Kerry&LuAnn Posted December 10, 2008 #1 Share Posted December 10, 2008 According to The Columbia Guide to Standard English, "debark" and "disembark" are synonyms, and both can be either transitive or intransitive, meaning "to take or assist people off a ship or plane" or "to get off a ship or plane." For instance, "The captain debarked [disembarked] several unruly passengers; at the next port the rest of the passengers disembarked [debarked]." Isn't English an odd language? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveling1969 Posted December 10, 2008 #2 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Yes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garn Posted December 10, 2008 #3 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Just because I'm nerd enough to wonder, I looked them both up in Merriam-Webster online. It looks like both are old terms, with the origin very much tied to ships as opposed to other forms of transportation (not that there were many other vehicles at the time) Debark: Etymology:French debarquer, from de- + barque bark (ship)Date:1654 Disembark: Etymology:Middle French desembarquer, from des- dis- + embarquer to embarkDate:1582 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted December 10, 2008 #4 Share Posted December 10, 2008 My personal preference is disembark because debark sounds like something you'd do to a tree; and when you get on a ship, we don't say you've "barked". Isn't English an odd language? ;) For sure! Don't you think flamable and inflamable should logically be the opposite of each other? How come we drive on parkways, but park on driveways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiserbryce Posted December 10, 2008 #5 Share Posted December 10, 2008 sure is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pia1913 Posted December 10, 2008 #6 Share Posted December 10, 2008 I don't debark or disembark.....I just get off! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGvmnt Posted December 10, 2008 #7 Share Posted December 10, 2008 "Isn't English an odd language? ;)" The other driver parked so CLOSE to my car I couldn't CLOSE the door.:rolleyes: I purchased a pair of pears because I had to pare some weight.:) Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grego Posted December 10, 2008 #8 Share Posted December 10, 2008 My personal preference is disembark because debark sounds like something you'd do to a tree; and when you get on a ship, we don't say you've "barked". For sure! Don't you think flamable and inflamable should logically be the opposite of each other? How come we drive on parkways, but park on driveways? And we don't say we've re-barked when we get on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h3rjp Posted December 11, 2008 #9 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I'd never heard the word "Debark" sounds like something you'd do to a tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGuy25 Posted December 11, 2008 #10 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I believe "debark" is a procedure performed on your dog to quiet him down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sackman Posted December 11, 2008 #11 Share Posted December 11, 2008 It's probably just me, but I view "debarking" as what happens when I get off the ship in one of the regularly scheduled ports. I "disembark" when I get off the ship at the end of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manmtnmike Posted December 11, 2008 #12 Share Posted December 11, 2008 And we don't say we've re-barked when we get on board. Yes, but I've heard upset people "barking", when having already "embarked", Yet were told they were "barking up the wrong tree". Made me wonder..."Is there ever a right tree to bark up?":rolleyes: ....and what happens after we've barked. I guess we simply disembark, without debarking, saving the tree in the process.:eek: Sooooo... Again I wonder, "Can you can tell a Dogwood tree by its bark?" Really am Sorry,:D Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfv379 Posted December 11, 2008 #13 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I thought "debark" was something you do to a dog:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherman931 Posted December 11, 2008 #14 Share Posted December 11, 2008 If someone who bakes bread is a baker, why isn't someone who cooks food a cooker? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted December 11, 2008 #15 Share Posted December 11, 2008 How about the expression - 'Take a pee'? Personally, I'd rather leave it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pia1913 Posted December 11, 2008 #16 Share Posted December 11, 2008 (edited) How about the expression - 'Take a pee'? Personally, I'd rather leave it. Oops Edited December 11, 2008 by Pia1913 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dejagirl Posted June 29, 2017 #17 Share Posted June 29, 2017 My personal preference is disembark because debark sounds like something you'd do to a tree; and when you get on a ship, we don't say you've "barked". I'm dying (laughing) right now! I know this is an old post, but we were just having this discussion. I will forever say that "I have barked" when I get on a ship! Thank you for making my day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian1 Posted June 29, 2017 #18 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Hi,Princess advertise debark tours on their website.Just to confuse, I was brought up and went to school in Barking,lol,cheers,Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted June 29, 2017 #19 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Debark is what a dog says. Demeow is what a cat says. Demoo is what a cow says. Debaa is what a sheep says/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optotronics Posted June 29, 2017 #20 Share Posted June 29, 2017 (edited) I don't debark or disembark.....I just get off! :D That what I do too. I thought debark was a dog surgery:) Edited June 29, 2017 by Optotronics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMLady Posted June 29, 2017 #21 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Can't believe someone livened a 9 year old thread but at least it's an interesting one and I learned something new. Like post #11 I'd thought debark was in itinerary ports and disembark was in final port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggprincess2004 Posted June 29, 2017 #22 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I do not debark, or disembark, they have to pull me off the ship kicking and screaming, digging my fingernails into the gangway, to make me leave the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrivesLikeMario Posted June 29, 2017 #23 Share Posted June 29, 2017 My personal preference is disembark because debark sounds like something you'd do to a tree; and when you get on a ship, we don't say you've "barked"... But, we say you have "embarked" on a cruise. I like the one person that said "debarked" sounded like something you'd do to a dog so he couldn't bark anymore. I always think of that when I see that word now. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted June 29, 2017 #24 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I believe "debark" is a procedure performed on your dog to quiet him down! No. It is an in the sentence "debarking dog was really loud". DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailspintom Posted June 29, 2017 #25 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Just because I'm nerd enough to wonder, I looked them both up in Merriam-Webster online. It looks like both are old terms, with the origin very much tied to ships as opposed to other forms of transportation (not that there were many other vehicles at the time) Debark: Etymology:French debarquer, from de- + barque bark (ship)Date:1654 Disembark: Etymology:Middle French desembarquer, from des- dis- + embarquer to embarkDate:1582 Yep Garn, you got it right. It is all about about getting on and off a "barque". It is a three (at least) mast ship with square rigs except for the aft rig, which is rigged fore and aft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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