this post was submitted on 27 May 2025
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And to remember the whole thing: "Star" comes from steer, goes back to old ships which had their rudder and till tied to the side at the aft and specifically, when looking forwards, to the right as people tend to be right-handed. Thus, steering-side == right if you're looking forwards.
"Port" because that's the side the port is on if you land without risking damaging the rudder. Originally it was "backboard" because that's the board (== side of ship) that's (often) in the helmsman's back, English changed it at some point while everyone else kept it. The terminology goes back to at least Old Norse, probably earlier, that's just the earliest that's attested.
In Dutch it's still bakboord.
but we've been sailing for a long time!
In Germany, too: "Backbord" & "Steuerbord"
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