About Moby Dick

I'm guessing it's being used as a verb: an instruction is being issued, as in "move along." I don't have the book in front of me; maybe someone with more of a nautical background can shed more light on this.

Welcome to a2k, ericrose!

I'm not nautical, but I think that having organized the starboard gangway (part of the congregation) Father Mapple announces "side away" and moves on to the people standing on the other side, the larboard side.

As D'artangnan notes, working out of context is difficult.

Welcome, ericrose.

Side away is the same as leeward.

It could be rewriiten as "Leeward to larboard"

Leeward being the "side away" from the wind.

Laptop - dancing the Hornpipe

Thank you laptop! I was just about to mention that larboard and starboard are, perhaps obviously, the left and right sides of the ship respectively, and guess that "side away" meant to go from the side they were on, to larboard...

Your explanation is much better. Know any shantys?

LOL

If you'd ever heard me sing, you'd never ask that question, just in case I do!

I don't imagine the original shanty-singers had choral instruction!

I like shantys, but I know more about field hollers...

Here we go again:

Starboard is to your right, if you are at the stern of the ship looking forward. If you at the bow, looking aft, starboard is on your left.

Port, anciently known as larboard, is to your left, if you are at the stern looking foward, and to your right if you are at the bow looking aft.

Port and starboard to not change depending upon your position, which is crucial when giving orders on deck which must be acted upon quickly. No need to go through the "My left or your left?" nonsense.

You're absolutely right, of course. My source said larbord was left if you were on the ship facing the bow and I didn't type it that way.

I had a friend who sailed, he had a t-shirt with "port" and "starboard" printed on the appropriate sides of the front -- UPSIDE DOWN so the wearer could read them by glancing down...

Your friend must have been cleverer now, I think, because that helped him much, Wy.

Hi Setanta, I didn't get your clause "starboard in on your left" very well. It seems like that "in on" is a phrase, meaning "to take part in" or "to know". But either meaning seems not fit to your clause. I could catch the sense that you meant "starboard is to your left", but I'd like to know what does "in on" mean here?

Oristar, your "not getting it" is not a deficiency on your part, but due to my typing error, which i have now corrected. That ought to have read "starboard is on your left" and you have my apology.

Regarding the left/right confusion: this must have applied even to dailors, since there are (in all languages) quite a number of sayings about e.g. the passing of ships (there's -simplified- "right before left" on water as well):

If to starboard red appear,
Tis your duty to keep clear.
Act as judgement says in proper,
Port or Starboard, back or stop her.
But when on your port is seen,
A steamer with a light of green,
There's not much for you to do,
The green light must keep clear of you.

Green to green or red to red
Perfect safety, go ahead

[Stupid that this stays in memory - haven't thought of these sayings since my English classes at the Navy College - 30+ years ago]

The expression "side away to .." could mean "clear away to .." and hence "side" works as a verve meaning "to set or put aside."