Where does the words POSH, PORT and STARBOARD come from?
POSH is an old British term for travelling in luxury aboard ship. To keep out of the sun, Port Out, Starboard Home was the rule. (Stay on the left side of the ship on the way out and return on the right side of the vessel on the way home) This helped the wealthy passengers keep their pasty white complexion year round. A tan, to them was an affront to their status as a noble. The term starboard, the nautical term for the right-hand half of the ship, comes from Old English stéorbord and is a combination of stéor, meaning “steer,” and bord , meaning “board.” On old ships the rudder or steering paddle would be on the right side of the ship. Hence, the term starboard Why port was used for this is not known for certain, but most sources believe it is because the left-hand side of a ship was the side typically put next to the wharf or port. Especially if your rudder was on the starboard side, this would be the case.
