🍹 When the Sun is Over the Yardarm: Tippling Time Talk 🇬🇧
Definition:
The idiom “sun is over the yardarm” signifies that the time is socially acceptable to have a cocktail or an alcoholic drink. The term “yardarm” refers to either end of a yard, which is more specifically, the outer portions of a square sail on a sailing ship. This phrase is presumed to draw from the tradition of waiting for the sun to appear over the yardarm before commencing a pleasant bout of drinking on a yacht.
Historical Context:
This idiom is more commonly used in Britain than in the United States, where its usage is on the decline. Rudyard Kipling aptly captured this in his work From Sea to Sea (1899), commenting on American drinking habits:
“The American does not drink at meals as a sensible man should. Also, he has no decent notions about the sun being over the yardarm or below the horizon.”
Related Terms:
- Happy Hour: A set time when drinks are sold at a reduced price.
- Cocktail Hour: The period usually in the late afternoon or early evening when cocktails and other drinks are traditionally served.
- It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere: Teasingly justifying an early start to drinking.
Synonyms:
- Drinking time
- Cocktail hour
- Happy hour
Antonyms:
- Sobriety time
- Work hours
- Morning tea
Proverbs and Quotes:
“Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter, sermons and soda-water the day after.” — Lord Byron
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” — Mark Twain
References in Literature, Songs, and Films:
- Books: Sailor’s tales and sea novels such as “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville often illustrate the culture of nautical life.
- Movies: The iconic line echoes the vibe found in the classic film The African Queen.
- Songs: Jimmy Buffett’s song “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” captures a modern take on this idiom.
Quizzes to Test Your Nautical Knowledge and Drinking Wisdom:
Feel the wind in your sails and let language be your guide through the intriguing waters that lead us through time and tradition. Fair winds! 🌬️
