Is this an Idiom or Slang

Hi everybody,

I'm new in this forum.
Can anyone explain to me what the following sentence mean?

"We are as near heaven on the sea as on the land"

I've red this sentence in the story of " Sir Humphrey Gilbert" By James Baldwin

Thank you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mouse chuot

Hi everybody,

I'm new in this forum.
Can anyone explain to me what the following sentence mean?

"We are as near heaven on the sea as on the land"

I've red this sentence in the story of " Sir Humphrey Gilbert" By James Baldwin

Thank you.

---

I wouldn't call it an idiom, and it's definitely not slang.

I would say, perhaps, it's a kind of metaphor, with the sea representing heaven. I would attribute this to the writer or speaker's personal expression rather than to an "expression" in general that one would learn as an idiom.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PROESL

I wouldn't call it an idiom, and it's definitely not slang.

I would say, perhaps, it's a kind of metaphor, with the sea representing heaven. I would attribute this to the writer or speaker's personal expression rather than to an "expression" in general that one would learn as an idiom.

---

I would tend to agree with the previous poster. It is neither an idiom or slang.

However I don't think the writer is comparing the sea to heaven. I think it is effectively a statement of fact, in the writer's opinion. It is true that we are just as close to heaven when we are on the sea, as we are when we are on land.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by emsr2d2

I would tend to agree with the previous poster. It is neither an idiom or slang.

However I don't think the writer is comparing the sea to heaven. I think it is effectively a statement of fact, in the writer's opinion. It is true that we are just as close to heaven when we are on the sea, as we are when we are on land.

---

If I may, please, I would like to add another comment on this. I don't think the writer really means to say that this is a truth. Perhaps it is a truth or a statement of fact in the writer's mind, however. I feel that the writer is saying how he feels about the sea and that the sea calls to mind being in heaven.

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/im...ons/icon12.gif http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/im...cons/icon3.gif

Ok it is neither Idiom or Slang. I still can get the meaning of the sentence.
But i have this thought.

Because they are lost in sea. They know they are going to die.
That is why Sir Gilber Humphry said
"We are as near heaven on the sea as on the land" = we are near heaven than near land".

Hi mouse chuot,

What is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong. You are on the right track to a certain degree.

As a matter of fact the original quotation sounds so :

“We are as near to heaven by sea as by land.”

Here is a brief excerpt from an original source:

“When the Golden Hind came within hailing distance, the crew heard him cry out repeatedly, "We are as near to Heaven by sea as by land!" as he lifted his palm to the skies to illustrate his point. At midnight the frigate's lights were extinguished, and the watch on the Golden Hind cried out that, "the Generall was cast away".[1 The Squirrel had gone down with all hands.”

You might see also a similar quotation of Tomas Moor:

"He that hathe no grave is covered with the skye: and, the way to heaven out of all places is of like length and distance."

Regards,

V.