Everyone probably heard this expression, and maybe he himself used it more than once in his speech. "All hands on deck!" - What does this phraseological unit mean, where did it come from and when is it appropriate to use it? Let's figure it out in order.
“ Why is everyone calling upstairs? .. Whistle upstairs when there is an emergency job.”
© Goncharov I.A. (Frigate "Pallas")
"All hands on deck!" - what does it mean
This expression came to us literally from the depths of the sea. The officer in charge used the sound command - "whistle everyone upstairs" - which meant a momentary gathering of the entire crew on the upper deck.
But it is unlikely that many of you can boast of in-depth knowledge in the field of marine terms, commands and other things. So why do we use this expression today, and what does it mean in a simple conversation (the case when you are a sailor of a ship will not be taken into account; sailors have no questions).
When to use the phrase
Imagine a force majeure situation: an emergency at work, a natural disaster, or “another five minutes,” as a result of which the time for training is reduced by the same amount ... In general, they presented. The admiral’s spirit awakens in you, which requires you to collect and throw all your energy into solving the problem. To do this, you involve everyone and everything that will be owed to you is needed, useful, or who just by chance passes by. It was then that this expression very succinctly fit into the plot.
From the history
This team is rooted in the past when ships were sailing along the waves with the help of oars. Powerful vessels required a large number of rowers, but in order to work smoothly, it was necessary to maintain a uniform rowing rhythm. At different stages this problem was solved by different instruments: from a gong and a drum to a flute and a whistle. With the development of shipbuilding and the advent of the sail, the need for quick and well-coordinated work of the crew increased even more. Then the whistle pipe appeared, with which the expression known to all is connected. Over time, the name was assigned to it - the boatswain's pipe, as it was issued to the younger ship ranks.
The device of the boatswain pipe allowed to give out various signals: from a long whistle to an iridescent trill. Thus, over time, up to sixteen teams were developed, with the help of which it was possible not only to whistle, that is, to assemble the crew, but also to raise the flag, cause a shift change, wake up the team and much more.
Since it was quite difficult to record such a melody with ordinary notes, even a special “musical notation” was created for the boatswain pipe, consisting of oblong lines - long sounds, dashes - short and circles - trills. The art of playing the pipe was passed down by some generations of sailors to others, but now craftsmen who are ready to demonstrate this talent are unlikely to have survived. With the development of technology, the pipe has lost its direct purpose, but as a naval tradition, it still serves as an indispensable attribute of duty officers on duty.