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  3. Ships, Sailing, Maritime

perdendo il riferimento alla terra

English translation: losing sight of land

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:perdendo il riferimento alla terra
English translation:losing sight of land
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

01:14 Feb 6, 2019
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Ships, Sailing, Maritime / In A Book On The History Of Geographical Explorations
Italian term or phrase: perdendo il riferimento alla terra
Contesto:

Con imbarcazioni di questo tipo, i Cretesi raggiungevano l'Egitto, navigano su una rotta probabilmente tracciata molto precocemente, che prevedeva una traversata di circa 200 miglia in linea retta e senza scali, dall'isola al punto più vicino della costa africana, navigando quindi ininterrottamente per 3 o 4 giorni e senza possibilità di effetuare quelle soste notturne che comunemente si usava fare nelle navigazioni lungo costa, senza potersi approvvigionare di cibo e sopratutto perdendo almeno per uno o due giorni il riferimento alla terra. Il che dimostra che i marinai cretesi avevano già elaborato delle techniche di orientamento, forse basate su astri facilemente riconoscibili, come il Sole di giorno e alcune stelle più evidente di notte.

I realize that I asked a similar question earlier... So does this just mean,, int this case, that they lost their way to land for at least 2 or three days?

Grazie,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 10:56
losing their bearings
Explanation:
I'm wondering if you could use this expression without the need to mention 'land'...it would mean the same as the source.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lose one's b...

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Note added at 5 hrs (2019-02-06 06:35:01 GMT)
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Lose one's bearings idiom

Definition of lose one's bearings
: to become lost
The ship lost its bearings in the fog.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2019-02-06 06:35:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or simply
Losing sight of land
Selected response from:

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 16:56
Grading comment
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2losing their bearings
Lisa Jane
4losing for one or two days landmarks to steer by.
Wolfgang Hager


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
losing for one or two days landmarks to steer by.


Explanation:
In pre GPS coastal navigation you steer with reference to (take bearings on) features on land which are visible at distance and marked on (at the time) crude maps or memorized by the skipper - mountains, promontories, small islands etc.

Wolfgang Hager
Italy
Local time: 16:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 24
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
losing their bearings


Explanation:
I'm wondering if you could use this expression without the need to mention 'land'...it would mean the same as the source.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lose one's b...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2019-02-06 06:35:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Lose one's bearings idiom

Definition of lose one's bearings
: to become lost
The ship lost its bearings in the fog.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2019-02-06 06:35:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or simply
Losing sight of land

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 16:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 31

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: I agree with your last suggestion, but the whole point is they didn't lose their bearings. /They used the stars as their bearings instead of the land.
36 mins
  -> Sorry Phil I don't get your drift... Oh of course... now I see what you mean! Yes, so my second suggestion fits the context whilst the first doesn't because the stars are their bearings.
agree  Peter Cox
9 hrs
  -> Thanks Peter!
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