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The language is typically characteristic of sea voyages with regard to technical as well as colloquial words. “Aft,” “mooring winches,” etc., are so new to me that I had to often look into the dictionary.

What was your experience with terminology in this book? Could you mention some of the words you didn't understand?
Did they make you laugh or smile or feel irritated?

For me, most of the words used to describe the sea vessels were fairly new. The word that was repeated mostly and almost became annoying was 'aft'. I must confess that there was a constant urge to refer to the dictionary.

I learned a few words from this book and mainly in the first three chapters, but nothing made me laugh, smile or get irritated.

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Apr 2019, 06:15 I learned a few words from this book and mainly in the first three chapters, but nothing made me laugh, smile or get irritated.

I too learnt a few words but soon forgot them! I felt rather amused with their strangeness.

Kibetious wrote: ↑01 Apr 2019, 06:14 For me, most of the words used to describe the sea vessels were fairly new. The word that was repeated mostly and almost became annoying was 'aft'. I must confess that there was a constant urge to refer to the dictionary.

I actually referred to the dictionary often out of curiosity. I couldn't move forward without knowing the meaning of the strange words.

I was familiar with the more basic nautical terms but there were quite a few new ones for me too. None of them caused me to have an emotional reaction.

I'm a nautical novice - I knew nothing about anything. While reading, I repeatedly got a feeling of "yes, mmmhmmm, that sounds boaty", without having any idea what was actually happening. I think I might have followed the details better if I had bothered to look up the words I didn't know, but I guess I didn't care enough to study. The relevant details were explained well enough that I could follow the plot.

I referred to the dictionary and double checked the nautical terms that the author used wisely for this incredible story. It did not interrupt my reading at all. In my opinion, the terminology helped to describe the story more accurately. I did have to look up the word "aft."

CatInTheHat wrote: ↑01 Apr 2019, 10:09 I was familiar with the more basic nautical terms but there were quite a few new ones for me too. None of them caused me to have an emotional reaction.

My nautical knowledge is about the same. The only reaction I really had was something along the lines of "oh cool!" after learning a new term.

I basically just ignored the nautical vocabulary and focused more on the story. It didn't bother me, but it did show that the author was used to the terms since he had experience on boats himself.

I did have to reach for the dictionary when nautical terms showed up, but they didn't bother me. I do wish the author has included footnotes explaining their meanings to save us from looking them up though.

TuyetMai wrote: ↑02 Apr 2019, 22:48 I did have to reach for the dictionary when nautical terms showed up, but they didn't bother me. I do wish the author has included footnotes explaining their meanings to save us from looking them up though.

I agree! It would've saved time and effort, and spared one the distraction of having to interrupt reading to look up the words.

The technical jargon made me keep the dictionary by my side as I am not much familiar with marine terminology.

I also had a hard time with the sea jargons. I wished that the author could have explained them even once, even of its just in context.

I had a hard time understanding the technical terms as well especially at the chapter where the Warhorse crew were attaching lines to the Seattle Express. Some of the terms I looked up in the dictionary, but there were so many of them I had to go with the context clues instead. Still, I thought those nautical terms gave the book a distinct personality and I enjoyed every part of it.