Oct 22, 2009

Why a Ship is called "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 common maternal parent of all life. In languages that use gender for common nouns, boats, and other vehicles almost invariably use as feminine form. Likewise early seafarers spoke of their ships in the feminine gender for close dependence hey had on their ships for life and substance.
In the past there were no female worked in the commercial and war ships. All sailors were male. So they considered ship as their lady.

Until today ship is called "She", because:

• There is always a great deal of bustle around her
• There is usually a gang of men about
• She has a waist and stays
• It takes a lot of paint to keep her good looking
• She shows her topsides and hides her bottom
• She can be all decked out
• It takes an experienced man to handle her correctly
• And without a man at the helm, she is absolutely un- controllable.
• It takes a lot of Paint to keep her Good - Looking.
• And the main reason....It's not the initial expense that breaks you, It's the upkeep.
• When coming into port, always heads for the buoys.

Admiral Nimitz once said, "Because she costs a lot in paint and powder to be eye pleasing and ready to go out."
"Like a woman, she flaunts her topsides, hides her bottom, and there is always a bustle of men around her."