Matelot

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
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eberntson
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Matelot

Postby eberntson » Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:54 am

A sailors bunk mate or the sailors that share the bunk area.

The entemology is quite broad including French, Old Dutch, and Norse.

Found it in “Merry Hall” by Beverley Nichols a sprite book on his exploited building a garden at a manor in England after WWII.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns
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Slava
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Re: Matelot

Postby Slava » Tue Aug 22, 2023 3:16 pm

You might think this would be a mate who shares your lot, but it's not. At least not in pronunciation. Every one I've found has a silent second 't'. Not sure how the l came about, but it's from Middle Dutch mattenoot, sailor.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
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