Endangered specie (coinages)

[W Brewer]

Anchors away 20120313

<<<Larry Sheldon wrote: xxx boats are away xxx The leading "a" seems to
mean "doing". xxx>>>

WB: So, my extensive experience with war movies tells me this means: the
little boats are moving away from the mother ship?   away < Anglo-Saxon
on-weg:  boats are on their way/path/road, enroute.

LS: <<<In "anchors aweigh" xxx anchor xxx clear of the bottom (being
"weighed" on the chain and gear) and the ship can get under way.>>>

WB: Oh, God: and what about underway? There is evidently a nautical usage
underweigh. Q: what are the official (US or other) Navy spellings of (1)
anchors aweigh/away, (2) under( )way/underweigh? <<<clear of the bottom>>>:
bottom of the ship or bottom of the sea/harbor? No wonder us landlubbers
get nausea mulling these matters.
LS: <<< xxx "ship" and "boat" have precise meanings xxx.>>>
WB: But a boatswain works on ships, and a coxswain works on boats? Has the
US Navy abandoned these terms? What about bell-bottoms? Nixon sure hated
them hippies. Confucius say: Sailor who quit navy leave buddies behind.
(Village People, too, I would guess.)

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org