Royal navy ships....him/her?

Vanatru · Jan 18, 2007

I'm working with many Brits, but all army, so they're low-to-no for help on this. For a WIP, I'm trying to find out if the brits think of their ships in the feminine, or masculine?

i.e. "She's a good ol'ship." or "He's a good ol'ship"

As I understand it, the Germans consider their ships in the masculine sense.....so that got me wondering about the Brits.

Thanks for any help.

-Bill

poetinahat · Jan 18, 2007

I remember a BBC series from some time ago, called The Sea Kingdoms. It discussed the history of England, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, dating back to when sea travel was easier than overland travel.

One tidbit I recall is that ships were always made of she-oak, and that boats were always referred to as 'she'; there was some concern or superstition that the boats becoming jealous of the seamen's wives. (I probably have that last bit wrong; I'll see if I can dig out the correct information. It may date back to the Norsemen who raided the coastal towns of these areas long ago.)

Vanatru · Jan 18, 2007

She-oak? Hmph, never heard of that. Maybe that's where "sporting wood" came from.

Fascinating bit of trivia though. Thanks.

-Bill

JimmyB27 · Jan 19, 2007

The sensible of us think of them as "It's a good ol'ship."

dpaterso · Jan 19, 2007

"She" is still in use here in the UK but is deigned to be politically incorrect, what with our living in a don't-dare-offend-anyone socialist state, thus the powers that be are trying to stamp out "she" and replace with the asexual "it" which just doesn't sound right if you ask me, not that anyone is. Centuries of seafaring tradition, don't you know, seeing off the Hun, and before that, the Frogs and the... what's an insulting name for the Spanish? In the historical sense, I mean. We're all best mates now. Pals forever. Bloody hell.

-Derek

JimmyB27 · Jan 19, 2007

dpaterso said:
"She" is still in use here in the UK but is deigned to be politically incorrect, what with our living in a don't-dare-offend-anyone socialist state, thus the powers that be are trying to stamp out "she" and replace with the asexual "it" which just doesn't sound right if you ask me, not that anyone is. Centuries of seafaring tradition, don't you know, seeing off the Hun, and before that, the Frogs and the... what's an insulting name for the Spanish? In the historical sense, I mean. We're all best mates now. Pals forever. Bloody hell.

-Derek

I wasn't even thinking of the PC thing - just that it's a ship, not a person.

dpaterso · Jan 19, 2007

See "Centuries of seafaring tradition" above, JB.

Depends if you live inland or near the sea, no? If you're not used to seeing and talking about ships and boats, and have no particular interest in British naval history, "she vs. it" has little or no significance. Ask someone from Northampton, they might not care; ask someone from Southampton, a stone's throw away from the Royal Navy's nerve center at Portsmouth, they'll look at you as if you're funny.

-Derek

Higgins · Jan 19, 2007

RN says Warspite is a She

Vanatru said:
I'm working with many Brits, but all army, so they're low-to-no for help on this. For a WIP, I'm trying to find out if the brits think of their ships in the feminine, or masculine?

i.e. "She's a good ol'ship." or "He's a good ol'ship"

As I understand it, the Germans consider their ships in the masculine sense.....so that got me wondering about the Brits.

Thanks for any help.

-Bill

She's a she:

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3916

Vanatru · Jan 19, 2007

Thanks for the info guys. Why would it be offensive to refer to a ship as a "she"? I didn't realize it was such an off thing. It's not like a ship is an dirty, evil thing. Hmph....go figure.

September skies · Jan 19, 2007

i have always heard of ships referred to as "she"

dpaterso · Jan 19, 2007

Vanatru said:
Why would it be offensive to refer to a ship as a "she"? I didn't realize it was such an off thing. It's not like a ship is an dirty, evil thing. Hmph....go figure.

What, you mean women are dirty, evil things? So easy to take that line the wrong way...

Which of course is what political correctness is... the reduction of everything to a bland gray mulch which no one can take offense from or complain about. Absolutely no insult is intended towards bland gray mulches.

As regards she vs. it, the same reason they stopped naming hurricanes only after women applies. In years past, the Royal Navy was a men-only institution, ladies keep out. Now they're more sensitive; it is the 21st century after all.

But regardless of what fickle political winds may blow, sailors will always love their ships and say, "Isn't she beautiful?"

-Derek

PattiTheWicked · Jan 19, 2007

In Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin series, which is probably hands-down the best historical fiction written about that particular time period, ships of the line are always referred to as "she".

waylander · Jan 19, 2007

dpaterso said:
See "Centuries of seafaring tradition" above, JB.

Depends if you live inland or near the sea, no? If you're not used to seeing and talking about ships and boats, and have no particular interest in British naval history, "she vs. it" has little or no significance. Ask someone from Northampton, they might not care; ask someone from Southampton, a stone's throw away from the Royal Navy's nerve center at Portsmouth, they'll look at you as if you're funny.

-Derek

She
I'm from Southampton and my father was in the Merchant Navy.
Ask someone from Southampton anything about Portsmouth and we'll look at you funny.

Vanatru · Jan 19, 2007

dpaterso said:
What, you mean women are dirty, evil things? So easy to take that line the wrong way...
-Derek

Ack!!!!!!

Reading it from a different light I see what you mean. That's 180 degrees from what I was thinking. Most women are sweet, wonderful creatures.

Like ships.

Royal navy ships....him/her?

Vanatru

practical experience, FTW

poetinahat

say it loud

Vanatru

practical experience, FTW

JimmyB27

Hoopy frood

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

JimmyB27

Hoopy frood

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Higgins

Vanatru

practical experience, FTW

September skies

cloud watching

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Vanatru

practical experience, FTW