Salon or Saloon ?

[sarafina]

We have cabins and berths. On sailboats and powerboats.

Going for that old school feel I guess ; -)

[bene505]

Darn, I've been saying "salon" and apparently that's wrong. But is this true even though the boat was made in France?

Come to think if it, I think older books like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea referred to a saloon.

But wait, that was written by a Frenchman. Oh, this is so confusing.

Regards,
Brad

[sck5]

"all this entomological discussion"

after returning from the Caribbean last spring, we had an extended entomological discussion. Liberal use of boric acid seems to have ended it.

Etymological discussions are something else entirely.

[off-the-grid]

I don't have a ton of room to spare, so I had to go with a wench and a guitar in my saloon.

[Mexdon]

Here are the definitions extracted from Dictionaries.com

sa·lon   [suh-lon; Fr. sa-lawn] Show IPA
noun, plural -lons  [-lonz; Fr. -lawn] Show IPA.
1.
a drawing room or reception room in a large house.
2.
an assembly of guests in such a room, especially an assembly, common during the 17th and 18th centuries, consisting of the leaders in society, art, politics, etc.
3.
a hall or place used for the exhibition of works of art.
4.
a shop, business, or department of a store offering a specific product or service, especially one catering to a fashionable clientele: a dress salon; a hair salon.
5.
(initial capital letter) (in France)
a.
the Salon, an annual exhibition of works of art by living artists, originally held at the Salon d'Apollon: it became, during the 19th century, the focal point of artistic controversy and was identified with academicism and official hostility to progress in art.
b.
a national exhibition of works of art by living artists: Salon des Refusés; Salon des Indépendants.
Origin: 1705–15; < French < Italian salone, equivalent to sal(a) hall (< Germanic; compare Old English sæl, Old Saxon seli, German Saal, Old Norse salr) + -one augmentative suffix
Can be confused: salon, saloon.


sa·loon   [suh-loon] Show IPA
noun
1.
a place for the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.
2.
a room or place for general use for a specific purpose: a dining saloon on a ship.
3.
a large cabin for the common use of passengers on a passenger vessel.
4.
British.
a.
(in a tavern or pub) a section of a bar or barroom separated from the public bar and often having more comfortable furnishings and a quieter atmosphere.
b.
saloon car.
5.
a drawing room or reception room.
Origin: 1720–30; variant of salon
Can be confused: salon, saloon.

[Mexdon]

So according to the above the term "salon" should not be applicable to a boat, "saloon" would be more appropriate, but I tend to agree with sarafina.

[Unicorn Dreams]

SALON if we are eating

SALOON if we are drinking

[wolfenzee]

When I told someone I was building a coffee table in my boat, they said "Coffee table in a boat, that doesn't sound right" I responded "A setee in the salon (pronounced like a Victorian sitting room sarcastically) doesn't sound right either". The best way I have found to get around with it is that a saloon and/or salon just don't belong on my boat (it just isn't big enough to have to figure out an additional name).

[David_Old_Jersey]

Never even heard of the cabin being called a Salon before. Sounds like a typo got out of hand.

The description that always make me smile is "Aft State Room" - seems to cover everything from being able to fit in a 4 poster bed to a large under cockpit locker, with a mattress

[Wavewacker]

Thanks Mexdon, you just proved me to be right wothout saying a word!

[wolfenzee]

Advertisers/salesman have thought up all sorts of names. "on this side is the settee and this side is the salon and on this side is the dinette...(wait aren't there only two sides)

[David M]

I'm surprised. I have never heard it called the saloon..ever. I have though heard it called the salon plenty of times.

I can't find a definitive definition either.

[markpierce]

The proper term is "saloon." See, it's clearly labeled so here on the drawing.



See, there are even bottles of wine at the "bar."

[Astrid]

I am not sure there really is a definitive answer. What we called the wardroom or officer's mess in the navy is generally called the saloon in merchant ships; salon seems to be used in the old passenger liners for the public meeting or dining room.

[wolfenzee]

I have seen it spelled saloon and salon but have only heard it pronounced salon.