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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Is a country "she" or "it"?
I have tried to find out whether it is more common, or regarded as more corrrect, to say e.g. "Finland defended herself" or "Finland defended itself". Or, generally, whether the pronoun "she" or the pronoun "it" is used about countries. Both alternatives seem to be used, maybe so that "it" is more common. Is either of them more idiomatic, or is there some essential stylistic difference (e.g. so that "she" is poetic or literary)?
Yucca, http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/
Yucca, http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/
Top answer
g. "Finland ... [/nq] As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many.
- g.
- "Finland ...
- [/nq] As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many.
- In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be used for a country or a ship/boat.
- Me, I prefer "it" for anything that isn't a human being or a domestic animal.
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56 Answers
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[nq:1]I have tried to find out whether it is more common, or regarded as more corrrect, to say e.g. "Finland ... Is either of them more idiomatic, or is there some essential stylistic difference (e.g.so that "she" is poetic or literary)?[/nq]
As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be us
As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be us
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[nq:1]Me, I prefer "it" for anything that isn't a human being or a domestic animal. The classification of inanimate things as females is a dated practice, and an affectation in some cases.[/nq]
C'mon, you can't use "it" when referring to a Ferrari. She is a foxy car.
C'mon, you can't use "it" when referring to a Ferrari. She is a foxy car.
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[nq:2]I have tried to find out whether it is more ... stylistic difference (e.g. so that "she" is poetic or literary)?[/nq]
[nq:1]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be used for a country...[/nq]
Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.
Ray
[nq:1]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be used for a country...[/nq]
Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.
Ray
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[nq:2]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is ... who feel that "she" must be used for a country...[/nq]
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
Actually, it doesn't, at least for me. Even if a country is described as a "fatherland", "he" sounds wrong, and "she" doesn't really.
Evan Kirshenbaum + HP Laboratories >It's gotten to the point where the
1501 P
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
Actually, it doesn't, at least for me. Even if a country is described as a "fatherland", "he" sounds wrong, and "she" doesn't really.
Evan Kirshenbaum + HP Laboratories >It's gotten to the point where the
1501 P
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[nq:2]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is ... who feel that "she" must be used for a country...[/nq]
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
But do the "fatherland" school use "he" to refer to their country?
I can imagine: "Britain is the Motherland: she will come to our aid".
But...
"Germany is the Fatherland: he will come to our aid" ??
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
But do the "fatherland" school use "he" to refer to their country?
I can imagine: "Britain is the Motherland: she will come to our aid".
But...
"Germany is the Fatherland: he will come to our aid" ??
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[nq:2]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
[nq:1]But do the "fatherland" school use "he" to refer to their country? I can imagine: "Britain is the Motherland: she will come to our aid". But... "Germany is the Fatherland: he will come to our aid" ??[/nq]
And, is it "patria" for father, which I suppose (since I don't really know Latin) a masculine noun, or is it apparently femin
[nq:1]But do the "fatherland" school use "he" to refer to their country? I can imagine: "Britain is the Motherland: she will come to our aid". But... "Germany is the Fatherland: he will come to our aid" ??[/nq]
And, is it "patria" for father, which I suppose (since I don't really know Latin) a masculine noun, or is it apparently femin
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[nq:1]And, is it "patria" for father, which I suppose (since I don't really know Latin) a masculine noun,[/nq]
Latin "patria" is definitely a feminine noun - originally the feminine form of the adjective patrius : patria : patrium, with the implied noun "terra" 'land', which is feminine. For similar reasons, country names like "Germania", "Anglia", "Russia" etc. in (neo-)Latin are feminine.
Latin "patria" is definitely a feminine noun - originally the feminine form of the adjective patrius : patria : patrium, with the implied noun "terra" 'land', which is feminine. For similar reasons, country names like "Germania", "Anglia", "Russia" etc. in (neo-)Latin are feminine.
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Maria Conlon:
[nq:1]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be used for a country or a ship/boat.[/nq]
That's about right.
[nq:1]Me, I prefer "it" for anything that isn't a human being or a domestic animal. The classification of inanimate things as females is a dated practice, an
[nq:1]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is poetic, but it's also seen as fully correct by many. In fact, there are people who feel that "she" must be used for a country or a ship/boat.[/nq]
That's about right.
[nq:1]Me, I prefer "it" for anything that isn't a human being or a domestic animal. The classification of inanimate things as females is a dated practice, an
00
[nq:1]I have tried to find out whether it is more common, or regarded as more corrrect, to say e.g. "Finland defended herself" or "Finland defended itself".[/nq]
When I went to school, countries were female in that respect. Don't ask me why. E.g. "Poland needed friends so she asked Britain and France for help" or something like that ... it was so long ago I forget the story.
[nq:1]Or, gene
When I went to school, countries were female in that respect. Don't ask me why. E.g. "Poland needed friends so she asked Britain and France for help" or something like that ... it was so long ago I forget the story.
[nq:1]Or, gene
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[nq:2]As a guess, I'd say that the "she" usage is ... who feel that "she" must be used for a country...[/nq]
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
Countries are "it."
Ships are "she." Boats are often "it," I think. A person may think of his car as "she," although I had one I thought of as "he."
Cece
[nq:1]Depends if it is a motherland or fatherland.[/nq]
Countries are "it."
Ships are "she." Boats are often "it," I think. A person may think of his car as "she," although I had one I thought of as "he."
Cece
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