Why ships
and cars are "she"?
Posted by Roman
Korolenko on January 05, 2003 Hello!
I'm a young researcher
interested in the topic of gender and language. I know that in English the pronoun
"she" could be referred to ships and cars. The conceptual analysis of the she-category
brought me an unusual idea about the she-reference.
The analysis showed that
there are at least six cognitive metaphors in the conceptual system that make
us believe ships are feminine:
1. SHIP IS PREGANANT WOMAN
2. SHIP IS ATTRACTIVE
WOMAN
3. BAPTIZM OF SHIP IS BAPTIZM OF HUMAN BEING
4. DECOMISSIONING OF
SHIP IS DEATH
5. SHIP'S BODY IS HUMAN BODY
6. SHIP'S MOVEMENTS ARE BODY
MOVEMENTS
The most prominent one is the first metaphor that can also be traced
in cars. Ships, cars and women are "containers" that carry a load in themselves
and finaly deliver it. Also ships and mothers secure the life of the load. The
load is viewed as something precious.
These results of the analysis are so unusual
that I want to put them on the agenda here looking forward to hearing your opinion.
Sincerely
yours,
Roman Korolenko
- Re: She R. Berg
01/05/03 (5)
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