[Ads-l] locomotives as female
Amy West
medievalist at W-STS.COM
Mon Apr 20 19:09:14 UTC 2015
On 4/19/15 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2015 13:23:16 -0500
> From: Jonathan Lighter<wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: locomotives as female (UNCLASSIFIED)
>
> Big moving things like ships, aircraft, and locomotives generally are
> female.
>
> If memory serves, this has been true since Middle English.
>
> At least of ships.
>
> JL
I seem to recall it as being a much more recent tradition: I think
1700s; perhaps back to the 1500s. I can not recall my source for this,
of course. Maybe _Word Myths_? Perhaps I should do my homework. . .
---Amy West
------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
More information about the Ads-l
mailing list