Strange Question
Moderator: maddog986
Strange Question
Something came up in another thread that has prompted this question:
We (in the UK) refer to ships and cars and the like as "She".
Do other countries do the same?
We (in the UK) refer to ships and cars and the like as "She".
Do other countries do the same?
Now Maitland, now's your time!
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
RE: Strange Question
Ships and cars here in the USA. At least from the male perspective... [8D]
Rod T DeMore
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RE: Strange Question
Not sure if Tom Clancy was accurate on this, but in Red Storm he has the soviets referring to their ships as "he"
RE: Strange Question
Romance languages use masculine and feminine articles to describe inanimate objects that are often referred to by ESL students as "he" or "she" on second reference.
But then there's Star Trek's "The Man Trap":
Yeoman Janice Rand: [to one of Sulu's plants] Hello, Beauregard. How are you today, darling?
Sulu: Her name's Gertrude.
Yeoman Janice Rand: No, it's a he plant. A girl can tell.
Sulu: Why do people have to call inanimate objects 'she'? Like, um, "she's a fast ship".
Yeoman Janice Rand: He is not an inanimate object. He's so animate he makes me nervous. In fact, I keep expecting one of these plants of yours to, er, grab me.
But then there's Star Trek's "The Man Trap":
Yeoman Janice Rand: [to one of Sulu's plants] Hello, Beauregard. How are you today, darling?
Sulu: Her name's Gertrude.
Yeoman Janice Rand: No, it's a he plant. A girl can tell.
Sulu: Why do people have to call inanimate objects 'she'? Like, um, "she's a fast ship".
Yeoman Janice Rand: He is not an inanimate object. He's so animate he makes me nervous. In fact, I keep expecting one of these plants of yours to, er, grab me.
Stratford, Connecticut, U.S.A.[center][/center]
[center]"The Angel of Okinawa"[/center]
Home of the Chance-Vought Corsair, F4U
The best fighter-bomber of World War II
[center]"The Angel of Okinawa"[/center]
Home of the Chance-Vought Corsair, F4U
The best fighter-bomber of World War II
RE: Strange Question
ORIGINAL: warspite1
Something came up in another thread that has prompted this question:
We (in the UK) refer to ships and cars and the like as "She".
Do other countries do the same?
Same in Norway
"Hun skal torpederes!" - Birger Eriksen
("She is to be torpedoed!")
("She is to be torpedoed!")
RE: Strange Question
Vin Scully, play-by-play broadcaster of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team often calls a home run hit like this:
"There's a drive to deep left field, away back and she is gone!" [:D]
Patrick
"There's a drive to deep left field, away back and she is gone!" [:D]
Patrick
Please come and join and befriend me at the great Steam portal! There are quite a few Matrix/Slitherine players on Steam! My member page: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197988402427
RE: Strange Question
What about Germany?
Now Maitland, now's your time!
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
RE: Strange Question
Answer #8 – A ship is called “she” because . . .
Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz put it more succinctly in an address to the Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy: "A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder."
http://drbj.hubpages.com/hub/Why-is-Ship-Called-She
“We never felt like we were losing until we were actually dead.”
Marcus Luttrell
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RE: Strange Question
In American, yeah we call them she. Remember watching "In Harm Ways" when Kirk Douglas said something about that heavy cruiser he was on while under repair and said "She like a real Lady" and John Wayne said "She is the real Lady!". Few other videos i have seen during WWII, the Americans refer ships as she. Guess some do and some dont. Later on after WWII, could have changed.
RE: Strange Question
I recall that the Graf Spee and its brothers - Deutschland class heavy cruisers - were referred to as "he".
Not sure where I read it.
Not sure where I read it.
/Greyshaft
- british exil
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RE: Strange Question
In Germany the ships are a "she" even if they have male names.
The german article that I read said that it dates back to when the men at sea referred their ship to the bride that was at him. Thus the ship was their woman.
