"gender neutral pronouns"

[William Ryan]

To seek to be 'gender neutral' in cases like this seems a bit silly. 
Traditionally countries (even the Vatican), and ships, have been 
referred to in English as 'she', although I think there is an unforced 
tendency to use 'its' more often nowadays for the possessive. The 
feminine convention sounds to my ear a little more literary and perhaps 
a little dated. With regard to ships, in British English at least, I 
think they are still 'she' among mariners, even if they are battleships 
called King George V - they certainly were when I was in the navy, and 
things don't change quickly there.

First verse of old sailor's ditty found on Google (anon):   

    We always call a ship a "she" and not without a reason.
    For she displays a well-shaped knee regardless of the season.
    She scorns the man whose heart is faint and doesn't show him pity.
    And like a girl she needs the paint to keep her looking pretty.

Will Ryan

Robert Chandler wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I�m curious to know how people react to the following sentence:
> �Pushkin was both Russia�s greatest poet and its first great historian.�
>
> It is by me, as changed, against my wishes, by one of my editors.  To my
> ear, it grates horribly.  I would prefer �her first great historian�.
> Apparently �house style� favours �gender-neutral pronouns�.
>
> Am I being silly, sentimental, old-fashioned, sexist...?  Does anyone else
> feel strongly, either way, about this?
>
> Best Wishes,
>
> Robert 
>
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