Sound Like a Sailor: The Book of Nautical Expressions

An essential collection for every sailor’s library, this fun dictionary of phrases and terms is anchored in nautical history.

Life-long sailor Bruce Macdonald knows a thing or two about the language of the sea, and in Sound Like a Sailor, he catalogs nautical terms and idioms that are used in the common vernacular. Delving deep into the colorful history behind each word or phrase, this alphabetical reference will help readers understand the maritime origins of our most ubiquitous expressions.

Discover how minding your p’s and q’s originates in how bartenders kept track of pints and quarts on sailors’ tabs, how “going berserk” calls up images of shirtless Vikings, and how the word “footloose” originally referred to an untethered sail flapping around like Kevin Bacon’s legs. And, as any superstitious sailor knows, it’s best to “cheat the devil” by having an arsenal of euphemisms at the ready when needed, as cursing is said to invite trouble aboard.

An essential book for boating enthusiasts and language buffs alike, Sound Like a Sailor is a windfall of fascinating linguistic information.