# gender designation of objects

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 23, 2000, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924 "2000-10-23T01:07:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924/21 "2000-10-25T20:43:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Arjuna34 \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by peace \*  
> > \*\*Is there anyone who speaks another similar genderless language, I mean, other than English? I know that in Georgian (Caucasus Georgia), there are no genders either. All other languages I know about have two or three genders.  
> > Cats, for instance, can be boys or girls, or both, depending on the masters language. I wonder who knows if “ship” is a “she” in Georgian or other genderless language? \*\*
> 
> English is not genderless. The fact that “ship” is a “she” is a result. This effect is the only vestige of gender left in English, AFAIK.
> 
> Arjuna34 \*\*

Again from comparing with German, “ship” would almost have to have been a neuter noun, not feminine. “Boat”, too.  
In the title “Das Boot” (the boat), “das” is the neuter nominative definite article.

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**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924/22 "2000-10-25T20:52:34Z")

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While on the subject of German boats, the battleship _Bismarck_ was officially referred to as “he”, a purposeful change from previous tradition.

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**Author:** ![linda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@linda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/linda)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924/23 "2000-10-25T21:08:24Z")

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Who referred to the Bismark that way and why?

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924/24 "2000-10-25T21:09:37Z")

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I believe assigning genders to things in English is bending the rules and cities, animals and babies should always be “it” and not he or her. Ships I believe are about the only admitted exception and I would say even that usage would be restricted to people of the sea.

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**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-designation-of-objects/37924/25 "2000-10-25T21:25:25Z")

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Max Torque wrote:

> [@](#):
>
> While on the subject of German boats, the battleship Bismarck was officially referred to as “he”, a purposeful change from previous tradition.

Also, German airships (e.g. the Graf Zeppelin and the Hindenburg) were also referred to in the masculine gender – wonder if it had something to do with their shape 😉

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