Mat
The german article that I read said that it dates back to when the men at sea referred their ship to the bride that was at him. Thus the ship was their woman.
Mat
"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
RE: Strange Question
Are you sure that this applies to Kriegsmarine ships of WWII? I've seem to recall them referred to as of masculine or neutral gender.ORIGINAL: british exil
In Germany the ships are a "she" even if they have male names.
The german article that I read said that it dates back to when the men at sea referred their ship to the bride that was at him. Thus the ship was their woman.
Mat
Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb -- they're often students, for heaven's sake. - Terry Pratchett
- british exil
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- Location: Lower Saxony Germany
RE: Strange Question
Yep.
The "Bismark" is in German die Bismark. die = feminin.
The "Prinz Eugen" was referred as "der Prinz" or "der Eugen", which was then referring to a male
The german marine school ship "Gorch Fock II" names after a german writer is also a she, even though she has a male name.
The "Imperator" was a she, but the Kasier Wihelm II let it be changed it to a him when the ship was christened.
Mat
The "Bismark" is in German die Bismark. die = feminin.
The "Prinz Eugen" was referred as "der Prinz" or "der Eugen", which was then referring to a male
The german marine school ship "Gorch Fock II" names after a german writer is also a she, even though she has a male name.
The "Imperator" was a she, but the Kasier Wihelm II let it be changed it to a him when the ship was christened.
Mat
"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS
RE: Strange Question
The captain of the Bismarck preferred that his ship was referred to as "he"
von Müllenheim-Rechberg, Burkhard Battleship Bismarck, A Survivor's Story
von Müllenheim-Rechberg, Burkhard Battleship Bismarck, A Survivor's Story
Watched a documentary on beavers. Best dam documentary I've ever seen.
RE: Strange Question
ORIGINAL: Joe D.
Romance languages use masculine and feminine articles to describe inanimate objects that are often referred to by ESL students as "he" or "she" on second reference.
But then there's Star Trek's "The Man Trap":
Yeoman Janice Rand: [to one of Sulu's plants] Hello, Beauregard. How are you today, darling?
Sulu: Her name's Gertrude.
Yeoman Janice Rand: No, it's a he plant. A girl can tell.
Sulu: Why do people have to call inanimate objects 'she'? Like, um, "she's a fast ship".
Yeoman Janice Rand: He is not an inanimate object. He's so animate he makes me nervous. In fact, I keep expecting one of these plants of yours to, er, grab me.
Well, Sulu certainly wasn't going to!
"Venimus, vidimus, Deus vicit" John III Sobieski as he entered Vienna on 9/12/1683. "I came, I saw, God conquered."
He that has a mind to fight, let him fight, for now is the time. - Anacreon
He that has a mind to fight, let him fight, for now is the time. - Anacreon
RE: Strange Question
ORIGINAL: H Gilmer
ORIGINAL: Joe D.
Romance languages use masculine and feminine articles to describe inanimate objects that are often referred to by ESL students as "he" or "she" on second reference.
But then there's Star Trek's "The Man Trap":
Yeoman Janice Rand: [to one of Sulu's plants] Hello, Beauregard. How are you today, darling?
Sulu: Her name's Gertrude.
Yeoman Janice Rand: No, it's a he plant. A girl can tell.
Sulu: Why do people have to call inanimate objects 'she'? Like, um, "she's a fast ship".
Yeoman Janice Rand: He is not an inanimate object. He's so animate he makes me nervous. In fact, I keep expecting one of these plants of yours to, er, grab me.
Well, Sulu certainly wasn't going to!
1+
Stratford, Connecticut, U.S.A.[center][/center]
[center]"The Angel of Okinawa"[/center]
Home of the Chance-Vought Corsair, F4U
The best fighter-bomber of World War II
[center]"The Angel of Okinawa"[/center]
Home of the Chance-Vought Corsair, F4U
The best fighter-bomber of World War II