Shipping Trivia

[Jetwrench]

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large shipments of manure were common. It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas.

As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T." (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day. You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Neither did I. I thought it was a shooting term.

JETWRENCH

[Maven]

Jetwrench, My dictionary says different. To wit, the word "****" derives from the extended root "skei"/"skeid-". The word itself derives from Old English "scitan" (to defecate), the Old Norse "skita" (same meaning), from the Old High German "skizzan" (same meaning) and the Germanic "skitan" (to separate; to defecate). American Heritage Dictionary..., 3rd Edition (1992), Appendix, p. 2124.

[Edward429451]

I've heard the ship high in transport story before. Funny. Truth stranger than fiction as they say..

[omgb]

Seeing as how the word appears in several old English works dating back to the early 1400s and long before much ocean transport to and from the New World, I tend to think the story is apocryphal. I could be mistaken though. Still, I think the word was of Saxon derivation and thus even older yet.

[Jetwrench]

Hmmm. Guess I will have to start checking out the jokes and stories a little closer in the future. Hey it was a good story even if it was Bull _._._._. . JETWRENCH

[Maven]

Jetwrench, Don't feel to bad because I accepted the conventional wisdom on a different word, the F-word, to be precise. I was told it was an acronym meaning "for unlawful carnal knowledge." A good dictionary, e.g., the O.E.D. and later editions of the American Heritage dictionary, will give you chapter & verse about its true origins (Old English/Germanic once again).

Funny story: I had occasion to use the Amer. Her. dictionary one day and came upon the F-word, so I naturally read on. As I said, it not only discussed its origin, but uses too, as in the phrase "to f- over," which I found uproarious. As a professor (now retired), I was always looking for ways to get my students to use the library and the dictionary and so I mentioned in class that the f-word could be found therein. Lo and behold it worked as I got several comments in the next week about how interesting reading a dictionary could be.

[StarMetal]

Maven,

The F word is very flexible, as you probably very well know...you know as a verb, an adjective, etcs. Here's a site that describes all them: http://www.nailmaster.ru/****.html

Please, those that have children, don't let them view.

Joe

[Scrounger]

Joe, the website didn't work so I'm not sure just what you have. A "song ???" of this genre has been recorded by several people, including Orson Wells. I can send it to you by email if you like. Just send me your email. I will send all the versions I have.

[StarMetal]

Art,

I forgot to add if you wait, as the site says too, for the video to load..DON"T. Just go ahead and click on play. It's an audio on the history of the F word. Let me know if that works for you or not, ok?

Joe

[Maven]

Joe, I got that f-ing site to work (No f-ing lie!). It was priceless: The best laugh (Should I have said f-ing laugh?) I've had all day! Thanks!

[StarMetal]

Paul,

You said you were a professor, what's you degree in?

I'm glad you liked that site. Although it was meant as humor, I think, it really drove the point home that the F word has so many uses and is indeed very versitile.

Thanks
Joe

[Maven]

Joe, My degree is in Sociology (Temple University, 1970).

[Jetwrench]

Joe,
now that was funny
Jetwrench

[NucEm]

Ok, you folks in here seems to know a few things more than just casting bullets and let them fly!:-D
English isnt my ordinary language (swedish over here) but i try to read as much as possible in it, but the core in this thread is about S.H.I.T. and the F word so i got a question for you:-?
When the **** is about to hit the fan...... or When the **** hits the fan
I know the meaning of it but where did that come from? it must have some history behind it, anyone who nows it?:-D Is farmers and agriculture involved in it? I can only speculate but if anyone knows the story, please enlight me:drinks:

[Edward429451]

Dangit, I've heard the story behiind SHTF but can't recall it. There is something behind that saying.

I got a copy of the "F" book.

[StarMetal]

You're probably thinking about the story of Jack Shyt, it goes on about how you don't know jack shyt...that it?

here the website: http://home.pacbell.net/diana_do/knowjack.htm

Joe

[Herb in Pa]

Dangit, I've heard the story behiind SHTF but can't recall it. There is something behind that saying.

I got a copy of the "F" book.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/407950.html

[Edward429451]

Nah I think it had something to do with ventilation fans in a cattle processing facility under a grated floor and sometimes the **** would hit the fan and fly around or something like that.

But now, I needs me a tee shirt that says "I know Jack ****". :>)

[omgb]

To the best of my knowledge, the "**** hits the fan" is a military saying. The only folks I knew of as a kid who said it were all ex GIs and interestingly enough, all GIs are familiar with it and we sure used the heck out of back when I was in. I figure it's like *****, SNAFU, and FIGMO, just one of those cute little sayings that makes military life so pictuesque. Surely it must be of 19th or 20th century derivation owing to the use of "fan".

[nvbirdman]

W.T.S.H.T.F. probably originated in Hollywood and the stars would laugh about it at cocktail parties.