[Lexicog] Gender: Crazy English and the awful German language

[John Roberts]

On the other hand, why can you say "Necessity is the mother of invention" 
but not "Necessity is the father of invention" and "mother-of-pearl" and not 
"father-of-pearl' and "mother ship" and not "father ship"? Why do we speak 
of "daughter languages" and not "son languages"? Why "nursemaid" and not 
"nurseman"? Why "maiden voyage" and not "bachelor voyage"? Why is the game 
called "Aunt Sally" and not "Uncle Ben"? and so on.

Gender preferences work both ways in English.

John Roberts




 
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