Beech Tree News Network

Colloquialisms are words that are sometimes changed to meet, or handle, a particular situation or task; sometimes to simplify.  a knutckhot for example, is short for nautical mile (6080ft) if a ship is doing 30 nauts (knots), it is traveling at 30 nautical miles per hour, as opposed to 30 statute miles per hour (statute mile equals only 5,280ft). The speed of military aircraft is measured in nauts (knots).

I suppose it is done by sound radar (sonar) now. In the old days, riverboat soundings were done with a knot tied in a weighted rope, every 6 feet (fathom). Nearing an unfamiliar shore, the captain would post a deck hand at the bow to take a sounding of the river bottom. Each time the depth reached a knot in the rope (each 6ft), the deck hand would call out "mark twine!" this gradually colloquialized into "mark twain". Most of us know author, Samuel L. Climens, wrote under the pseudonym MARK TWAIN. This from his early life on the river. The brits are rich in colloquialisms:

Bloke: A fellow

Biscuit: Cookie

Telly: T.V

Tyre: Tire

Lify: Elevator

Boot: Auto trunk

Bonnet: Auto hood

Lorry: Truck

Lou: Restroom

Callbox: Telephone booth

Americanized coloquialisms:

Sez: Says (Yankee)

Casing (old school): Tire

Wheel: Bicycle (os)

Blaggard: Black guard (smutty talk, smutty person)

Cubbard: Cup board

Roastnear: Roasting ear

Gunnel: (The upper edge of the sides of a boat)

On a personal note: I don't have vertigo (swimmy-head) while driving, however my kids, because of my vertigo while walking, thought it best I not drive anymore. "We'll take you where you need to go." They told me. This suited me just fine. I did not go kicking and screaming. I started driving when I was barely 10. Now is long enough. I still think I can fly an airplane, but I don't have one.

Kindest regards...