Devoted to technical writing and technical writers

Writers often refer to the dregs of society as the “flotsam and jetsam” of a given community. Where did these words come from?

Interestingly enough, the terms have a nautical origin. The three words, FLOTSAM, JETSAM, and LAGAN are quite specific in their meanings. Especially to maritime and insurance companies that specialize in securing marine vessels and cargo.

Flotsam is any wreckage or cargo that is left afloat after a ship has sunk or been badly damaged. Jetsam is any cargo or equipment jettisoned from a ship in trouble in order to lighten it. For insurance companies, both flotsam and jetsam are important because they may represent some goods or items with potential value, in order to lessen the loss. Lagan, a word rarely used, would be jetsam with a buoy attached to it as a marker.

In everyday usage, flotsam has come to describe any driftwood, garbage, and other debris floating in the ocean. All these represent a nightmare to any seafarer and to environmentalists in general.

sourced by JMJF