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Oil on troubled waters? (Read 634 times)
Oct 25th, 2004 at 8:14am

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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I lately been wondering what is the history behind the phrase "pouring oil on troubled waters". I know that in the past that ships would pour oil onto rough seas but what I don't know is who did it or why it was done. And what effect did it have?

Anyone know? Tongue
 

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Reply #1 - Oct 25th, 2004 at 8:26am

eno   Offline
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"Oil on Troubled Waters To pour oil on troubled waters, as a figure of speech, means to soothe the troubled spirit. “A soft answer turneth away wrath.”
   As a physical fact, Professor Horsford, by emptying a vial of oil upon the sea in a stiff breeze, did actually still the ruffled surface. Commodore Wilkes, of the United States, saw the same effect produced in a violent storm off the Cape of Good Hope, by oil leaking from a whale-ship.
   Origin of the phrase: The phrase is mentioned by the Venerable Bede in his Ecelesiastical History written in Latin, and completed in 735. Stapleton translated the book in 1565. St. Aidan, it appears, gave his blessing to a young priest who was to set out by land, but return by water, to convoy a young maiden destined for the bride of King Oswin or Oswy. St. Aidan gave the young man a cruse of oil to pour on the sea if the waves became stormy. A storm did arise, and the young priest, pouring oil on the waves, did actually reduce them to a calm. Bede says he had the story from “a most creditable man in Holy Orders.”
    St. Aidan died in 694, and Bede died in 735. There is no question in archaeology so often asked to be explained as this."

Quoted from Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

there ya go

cheers
eno

 

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Reply #2 - Oct 25th, 2004 at 8:27am

Hagar   Offline
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I'm not sure of the origin but I've read of this being used during WWII & possibly before. If a ship wished to protect a smaller vessel from rough seas (for example: picking up survivors in a small lifeboat) it would position itself upweather of it & release fuel oil to help "calm the troubled waters". This would be a comparatively recent interpretation of the expression as it could only have been used after the introduction of oil-burning ships.
 

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Reply #3 - Oct 25th, 2004 at 8:44pm

denishc   Offline
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 Isn't it from the bible?
 
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Reply #4 - Oct 26th, 2004 at 6:51am

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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eno's answer seems to be what I was looking for. Any ideas what effect oil has on a rough sea and why it acts so?
 

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #5 - Oct 26th, 2004 at 11:03am

Felix/FFDS   Offline
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Quote:
eno's answer seems to be what I was looking for. Any ideas what effect oil has on a rough sea and why it acts so?



It brings out Greenpeace boats?
 

Felix/FFDS...
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Reply #6 - Oct 26th, 2004 at 12:20pm

Hagar   Offline
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Quote:
It brings out Greenpeace boats?

LOL Grin

I believe that oil floating on the surface does actually reduce the movement of rough water to some extent. I'm sure someone far more educated than me will have a scientific explanation. Wink
 

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Reply #7 - Oct 27th, 2004 at 4:51pm

Scorpiоn   Offline
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My guess, not explanation mind you, is oil floats, and therefore it creates a barrier between the air/wind and the water, preventing the wind from creating waves.

Then again I've heard some people say waves create wind, not vice versa.  But then again, where are the waves at 20 angels?  I could go on forever... Tongue Roll Eyes
 

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Reply #8 - Oct 27th, 2004 at 5:01pm

Felix/FFDS   Offline
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Quote:
My guess, not explanation mind you, is oil floats, and therefore it creates a barrier between the air/wind and the water, preventing the wind from creating waves.

Then again I've heard some people say waves create wind, not vice versa.  But then again, where are the waves at 20 angels?  I could go on forever... Tongue Roll Eyes


But how high are you at?  After all, if a million angels can fit on the head of a pin ...
 

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Reply #9 - Oct 30th, 2004 at 3:48pm

Hagar   Offline
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Quote:
My guess, not explanation mind you, is oil floats, and therefore it creates a barrier between the air/wind and the water, preventing the wind from creating waves.

I'm no scientist but I can't see it having anything to do with the wind. It's more likely the increased surface tension of the oil preventing waves breaking or reducing the swell a little - something like that. I would think it would only have a limited effect but it might make all the difference in emergencies.
 

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