http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/febgleanings/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/febgleanings/comment-page-1/#comment-149520 Walter Turner Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:19:20 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3361#comment-149520 Thank you for the discussion of "calf rope." I didn't expect you to come up with a definitive answer, but I'm amazed at where your thoughts did lead. Thank you for the discussion of “calf rope.” I didn’t expect you to come up with a definitive answer, but I’m amazed at where your thoughts did lead.

]]> http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/febgleanings/comment-page-1/#comment-149439 John Cowan Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:31:36 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3361#comment-149439 Knowing the ropes may, perhaps, refer to sailing ships, but it surely isn't sailor's lingo. There is plenty of rigging on a ship, including a fair number of sheets, but remarkably few ropes: the wheel rope is the only one that comes to mind. Rope, on the other hand, is what is bought at the chandler's; when it comes aboard it is line. Knowing the ropes may, perhaps, refer to sailing ships, but it surely isn’t sailor’s lingo. There is plenty of rigging on a ship, including a fair number of sheets, but remarkably few ropes: the wheel rope is the only one that comes to mind. Rope, on the other hand, is what is bought at the chandler’s; when it comes aboard it is line.

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