Date:  Mon, 29 Jan 1996 22:24:46 -0500

From:  Benjamin Barrett <Gogaku[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]GNN.COM>

Subject: Re: why are ships referred to as she (fwd)



>One of our area libraries directed this question to us which we have not

> been

>very successful in answering. Apparently a class has been given the

>assignment of finding out why ships and boats are referred to as SHE.

>We have looked in all sorts of ship and sea lore books but all we can find

>is, yes they are referred to as SHE. Any information and sources as to why

>sailing vessels are spoken of in the female gender would be appreciated.



Nothing but a guess here. I always thought it was because sailors were male

and they always talked about being married to the sea, etc, etc. I guess it

could be the other way around, though it seems less likely.



I also have so no particular reason, perhaps, that mother country is the

reason we refer(red) to countries as she also.



yoroshiku

Benjamin Barrett