"She" is a beauty

[WebLady]

Why do people call cars and boats and such "she"? I have always wondered that ;)

[gwenshack]

Why do people call cars and boats and such "she"? I have always wondered that ;)

I've always wondered that too. My car is a girl, because I'm a girl, but I call DH's car by a boy's name because it belongs to a boy. (He drives a VW Rabbit and I named it Roger Rabbit...DH hates that...:rofl:)

[SkippyNXC]

a TOTAL guess but i'd say every language uses male/female words... so like in french certain things are always described using the female... somethings are always male... so my guess is that it sorta comes from that b/c english is the only gender-neutral language... we have no male/female way of saying the door... it's just the door... unlike if u said la door versus le door (idk if that makes ANY sense but in my head i know what i'm trying to say LOLOLOL)

[KMS]

We tend to sentimentalize things that we care a lot about...maybe that's part of the reason? I'm not a car person so I couldn't care less about my he/she car, but if I called my cousins car a "he" that would be a dangerous thing!

[savepaws]

I think men associate nice cars with females because they are attracted to them. Not in a sexual way, but if a car is physically attractive to look at, men probably aren't going to want to say say "Wow, HE is a beaut!" Now if its an old clunker named Bessie, I don't know why it would be classified as a she. LOL When I was a teenager, all my cars were boys & had boy names. I have no idea why

[uptowngirl]

a TOTAL guess but i'd say every language uses male/female words... so like in french certain things are always described using the female... somethings are always male... so my guess is that it sorta comes from that b/c english is the only gender-neutral language... we have no male/female way of saying the door... it's just the door... unlike if u said la door versus le door (idk if that makes ANY sense but in my head i know what i'm trying to say LOLOLOL)

I think you are on to something with this - other languages assign gender to nouns, and a lot of inanimate objects seem to be "feminine nouns".

I wonder too, if it might be because boats are usually named with female names - often the Captain's wife, sweetheart or daughter (my dad's boat is the Ruby G - referencing my mom's affinity for rubies and their last initial).

[kgvettegirl]

My cars name is Silver, as in High Ho Silver Away (That is a Lone Ranger reference for those of you born after 1965) RC cars name is Baby because that is how he treats it. The Jeep is named Bertha, but I had named it that before I ever met RC mom (Yes, my Jeep has the same name as my MIL) the F150 we call Bubba, big, dumb and loud.

We used to have a Impala station wagon when we were kids that we called the Batmobile because that is how mom drove, like a bat on wheels.

[mitch]

"A boat is called a she because there's always a great deal of bustle around her...because there's usually a gang of men around...because she has waist and stays...because she takes a lot of paint to keep her looking good...because it's not the initial expense that breaks you, it's the upkeep...because she is all decked out...because it takes a good man to handle her right...because she shows her topside, hides her bottom and, when coming into port, always heads for the buoys." ;)

I dunno why cars are Female. Mine have all been girls. From Doris the Morris and Sarah the Sierra. To Victoria the Vectra and Mandy the Metro.

Katie was my favourite car. She was an old 1994 Sierra. And called Katie because her number plate was KT.

I now drive Freda the Focus. :p

[WebLady]

I have not named any of my cars ... hubby has named a couple of his cars, but not girl names; "The Machine" and "Cyclops" were a couple ;)

[ChristineLS]

Why is a ship referred to as "she?"
It has always been customary to personify certain inanimate objects and attribute to them characteristics peculiar to living creatures. Thus, things without life are often spoken of as having a sex. Some objects are regarded as masculine. The sun, winter, and death are often personified in this way. Others are regarded as feminine, especially those things that are dear to us. The earth as mother Earth is regarded as the common maternal parent of all life. In languages that use gender for common nouns, boats, ships, and other vehicles almost invariably use a feminine form. Likewise, early seafarers spoke of their ships in the feminine gender for the close dependence they had on their ships for life and sustenance.

http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/trivia01.htm

Why is a ship a "she"?
and Bits & Pieces
The Merchant Navy Man | The unusual dog Bamse | Did you know?

