Philosophy Now Forum

From my study of French, certain objects are treated as male and others as female. For example la table is regarded as female. To me it's an unnecessary complication but it is interesting.

Your thoughts.

PhilX

In English, boats are regarded as female.

Have you been with the marines ? They could explain perhaps.

duszek wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 9:16 am In English, boats are regarded as female.

Have you been with the marines? They could explain perhaps.

Does watching Star Trek count?

PhilX

Yes, sure.

So why are boats female in English ?

duszek wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:03 am Yes, sure.

So why are boats female in English ?

Under study.

PhilX

Here's a short tutorial (note the gender difference between a telephone and a television):

http://www.frenchtutorial.com/en/learn- ... /le_la_les

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:04 pm

duszek wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:03 am Yes, sure.

So why are boats female in English ?

Under study.

PhilX

It appears almost all sailors were male and to express their fondness for the ship, used the female gender (if someone has an alternate plausible explanation, go ahead and post).

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 3:04 pm

duszek wrote: ↑Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:03 am Yes, sure.

So why are boats female in English ?

Under study.

PhilX

Back when men were men, and sailed the high seas under the power of wind and currents, and a woman on board was bad luck, the ship was the refuge from a hostile world, like a mother is refuge for a boy.

Being female, the ship was jealous of other females on board who might distract the crew from tending to her. Best not to provoke the jealousy of the mother ship when at sea. She might throw a tantrum. Sometimes she wore a statue of a bare-breasted woman on her prow where the crew could not see and be distracted, in order to seduce the sea and win its favour for safe floating.

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Sat Jun 02, 2018 10:48 pm From my study of French, certain objects are treated as male and others as female. For example la table is regarded as female. To me it's an unnecessary complication but it is interesting.

Your thoughts.

PhilX

It is not just french, but the male/female dichotomy is observed in hermetic philosophy as well which stems from ancient egypt. The male can be observe as "active form" and the female as "passive no-form".