"Fill her up!"

[nq:1]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I know that they say that sentence in the gas station. But, why they say 'her'?[/nq]
That should be: "Why do they say 'her'?"
[nq:1]Cars are women?[/nq]
If you don't already know the answer to this question, then I feel sorry for you, but at the same time I'm relieved to think that you're not going to pass this deficiency on to your

[nq:1]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I know that they say that sentence in the gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Cars are women?[/nq]
No, it's just an expression that some use. Some say "Fill it up". When the "her" is used, it's usually "'er" as in "Fill 'er up". There's no particular reason.

[nq:2]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I ... the gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Carsare women?[/nq]
[nq:1]No, it's just an expression that some use. Some say "Fill it up". When the "her" is used, it's usually "'er" as in "Fill 'er up". There's no particular reason.[/nq]
In some parts of western England everything is "he". So there it might be "Fill 'im up".
Mike.

Soo wrote on 18 Oct 2004:
[nq:1]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I know that they say that sentence in the gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Cars are women?[/nq]
Look up ee cummings' poem "she being brand new".

Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor
For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.

[nq:1]No, it's just an expression that some use. Some say "Fill it up". When the "her" is used, it's usually "'er" as in "Fill 'er up". There's no particular reason.[/nq]
I agree that there is no particular reason.
Boats are often referred to as "she". I would hesitate to say that when objects are personified in English, they tend to be treated as feminine, but that could be the case.

CyberCypher filted:
[nq:1]Soo wrote on 18 Oct 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I ... gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Cars are women?[/nq]
[nq:1]Look up ee cummings' poem "she being brand new".[/nq]
Cars are female, but not necessarily women...my car, for instance, is a ***..r

[nq:1]Look up ee cummings' poem "she being brand new".[/nq]
http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/eecummings/331
always sounded to me like a male tale.
For a distaff version, how about:
http://www.am

[nq:1]Cars are female, but not necessarily women...my car, for instance, is a ***..r[/nq]
Surely hot rods must be male. %^)

Joe Fineman joe (Email Removed)

[nq:1]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I know that they say that sentence in the gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Cars are women?[/nq]
Only people in Oregon and one other state say that. Everywhere else, you'll get arrested as crazy for talking to yourself.

"In August Rudyard's listlessness called for another series of major and very unpleasant medical examinations

[nq:1]I heard many American people say "Fill her up". I know that they say that sentence in the gas station. But, why they say 'her'? Cars are women?[/nq]
Did you ever see a female petrol pump?

Chris Malcolm (Email Removed) +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205 IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK (