https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/ships-sailing-maritime/1484696-montable.html

montable

English translation: head - nfg

16:21 Aug 3, 2006
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Ships, Sailing, Maritime / toilet arrangements on fishing boats
French term or phrase: montable
An interview with a Senegalese fisherman from the 1970s.

"Avec les navires qu'ils font maintenant c'est assez confortable, mes même il y a encore des bateaux qu'ils ont leurs waters juste au bord de l'eau. C'est des *montables*. Sur le bord du bateau, des *montables*."

TIA
Katherine Hodkinson
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:26
English translation:head - nfg
Explanation:
The reference below explains miranda56's fascinating reference. Where is the Royal Navy today? The only little problem is that for some reason I have the impression that Michael Palin's box, upon which one can sit facing either way, is bolted to the side of the ship. The "head" was upon the bow - apparently even in olden days they didn't make you hang your buns in the air, but depended on the chop to wash any residue down the scuppers ("I'll be scuppered.").

Anyway - the term for a ship's toilet is still "the head" though it is no longer located at the head of the ship. Please note that you're not supposed to use a ship's toilet while anchored in harbor. And what's a pirate's favorite consonant? Rrrrrrr.

http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/trivia03-2.htm

Head (ship's toilet)

The use of the term "head" to refer to a ship's toilet dates to at least as early as 1708, when Woodes Rogers (English privateer and Governor of the Bahamas) used the word in his book, A Cruising Voyage Around the World. Another early usage is in Tobias Smollett's novel of travel and adventure, Roderick Random, published in 1748. "Head" in a nautical sense referring to the bow or fore part of a ship dates to 1485. The ship's toilet was typically placed at the head of the ship near the base of the bowsprit, where splashing water served to naturally clean the toilet area.

Selected response from:

Jeffrey Lewis
United States
Local time: 07:26
Grading comment
Thank you Jeffrey and Miranda for very informative posts! I don't think I can actually translate "montable" as "head", because I need to make a distinction between the more makeshift toilets on the older boats and any other ships' toilets. In the end I've put "wooden seats over the side of the boat" - not elegant, but informative.
1 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3fishing canoe
Francis MARC
3head - nfg
Jeffrey Lewis


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
fishing canoe


Explanation:
Peintes en bleu et jaune, ces longues embarcations en bois, appelées « Mbeukk-mi » - expression tirée du Wolof, la langue la plus parlée au Sénégal, et symbolisant des pirogues parées pour prendre d’assaut les vagues – partent des plages de Dakar pour rejoindre la haute mer, chargées de nombreux candidats à l’émigration. Pour la plupart, elles sont construites à Mbour et dans d’autres localités du littoral sénégalais.
http://www.irinnews.org/Frenchreport.asp?ReportID=6959

African Specialist Features and Articles - Senegal - [ Traduire cette page ]The Africa Guide - featured article about Senegal. ... water to where a pirogue — a local fishing canoe painted blue and yellow — is waiting to cast off. ...
www.africaguide.com/features/trvafmag/024.htm - 23k - En cache - Pages similaires


Senegal: Country Profile - Travel Africa Magazine - [ Traduire cette page ]Senegal is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in Africa and yet ... a local fishing canoe painted blue and yellow - is waiting to cast off. ...
www.travelafricamag.com/content/view/245/73/ - 26k



Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 14:26
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
head - nfg


Explanation:
The reference below explains miranda56's fascinating reference. Where is the Royal Navy today? The only little problem is that for some reason I have the impression that Michael Palin's box, upon which one can sit facing either way, is bolted to the side of the ship. The "head" was upon the bow - apparently even in olden days they didn't make you hang your buns in the air, but depended on the chop to wash any residue down the scuppers ("I'll be scuppered.").

Anyway - the term for a ship's toilet is still "the head" though it is no longer located at the head of the ship. Please note that you're not supposed to use a ship's toilet while anchored in harbor. And what's a pirate's favorite consonant? Rrrrrrr.

http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/trivia03-2.htm

Head (ship's toilet)

The use of the term "head" to refer to a ship's toilet dates to at least as early as 1708, when Woodes Rogers (English privateer and Governor of the Bahamas) used the word in his book, A Cruising Voyage Around the World. Another early usage is in Tobias Smollett's novel of travel and adventure, Roderick Random, published in 1748. "Head" in a nautical sense referring to the bow or fore part of a ship dates to 1485. The ship's toilet was typically placed at the head of the ship near the base of the bowsprit, where splashing water served to naturally clean the toilet area.



Jeffrey Lewis
United States
Local time: 07:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 1
Grading comment
Thank you Jeffrey and Miranda for very informative posts! I don't think I can actually translate "montable" as "head", because I need to make a distinction between the more makeshift toilets on the older boats and any other ships' toilets. In the end I've put "wooden seats over the side of the boat" - not elegant, but informative.
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