0
Stman Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Usage of "she" .

From what I understand the simple rule is:

"she" is used for a female person
"he" is used for a male person

for everything else we use "it"

However I hear from time to time people using "she" for inanimate objects. Last time it was on the "Science channel". They were speaking about a submarine and the phrase was" "She is hiding."

What is the rule?

Thanks,
Stephan.
  

Top answer

stman What is the rule? I don't think there is a rule. You just have to memorize the few nouns in English that are customarily given a gender.

— RayH

  • stman What is the rule?
  • I don't think there is a rule.
  • You just have to memorize the few nouns in English that are customarily given a gender.
  • Note that you won't be considered wrong if you use "it" to reference such a noun.
  • For example, if you said of a submarine that "it is hiding" only the most pedantic would correct you.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
stmanWhat is the rule?
I don't think there is a rule. You just have to memorize the few nouns in English that are customarily given a gender.

Note that you won't be considered wrong if you use "it" to reference such a noun. For example, if you said of a submarine that "it is hiding" only the most pedantic would correct you.

Here are a coupl
0
0
Thanks - this removes a splinter from my foot! Emotion: surprise)

foot OR leg ?
0
0
In fact, after thinking at it the correct translation of the expression would be:

"This removes a splinter from my finger."

Thanks again.
0

Related Questions