Translate 2 words

[Richard Olsen]

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/267/pg00000000346639

 

I have been trying for a few days to translate 2 words. Online distionaries can't translate the words. Will someone take a look to see if the words are recognized.

 

The 2 words are:

Messeråen

Liig

 

It may seem as though I am asking a lot of questions here. I am trying to tighten up some loose ends of my family research. After 24 years, my family research is coming to an end.

 

I will take this opportunity to say THANK YOU!!! to the Digital Archives in Norway. It is absolutely amazing to have the opportunity to view the online records, and to learn an abundance of information about family. I wish there was a way to nominate the Digital Archives for an award. The people in the background are so deserving of an award.

 

I want to say THANK YOU!!! to all of the Norwegians who assisted with my family research over the years.

 

Of course, you may still hear from me. I may have a few questions remaining.

[Matthias Kolberg]

”Liig” means ”corpse”, dead body.

 

”Messeråen” is a part of a sailing ship, I am not sure which.

The last part, ”råen”, translates to ”yard” in English

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yard_(sailing)

”Messe” is the same as ”mess” in English, the dining area on a ship.

 

I don’t quite see the connection between the two…
 

[Even Stormoen]

Mers is a platform on the mast[s] of sailing ships. The «rå» , I think, is what in english is callled a spar.

 

See pics.

 

Liig is corpse.

 

Reg

[Ivar S. Ertesvåg]

in this context; "Liig"/"lig"/"lik" is a bolt rope, aka. leech.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt_rope

[Gunnar Sigdestad]

I'd believe "Messeraaen" is a transcription error for "merseraaen"; i.e. the yard of either the lower or upper topgallant sail.

[Ivar S. Ertesvåg]

44 minutter siden, Matthias Kolberg skrev:

 

The last part, ”råen”, translates to ”yard” in English

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yard_(sailing)

 

 

It seems that "yard" in English sailing terminology has a wider usage than "rå" in Norwegian.

 (e.g. this sail has a "yard" (in Eng.) that is not a "rå" (in Norw.): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lug_sail )

"rå" in Norwegian is a crossbeam, as shown in Even's picture.

As I understand, "merssegl" is a sail in the middle section of the mast (above Even's platform; but not the top.

https://snl.no/mersseil

"Merserå" is the "rå" (crossbeam) of these sails.

 

Endret Januar 13, 2022 av Ivar S. Ertesvåg

[Richard Olsen]

Matthias Kolberg,  Even Stormoen,  Ivar S  Ertesvag, Gunnar  Sigdestad

 

Thank you very much for the translations. A learning experience on my part. Very interesting

 

Even, thank you for the photos. I now know where he was located on the ship when the unfortunate happened.

[Gunnar Sigdestad]

I definitively don't see the point Ivar's questioning my translation of the term "merseråen".
During my experience at sea, also aboard square riggers, no other term than yard being used for the Norwegian "rå".

Here is a definition of "yard", from Admiral W. H. Smythe's "Sailor's Word-Book, An alphabethical digest of Nautical Terms".

YARD. A long cylindrical timber suspended upon the mast of a vessel to spread a sail. They are termed square, lateen, or lug: the first are suspended across the masts at right angles, and the two latter obliquely. The square yards taper from the middle, which is called the slings, towards the extremities, which are termed the yard-arms; and the distance between is divided by the artificers into quarters, called the first, second, third quarters, and yard-arms. [...]

The term "crossbeam", is not listed in the same dictionary.