Aerial lightning

Question

What is the meaning of the expression "aerial lightning"?I've seen it the subtitles of a U. S. movie released in 1933. The pilot of a plane talks to the copilot and to the control tower. They are flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Their conversation is:-  Keep at this level. Fly through it.  (it= the fog)- It's impossible to climb over it.- Find out wind velocity and direction.- We must have been driven off our course.- Wind: West, 50 miles an hour.- It's twice that up there.- Don't dare to use aerial lightning.- Better watch themselves or they'll be blown out to sea.

Khoff · Accepted Answer

gamboler- Don't dare to use aerial lightning.

"aerial" can be a noun, meaning "antenna," or an adjective, meaning "in the air." I don't think the adjective is meant here, because (1) all lighting is in the air, and (2) people don't (generally) "use" lightning.

The only way I can make sense of it is if there's a pause between "aerial" and "lightning," and the meaning is something like "We/they/you don't dare to use the aerial (the antenna) -- (because of) lightning." The antenna might cause the lightning to strike the plane.

Gamboler · Answer

Thanks, Khoff, but I listened to the sentence again and there's not a pause between the two words. I am thinking... is it possible that they ommited the "e" in the subtitles as a typo error? What if the real sentence was "Don't dare to use aerial lightening"? Can it refer to the lights of the plane, considering that the action takes place in the thirties (1933)?
Thanks in advance.

JohnParis · Answer

Are these English subtitles of a film in English?
I have the impression that someone is warning someone not to lighten the weight of the aircraft using a technique they call "aerial lightning".
Is this a possibility?

Gamboler · Answer

Yes, John Paris, English subtitles of a film in English. That's not unusual here in DVDs. Maybe they are for the hearing impaired, aren't they?
Two questions:

What kind of technique is this aerial lightning that you mentioned?

What about my suggestion of "lightening" meaning the lights of the plane? (with "e")

JohnParis · Answer

Yes, John Paris, English subtitles of a film in English. That's not unusual here in DVDs. Maybe they are for the hearing impaired, aren't they? Perhaps they are for the hearing impaired. I always encouraged students to try to watch a film without any subtitles, and if it became impossible then they should use the English subtitles.
Two questions:

What kind of technique is this aerial lightning that you mentioned? Well, let's see. In 1933, airplanes were much less sophisticated than those today, and my thought was that the pilots would try to lighten the load of the craft by getting rid of extra weight. This would include dumping the fuel or even throwing things out of the plane. But since they were over the Atlantic, this doesn't seem probable.

What about my suggestion of "lightening" meaning the lights of the plane? (with "e") Lighting is spelled without an "e" unless you're speaking of the noun, which means "a drop in the level of the uterus during the last weeks of pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis." That is clearly not the case here. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lightening?q=lightening

I found this note on usage:
Years ago, the phrase it is lightening (as in 'thundering and lightening') was contracted to it is light'ning, which eventually became further shortened to it is lightning. In modern use, the word lightning stands on its own as a noun ( : did you see that lightning?) and a verb ( : it looks as if it's going to start lightning). Today, in the context of electrical storms, lightening would likely be considered a misspelling of lightning, rather than a variant spelling. http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/?RSS=&NewsID=26355

I'm truly sorry, but I don't think I have been of much help to you.
What's the title of the film? Maybe I have it in my collection and could actually hear the dialogue myself.

Gamboler · Answer

Sorry, John Paris, in my previous message I wanted to ask if it's possible that "aerial lighting" (not lightening) refers to the lights of the plane (I think today we call them the navigation lights). Consider that the movie was filmed in 1933.

JohnParis · Answer

My mistake. I misunderstood.
It's possible. I'm nearly positive that airplanes had exterior lighting at that time, and your hypothesis is feasible.

Gamboler · Answer

The movie is "Night Flight".

JohnParis · Answer

With John Barrymore and Helen Hayes. I have it!
About how far into the film does the dialogue take place?

Gamboler · Answer

Yes, John Barrymore, Helen Hayes and Clark Gable. I can't remember exactly how far into the film this dialogue takes place, but probably it's between minute 40 and 50, short after they speak about Rio, Santos and Florianopolis. I cannot check it now because I don't have the DVD here at the office.

Aerial lightning

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions