0
Henry74 Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary

Ship/boat

Hi,

I was watching a documentary on submarines the other day and at some point one officer said, "A submarine is not a ship. It's a boat."
Perhaps I don't know the whole story on the difference between the two because I don't understand that comment.
Can you please explain it to me?

Thank you
H.
  

Top answer

I think it is probably a naval tradition. The general population may not be aware of or sure of this terminology (even whether submarines are either). Ships are generally larger than boats, and I suppose the original submarines were fairly small, even though nowadays they can be much bigger.

— GPY

  • I think it is probably a naval tradition.
  • The general population may not be aware of or sure of this terminology (even whether submarines are either).
  • Ships are generally larger than boats, and I suppose the original submarines were fairly small, even though nowadays they can be much bigger.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

7 Answers
0
I think it is probably a naval tradition. The general population may not be aware of or sure of this terminology (even whether submarines are either). Ships are generally larger than boats, and I suppose the original submarines were fairly small, even though nowadays they can be much bigger.
0
0
As a former naval officer I can confirm that there is an almost Pavlovian response that causes us to correct others (even people we would not dream of correcting any other time) when they use the term "boat" for a ship or (less common) "ship" for a boat. Indeed, submarines are boats, even when they are enormous.
0
0
Calling a boat a 'ship' (or vice versa) is almost as bad as going upstairs/downstairs when you are on board. Or (shudder) thinking that 'left' is an acceptable direction.
0
0
If the officer was a naval officer this is apparently naval jargon. Apparently, to naval personnel, "ships" are large craft that ride on the surface: carriers, destroyers, even supply ships, etc. Anything else is a "boat": PT boats, landing craft, subs, lifeboats, etc. This is apparently similar to US Army jargon: M-16s are "rifles," not "guns."

Outside of the navy, this distinction
0
0
Except In a real conversation, B would say "Boats. I served on submarines."
0
0
Size and naval tradition.
Size: you can carry a boat on a ship, but not a ship on a boat.
Navy people: because of the size distinction, naval people call a submarine a boat - it is too small to be a ship.. Non-naval people like me call a submarine a ship - too big to be a boat.
.
0

Related Questions