Search from various Engels teachers...
Irina
Why a person is called "chain-head" who needs to have "sand to make a hand"?
Why a person is called "chain-hand" who needs to have "sand to make a hand"?
It's a passage from a book about hard life on a drilling rig.
The chain-hand is the man saddled with most of the schooling, and he knows all too well that the new guy will probably not be back tomorrow. Orientation was kept to a minimum until the prospect shows signs that he’s got the sand to make a hand. If a weevil lasts long enough to collect his first paycheck, the odds increase significantly that he’ll become a roughneck.
4 jul. 2020 03:32
Antwoorden · 4
2
“Hand” as used here means a worker, somebody who does a job with their hands. I don’t know what a “chain-hand” is, but I guess his job somehow involves chains. “Got the sand” means “has the grit/determination/guts” to become a “hand” — a good worker on the team.
4 juli 2020
Thank you!
5 juli 2020
"Chain hand", "sand to make a hand" - these are very non-standard English. Some occupations where workers are isolated from the cultural mainstream develop their own customs and jargon. The jargon is often incomprehensible to outsiders - the rest of us. In your passage I suspect the writer is reporting or imagining such a distinct, unusual workplace language. I have never heard or seen these terms used in these ways; I would advise against using them yourself in any other context! I hope this helps.
4 juli 2020
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
Irina
Taalvaardigheden
Engels, Indonesisch, Russisch
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels, Indonesisch
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt
How to Ask for a Raise or Promotion in English
4 likes · 5 Opmerkingen
The Key to Learning a Language Faster
23 likes · 8 Opmerkingen
Why "General English" is Failing Your Career (An Engineer’s Perspective)
29 likes · 12 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen
