are ships female? ive asked a few seamen but could not give me an answer...
2006-09-28 09:47:07 · 23 answers · asked by jenny ros 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
In fact, it s a very old tradition going back to the Greek and the Romans who have taken that from ancient Egyptians who believed that ships are "luck bringing female creatures".
Later on, the author of the English dictonary about naval expressions, John Rousmaniere, sticked to that tradition that ships are female. Another argument for Rousmaniere was that ships can be considered as being beautiful and that they sometimes "behave" strangely (just telling what is in that book lol).
According to Lloyd s list (an approx. 270 year old London paper about merchant shipping), ships are supposed to be considered as "neuter" since 2002. The navy opposes though (that s what I call an attitude lol) and sticks to the old rules.
;-)
2006-09-29 07:37:18 · answer #1 · answered by Chris 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most seamen, obviously, are male. The naming or describing of a ship as female highlights the precariousness of sea fairing - seamen found it easier to associate hope of safe return in the image of the feminine than something masculine. The feminine also highlights the longingness to return to their wife and family.
I think....
2006-09-28 09:57:31 · answer #2 · answered by Mr Ryan 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
there is no he/she its all a matter of opinion, not being sexist but there is a higher majority of male crews on ships, i suppose if you name something in the opposite sex it becomes easyer to hold a relationship with or confide in, say for instance... if you were on board a ship in stormy weather you would find it easyer saying "come on baby i know you can make it" rather than "come on old chap i know you can make it" as mentally you tell yourself by showing more appreciation/effection to the the object may it be a car/boat/plane anything, theres more chance it will meet your demands. sounds like a bit of a dodgy explination but its hard trying to type whats in your head
2006-09-28 12:25:47 · answer #3 · answered by Escort_Turbo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haha... the brilliant scholar steps up... (lol jk)
Anyway, I am taking Latin and, as you probably know, many/most/almost all of our words come from Latin. Just like Spanish, Latin has feminine nouns and masculine nouns. Almost all nouns (in fact, ALL except those occupations generally held by males, i.e. sailor, poet, and farmer) are feminine. This would include ships and methods of transportation- hence our calling them 'she.'
I hope that was understandable. In summary, we call ships and cars, etc., "she" because of the feminine endings of their Latin counterparts.
2006-09-28 09:59:29 · answer #4 · answered by well_readvolunteer 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that most guys call their cars "she". I guess. It is sort of ironic considering that in the old days, ( and still some ppl .now believe this) It was considered bad luck to have a woman on a ship. lol
2006-09-28 09:56:10 · answer #5 · answered by amber 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well... in the old days, only male sailors were borded on ships (the captian & the crew)... no women (used to be thinked to bring bad luck when a woman was on board at sea)...
so... u tell me... a ship, with 20, 50, 100 or plus of sailors (all men) on board... hell, its good that the only femine thing is the ship, don't u think?!
besides... as the 1st answer guy said; alot of "seamen" on board that vessle...
so... its kind of a thing to remind them that they're men, & can dominate, conquer & controle a woman (referred to by the ship) when she is in her wildest moods (in a storm at sea for the ship, & in bed for the real lady)...
oh also... guys like to feminise anything they got... a natural balance to them, u here him call his truck or car by femine names & gestures... also their boats & ships!
hope u got ur answer! :)
2006-09-28 10:00:57 · answer #6 · answered by Jafar B 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
lol that's truly humorous! i develop into taking a adolescents progression class in college years in the past, and between the failings it specially mentions is to "not in any respect tell the newborn 'wait till your father/mom receives homestead." even as the instructor requested us if it ever got here about in our residences, the female next to me suggested her mom were doing it for years, yet her dad hasn't come homestead yet. we do not do this throughout our homestead even with the actuality that. My son thinks both me and Mr Dawna are both evil.
2016-12-06 08:12:12 · answer #7 · answered by jamila 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hahaha. That's why. Because the seamen go into the ship...
2006-09-28 09:48:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Most boats are referred to as feminine because men own them. There are other boats with masculine names. I refer to mine as feminine because I trust the attributes of a woman more.
2006-09-28 09:58:18 · answer #9 · answered by Teacher 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because females float better than males
2006-09-30 13:11:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