A second invitation to the "SHE" question
 

I was sorry to see that the thread was closed, usually those silly arguments dry up pretty quickly (except for the cruiser vs sportbike ones :D)

I just wanted to take the time to respond to the ORIGINAL question...if your knowledge of history is even slightly acceptable, you would know that throughout the ages, property has been referred to with female pronouns, since women themselves were also considered property for thousands of years. Seems like a pretty simple answer to me, and anyone that paid attention in school will know that :D

Anyone else have a different answer? I personally call mine "she" because she can be a real ***** sometimes, and when her bolt ons don't install easily, I tend to call her one too :D

belle in the navy we called our ship's she, or her, but i call my car crazy horse, my favorite indian chief- the custer buster, he can be a bast--- , i wont call my stang a she , no flames, please dont take this wrong, but i am breaking tradition, my car is a mo fo with it's own attitude, so i named him after a male:D

I have a hard time seeing my car as a girl too, but don't know if its a guy either. I just call it it, or maybe I'll start calling it Pat.

All I know is that I was told that vehicles are reffered to as women because men tend to treat the cars more like a female than a male. I would never treat my friend the way I would my girlfriend. But I would (in car terms) treat my car that way. Plus with boats and suck I was told you always name your boat for your daughter, because she will always be your daughter whereas your wife may never always be your wife.

...and HIS rev limiter works, too!

:)

Take care,
-Chris

She
 

Mustangbelle:

FYI:

The thread was closed because it was argumentative and insulting and almost immediately veered into a flame war.

The former member that posted the thread wanted a fight, not a discussion. A insult-fest, not information.

Those kinds of name-calling threads are available elsewhere but are, er, strongly discouraged on MW.

As long as this discussion can remain civil, go to it. If not, it too will be deleted or closed.

Let's hope this one goes better and without the flaming.

The group i hang out with we don't call our cars he or she we have our own unique name for them. my one budy's car is maroon with ghost flames on it so it got the name Ghostly Coupe"
another has the name "Green Turdle" cause it is green and someione just poked fun at him and called it a turd so they combined them. another guy we call "B-cam tommy" cause he claim to be running a b- cam but a few guys say they have never heard a b-cam lope like his does

you d------ :D :D heheheh yes it does

ROFLMAO!!!

:D

Take care,
-Chris

1 for PKRWUD!
 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: A second invitation to the "SHE" question
 

Your Matt's woman, right?:D

no arguement there!:p j/k

seriously, i dont have any names for my cars either or a gender type. it just bothers me calling it a "she". i dont know why, but it does!:confused:

Cultural phenomena
 

Way back when I was in college, I had a discussion about this with one of my German professors. In German, vehicles are masculine (men). He could not understand why Americans referred to their cars as women.

Now this may get me into some trouble, but I don't think it's so much about the ownership, as you referred to, rather the similarities.

Think about it, cars are amazing. The grace, power, style, not to mention the thousands of little parts to consider. They are so darn complicated that no one can understand all cars. Guys find one that makes pretty good sense and stick with it. Sure, there is the temper, and the fact that it will break down for no apparent reason, but I won't go there.

I think it's a natural pairing. There are a lot of things you can insult about a man, but diss his car and you've crossed a line. Usually they get defensive about their women too.

Uh, prolly 'cause, at least TO ME ANYWAY, it'd be....."flamboyant," with me being a guy, and riding around in something labeled as being "male", ya know? :rolleyes: Ever see the Ambiguously Gay Duo, and the car THEY ride in????

This is just my opinion, so if ya don't like it, tough noodles.

LOLOLOL

http://members.tripod.com/~Rambit/gayduo.htm


I've never called my car a "she" ever. I've called it many other things though.... ;)

Re: A second invitation to the "SHE" question
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mustangbelle306

Yes.

That 'females were considered property ' is historical fact but I disagree that this explains why guys call their cars by female names or 'she'.

First, I believe that since it's primarily males that are car fanatics they naturally call that which they like and feel close to by the pronoun 'she'.

Historically, ships were the main mode of long-distance transportation as well as a vehicle to make money (fishing, whaling, etc) and they were always referred to as 'she', probably for the same basic reason. Men were the Captains and crew members and men named their treasured possession a 'she' as they valued the ship (now a car) in a similar way that they valued their women.

The fact that females use the pronoun 'he' makes perfect sense - for exactly the same reason.

Contrary to feminist teaching and belief, not all of human history is that of male oppression of females - many cultures have valued woman as partners and wives, not slaves (possessions) - and although I'm sure you didn't mean to infer anything negative in your brief analysis I would just as soon adopt my view of the basis for 'she' being used to identify a man's Mustang.

I find it not only more positive but also probably closer to reality...and you did ask for different answers. That's mine.

Actually, that's pretty much what I always figured, too, although I never lost any sleep over it.

;)

Take care,
-Chris

Well, I'm not a feminist, and my explanation was meant to be just that...not some diatribe for the grevious wrong done to women by keeping them as property...who really cares?! I was stating it as merely a *valid* explanation for a simple question.

Just wanted to clear that up...

She
 

Mustangbelle306:

I'm aware that you're no feminist and I think that's obvious to all but the feminist projection of male oppression of women throughout history has become ingrained in the schools - and the culture - and is now usually simply accepted as fact when it's really a half-truth.

I just wanted to make that clear.

I also stand by my theory that men named that which they valued with the pronoun 'she' and continue to do so to this day. Past female subjugation by men has nothing to do with it.

As I said, you gave your answer to the question of why men call their cars 'she' and asked for other answers.
I think that one is as good as any - and maybe better.

I see my car as a pet, not a woman. It is WAAAAY more to me like a pet than a woman-- thus, it's an "it". You know, like when I just win a good race I'll pet it on the dashboard saying something like, " I'm so proud of you!" or if I lose (but the car performed as well as it could) I'll say something like "don't worry, you did your best, I'm not mad at you."

I guess it also goes for how much I LOVE animals (esp dogs) and how much I respect women. See, IMO, like a dog, I have to feed the stang, take it for a walk/run, clean it, repair it, put a lot of attention to it b/c it cannot do it itself (b/c it's not intelligent). But a woman, b/c a car is physically pretty much a hunk of metal and explosions, I cannot personally see myself refering it to it as a woman or a she. Women are waaaaaaaayyyyy squishier :D, usually smell better, and are alot cleaner (usually)-- sometimes, they can even make ya dinner (now cars can't do that ;)). Yeah, it could be a she pet, but usually if I get a dog, it's a male.

Anyway, there's my take on the subject and how I look at it..... :)

Yeah - I'm with Fox Body on this one. I refuse to "ride" anything that could be percieved as "male" and it doesn't cook, clean, or make babies so I don't think its female either. ( :D jk) But it is loyal, doesn't talk back, gives me company, and reduces my stress - just like a dog.