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26 Jan 21 - 11:06 AM (#4090006) Subject: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself A bit of a peculiar question, but I figured this would be as good a place as any to ask (it's for something I'm writing), given the wide variety of experience here. So: WWII. I'm given to understand that a 'bed' in a submarine is a 'rack' rather than a 'bunk'. Now, if several men were in their 'beds', how would it be phrased: 1) they are in the rack; 2) they are in the racks; 3) they are on the rack; 4) they are on the racks; 5) they are in/on their rack; 6) they are in/on their racks: 7) some other way? Any help appreciated. And don't worry; I'm not going to be writing as an authority on life in a submarine; I just like to get things right. |
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26 Jan 21 - 11:51 AM (#4090010) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Mrrzy I am curious as well. Time to rewatch down periscope. Polishing the old torpedo, eh, sir? |
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26 Jan 21 - 01:40 PM (#4090021) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Mrrzy Ok I got bored and looked stuff up. In an article about submariner terminology appeared this sentence: It is a manpower-intensive affair with special watches being set and no one is left in their rack. So I think that answers your original question. The whole article is here: https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/all-the-wacky-submarine-terms-you-never-knew-you-wanted-1708297555 And I found it in this one: https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/even-more-wacky-submarine-terms-you-never-knew-you-want-1711910869 The Google is my friend. |
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26 Jan 21 - 01:59 PM (#4090027) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself Ah! Thank you. That does - wait - I was about to agree that that does answer the question - but: while it takes care of the preposition matter (on/in), this is a case of "their" being used in the singular: "no ONE is left in their rack": so the question remains re: the plural - would it be "the men are not left in their rack" or "the men are not left in their racks"? I'm thinking "racks" is more likely. I'll take a look at those articles you so kindly referenced; maybe I'll find an example. |
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26 Jan 21 - 02:52 PM (#4090043) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Lighter "No one's left in his rack" is effectively "plural," because it covers everybody. In your (less idiomatic examples), "racks" is the only logical choice. Not to confuse things further, but a "rack" covers all forms of sleeping structures, including bunks and beds. "Hit the rack" is a familiar U.S. expression. (It used to be "hit the sack," but many people got tired of saying that.) If "the rack monster's got you," you're so tired (as from studying all night) you either just have to go to bed or else you can't get out of it. "Two nations divided by a common language." |
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26 Jan 21 - 03:07 PM (#4090048) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself "effectively plural" is not the point; it's not grammatically plural, and the writer may have been careful about that. Re: "racks". It's not the 'logical' choice I'm after: it's what a submariner actually says, logical or illogical, grammatical or ungrammatical. |
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26 Jan 21 - 04:17 PM (#4090059) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Mrrzy Fun! I had a submariner boss, but we've lost touch. |
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26 Jan 21 - 05:01 PM (#4090064) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself Okay, think I've got my answer from that first site, in the phrase, "Usually three guys will share two racks" - so each bunk is considered one discrete 'rack', as opposed to the whole length of bunks being "the/a rack". It looks like "they are in their racks" would be the most likely usage. Thanks, again! |
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26 Jan 21 - 05:40 PM (#4090068) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Donuel A hot rack is one that was recently used by another sailor. My fav submariner movie is Crimson Tide, including the sound track. |
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26 Jan 21 - 05:41 PM (#4090069) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: robomatic The one submariner I met affirmed what I read that no matter the size of the sub it is referred to as sa boat. He told me there are two kinds of seacraft. Submarines, which are 'boats', and: targets. |
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26 Jan 21 - 06:09 PM (#4090076) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself According to that site, a 'hot rack' is a shared bunk - typically, two bunks might be shared by three submariners, the most junior (newest) members of the crew. |
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27 Jan 21 - 11:09 AM (#4090194) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Dave the Gnome Dunno if it is the same in the British Navy but you could ask Tom Lewis on his website or Facebook page. He became a Submariner after he joined the Royal Navy only to discover he was seasick! |
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27 Jan 21 - 01:57 PM (#4090220) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Rapparee "Rack" is also used by the US Army. A usage would be "I'm going to get in some rack time", "Gonna hit the ol' rack", and "They're in the rack right now." |
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27 Jan 21 - 02:26 PM (#4090221) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself Uh-oh: "They're in the rack right now." That re-opens the question. So not, "They're in their racks" or "They're in the racks" ... ? More like saying, "They're in bed" rather than "... in their beds", etc. |
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27 Jan 21 - 08:47 PM (#4090276) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Donuel The Navy used to have hammocks and now racks The army has bed rolls or racks The Marines have the ground and the Air Force have temp and attitude controled memory foam mattresses. |
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27 Jan 21 - 09:38 PM (#4090287) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Rapparee A Sergeant might command "Get in your racks NOW!" if the troops were up partying (as much as possible) in the barracks. Like many slang terms it has no true grammatical usage. |
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28 Jan 21 - 12:44 PM (#4090367) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: meself Thanks, Rap - that nicely answers the question. |
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28 Jan 21 - 02:20 PM (#4090377) Subject: RE: BS: US Submariner Jargon - question From: Lighter I disagree. "They're in the rack" and "They're in their racks" are structurally identical to "They're in bed" and "They're in their beds." No grammatical difficulty there. "They're in bed" could be either one bed or separate beds. Context is all. |