Starships

Making Starship models

 

[Badenov]

Was there a mistake in my use of 'bow' in English? I know 'bow' has multiple meanings, but is it generally used for a dog's bark or a bow on stage?

You're fine.The bow of a ship is pronounced like taking a bow, and like a dog going bow wow wow, and that rhymes with 'ouch'. You play a violin or wrap a present with a bow pronounced the other way, that sounds like the Boh in Bohemian, which can be beer or a rhapsody.

 

[aramis]

Was there a mistake in my use of 'bow' in English? I know 'bow' has multiple meanings, but is it generally used for a dog's bark or a bow on stage?

"bow" has three pronunciations. Two of which are generally dialect variation of each other, so the third will be ignored)
bow, when pronounced like ぼ, is used for weapons (kyu/yumi), looped knots (such as a woman's obi or one's shoestrings) of strings or ribbons or sashes/obi.
"bow" pronounced close to the two kana ばう, refers to the stage bow (and the formal japanese use), the front of a ship, the sound of a dog, and the limb of a tree.

So No mistake on your part, but a homophone issue resulting in someone reading it as "arrow-launching block" instead of "front of ship block" because of accidentally ignored context clues.

Japanese is not alone in humor from homophones...

 

[whartung]

Was there a mistake in my use of 'bow' in English?

Definitely not you, it was all me. Just highlighting how my carbon soup brain misinterpreted the word, and how it manifests some of the complexities of english.

 

[whulorigan]

Was there a mistake in my use of 'bow' in English? I know 'bow' has multiple meanings, but is it generally used for a dog's bark or a bow on stage?

Your usage is correct .

* "Bow" (archaically "Prow"), both rhyming with "cow", is the foremost part of a ship.

* "Bow-wow" (pronounced the same) is also slang for a dog bark.
* And one can "take a bow" (pronounced the same) on stage.

They are just on a tangential discussion in the thread. It has nothing to do with you.

 

[whulorigan]

Unless of course the ship is fitted with a forwrd-arc firing ballista-barbette to complement its trebuchet bay . . .

 

[kilemall]

Was there a mistake in my use of 'bow' in English? I know 'bow' has multiple meanings, but is it generally used for a dog's bark or a bow on stage?

American English, its pronounced Bo and arrow.

It’s bow with an ow for bow of a ship or bow on stage.

Don’t know if there is a UK English difference.

 

[Badenov]

Unless of course the ship is fitted with a forwrd-arc firing ballista-barbette to complement its trebuchet bay . . .

The real question is do you arm your marines with longbows, trusting that your passageways are short enough for a fairly flat trajectory, or do you go with crossbows for ease of point-and-shoot?

 

[Condottiere]

I'd say crossbow, especially in microgravity.

Optionally, a pilum.