Fathom (Non-SI Measurement)
If you’ve recently watched King Kong than you’ve probably wondered what the hell was that sailor in the begining talking about when he kept mentioning the word ‘Fathom’. Either that or you’re an English proffessor or bored like me and have done this before.
In case you were the former that I’ll have you know that Fathom is a non-SI measurement unit of about 6 feet, or 2 yards or, if your more enlightened, 1.82 meters.
The word comes from Ye Oldie English term: Faethm which means ‘outstretched arms’ and that is exactly where the measurement came from. Sailors known as leadsman would wrap a rope called a ‘sounding line’ in their outstretched arms (measuring an average of 1.82 meters) and then drop it into the ocean, unwrapping the line from their arms. The term Fathom was used to describe this process.
The Fathom was used also for land measurement but was reduced to nautical and then replaced by the meter. Yes, even the US wised up when it came to their maps.
On the Mississippi river in the 1850s, the leadsmen used old fashioned words for some of the number markers. Example: They would say ‘twain’ instead of ‘two’. So, you’d know the water is two fathoms deep when the leadsman would shout “By the mark twain!”.
The famous American writer, Samual Clemens, formerly a river pilot, took his pen name, Mark Twain, from that call.
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