We always call a ship a "she" and not without a reason.
For she displays a well-shaped knee regardless of the season.
She scorns the man whose heart is faint and doesn't show him pity.
And like a girl she needs the paint to keep her looking pretty.


For love she'll brace the ocean vast, be she a gig or cruiser.
But if you fail to tie her fast you're almost sure to lose her.
On ships and dames we pin our hopes, we fondle them and dandle them.
And every man must know his ropes or else he cannot handle them.



Be firm with her and she'll behave when skies are dark above you.
And let her take a water wave - praise her, and she'll love you.
That's why a ship must have a mate; she needs a good provider.
A good strong arm to keep her straight, to comfort her and guide her.



For such she'll brace the roughest gales and angry seas that crowd her.
And in a brand new suit of sails no dame looks any prouder.
The ship is like a dame in that she's feminine and swanky;
You'll find the one that's broad and fat is never mean and cranky.



Yes ships are ladylike indeed, for take them altogether
the ones that show a lot of speed can't stand the roughest weather.

http://www.warsailors.com/freefleet/shippoem.html

Posted by ESC on January 05, 2003

In Reply to: Re: She posted by R. Berg on January 05, 2003

: : Hello!

: : I'm a young researcher interested in the topic of gender and language. I know that in English the pronoun "she" could be referred to ships and cars. The conceptual analysis of the she-category brought me an unusual idea about the she-reference.

: : The analysis showed that there are at least six cognitive metaphors in the conceptual system that make us believe ships are feminine:

: : 1. SHIP IS PREGANANT WOMAN
: : 2. SHIP IS ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
: : 3. BAPTIZM OF SHIP IS BAPTIZM OF HUMAN BEING
: : 4. DECOMISSIONING OF SHIP IS DEATH
: : 5. SHIP'S BODY IS HUMAN BODY
: : 6. SHIP'S MOVEMENTS ARE BODY MOVEMENTS

: : The most prominent one is the first metaphor that can also be traced in cars. Ships, cars and women are "containers" that carry a load in themselves and finaly deliver it. Also ships and mothers secure the life of the load. The load is viewed as something precious.

: : These results of the analysis are so unusual that I want to put them on the agenda here looking forward to hearing your opinion.

: : Sincerely yours,
: : Roman Korolenko

: We tossed this one around a bit. See discussion at link below (http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/10/messages/142.html).

SHIPS AS 'SHE' - "Many people wonder why a ship is referred to as a 'she.' The explanation is that it was customary in early days to dedicate a ship to a goddess, under whose protection she sailed. The ship carried the diety's carved image on her bow not as a decoration, as later generations imagined, but as an aid to finding the way." From "How Did it Begin?" by R. Brasch (Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1969).

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/18/messages/95.html

"Why are Boats Referred to as "She"?"

Connie asks: I am trying to find out why boats are always referred to as the female gender.. When and why did this practice start?
According to Yarns of the Sea, Legends, Myths, and Superstitions: Although women were considered to bring bad luck at sea, mariners always use the pronoun "she" when referring to their ships. Whether its proper name is masculine, or whether it is a man o'war, a battleship, or a nuclear submarine, a ship is always referred to as "she."

This old tradition is thought to stem from the fact that in the Romance languages, the word for "ship" is always in the feminine. For this reason, Mediterranean sailors always referred to their ship as "she", and the practice was adopted over the centuries by their English-speaking counterparts.

One source suggests that a ship "was nearer and dearer to the sailor than anyone except his mother." What better reason to call his ship "she"?

Thanks for the question, Connie!

http://www.boatsafe.com/kids/kidsquesshe.htm

In Russian, Ship (korabl') is masculine... I think they call it "he" so that would make sense.

[WebLady]

Good stuff Christine, thanks :)

Yeah I sort of figured it had something to do with gender in language and/or how the vessel was dear to the owner.