2006-06-26 22:20:02 · 8 answers · asked by amjadcanbereached 1 in Travel ➔ Cruise Travel
A ship is referred to as a "she" due to the fact that the vessel, like a mother with a child, cradles her precious cargo. She is there to comfort and protect her passengers until the time in which they must leave her and start their own journey.
2006-06-27 01:05:13 · answer #1 · answered by crobdal70 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ships have been referred to as female since at least 1375 in Oxford, England (that's the first known written record of anyone doing so). The reason behind this is that ships are "like women". They are "bloody minded, expensive, and continually in need of a lick of paint". It's also associated to the idea of the ship as an image for the state: a container or a womb. The feminine pronoun for ships has been continued because of the strong sense of tradition among the nautical-minded and because of the words used to baptize a boat: "May God bless her and all who sail in her." Recently, Lloyd's List (the daily gazette of world shipping news since 1734) tried to neuter (de-sex) ships in their papers in the name of sexism but were met by so much opposition that they gave up the fight.
Ships are not the first objects to be called female- they follow fowling pieces, cannon, cars, trains.
2006-06-26 22:33:24 · answer #2 · answered by aidanrae 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because A) men spent so much time on it, or with it, building it or perfecting it, it was considered "the other woman" or the Mistress
B) By the time all that work was done they felt like they knew every groove and curve of the boat, and since it was something that always needed to be conquered it was considered a she. BUT it's always said with a great deal of respect
2006-06-26 22:27:55 · answer #3 · answered by Sidoney 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Short answer... Things of beauty and/or grace are given Female names. Beautifully cars etc.. Things of power and/or straight have Male names.
2006-06-26 23:27:32 · answer #4 · answered by boz25 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because its the ship masters mistress at sea
2006-06-27 01:46:08 · answer #5 · answered by szbrenda 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because you ride inside
2006-06-26 22:44:55 · answer #6 · answered by baloocifer 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cuz its usually a dude driveing it.. and I dont think he would want to drive a guy! LOL
2006-06-26 22:24:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Manual_of_Style_archive_(ships_as_%22she%22)
2006-06-26 22:24:44 · answer #8 · answered by blewz4u 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