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Re:Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left”... by lynguist on Wednesday April 19, 2023 @09:55AM (#35628163)
In German it’s Steuerbord (meaning the same as starboard) and Backbord (compare Middle Low German ba(c)kbōrt and Dutch bakboort; oldest mention of this form is from old English: bæcbord!)

The word ‘back’ in German meaning ‘back’ in English doesn’t even exist. Only in this one loanword from Low German.

Only today I looked up this word, I never knew or understood that Backbord is literally backboard.

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