Meaning of "Right" and "Left" Bank

[cwbuff]

I was looking at the 1917 Michelin Guide to the Battle of the Marne. In the fight for Lenharrèe, it describes a bridgehead at the Somme River (different one from 1916 battle) on the "right" bank. I understand north or south bank but not "right" or "left." I have seen this in other references. What is the correct translation? What is the origination of the term?

[Sly]

Hi,

The term of "right" or "left" bank is still used a lot in Paris. It has to do with the flow of the river: if you follow the flow towards the sea you have the right bank and the left bank, it makes more sense than using "south" or "north" because the river doesn't go straight but does a lot of curves.

Sly

[mebu]

To confirm Sly, and not just Paris. A river flows downstream, and has a left and right bank.

Peter

[John_Hartley]

The left/right description makes more sense to me than a compass point reference. Surely north/south/east/west would be constantly changing as the river flows.

[trajan]

Funny, though, the number of cities where it would seem that the Left Bank is more, shall we say, Bohemian?

[John_Hartley]

Funny, though, the number of cities where it would seem that the Left Bank is more, shall we say, Bohemian?

Yes, we often say that in Stockport as the Mersey flows through the town.

[cwbuff]

Thanks for the replies. The only problem is that the text does not say which way the stream flows. It appears to be assumed that the reader knows this, which was not the case for me.

[centurion]

Funny, though, the number of cities where it would seem that the Left Bank is more, shall we say, Bohemian?

Isn't it the other way round - the nature of the Parisian Left Bank being the origin of "left wing"?

[Martin Bennitt]

Isn't it the other way round - the nature of the Parisian Left Bank being the origin of "left wing"?

Left and right wing refers to the distribution of seats in the French parliament. Socialists and their ilk traditionally sit on the left of the semicircle of seats in the national assembly, conservatives to the right and, surprise surprise, centrists in the middle.

Cheers Martin B

[centurion]

Left and right wing refers to the distribution of seats in the French parliament. Socialists and their ilk traditionally sit on the left of the semicircle of seats in the national assembly, conservatives to the right and, surprise surprise, centrists in the middle.

Cheers Martin B

I think that this reflects the original definition of left wing which was around long before there was such a French parliament

[Martin Bennitt]

I think that this reflects the original definition of left wing which was around long before there was such a French parliament

En effet, it dates from the French revolutionary assembly, IIRC

Cheers Martin B

[Lawsyd]

Yes, we often say that in Stockport as the Mersey flows through the town.

Which is precisely why I rarely visit Stockport these days (15 minutes around the M60 from me) - it's far too Bohemian for me to cope with.

[bill24chev]

Which is precisely why I rarely visit Stockport these days (15 minutes around the M60 from me) - it's far too Bohemian for me to cope with.

If it only takes you15minutesby the M60 to reach Stockport from your abode you must live either near the Pyramid at Junction 1 or near junction 27. Unless you intend traveling after Midnight

[Len Trim]

My understanding is that the king, any king, seated his friends and supporters on his right hand side as a sign of favour. Those to his left not so highly favoured and those below the salt,about the middle of the table,barely worth talking too.

Len

PS a hot topic among salmon fishers because for most casting off the left hand bank is no problem but the right hand bank can be much trickier, but that is a subject for another forum altogether.