thesis examined British strategic policy from 1806 to 1808. He is the author of The Battle of Trafalgar in the Compass series. He lives in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
5 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The cat's whiskers, 14 Sep 2008
By C. Ives "Chives" (Devon, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Hilarious book, well written. A great size too, and a good price for a stocking filler for dads, grandads, uncles etc.
Some of the cartoons could have been a bit modernised, but this doesn't detract too much from the writing. I hope there is a sequel.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, 22 Nov 2008
By KatieP (cambridge, uk) - See all my reviews
Very good book, well written and more in depth and interesting than a lot of other 'stocking filler' books that are about this time of year. Recommended.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Splice the Mainsail and hoist the Gin Pennant!, 31 Jul 2009
I read this book last week while on holiday. It's very well written, and very amusing. I think the pictures are great! And with regards to the "blue" section at the back, the book does carry a warning that says don't read chapter 9 if you're of a sensitive disposition. Needless to say, I turned straight to chapter 9...

The rest of the book is just as good (if not better!). Each chapter has a great intro that tells you about life at sea and puts it all into context for you. Fascinating facts and great little quotes that show how all these phrases are used in everyday life make it very relevant, and not just some boring old jargon.

I'll keelhaul anyone who disagrees with me. And I mean from bow to stern, too!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars great book
I bought this book for an ex naval man as a gift and he loved it!
Published 3 months ago by FLB

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Books
Not enough room to swing a cat was greatly appreciated by my ex naval husband, some of the saying he knew but some were a surprise, and I improved my knowledge of where some... Read more
Published 4 months ago by H. Rathbone

5.0 out of 5 stars not enough room to swing a cat
I really enjoyed reading this book, in fact the only disapointing bit was when the book ended. This book isnt for the faint hearted though as one section was a little blue! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. D. Fox

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