Query: Why "she" in reference to a ship?

[Dave Hause]

I don't have an explanation, but note this may be idiosyncratic to any
particular language - Russian apparently refers to ships as "he".
Dave Hause, dwhause at jobe.net
Waynesville, MO
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at UMR.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 10:32 AM
Subject: Query: Why "she" in reference to a ship?


     One of my students  has asked me why a ship can be referred to as
"she." Would anyone know?  Have there been any scholarly articles written on
this subject?

Gerald Cohen

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