Date:  Tue, 30 Jan 1996 12:51:16 CST

From:  "Donald M. Lance" <ENGDL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIZZOU1.MISSOURI.EDU>

Subject: Re: why are ships referred to as she (fwd)



'She' is the "pronoun of endearment." Not just sports cars and ships.

If you drive up to a full-service gas pump, would you tell the attendant,

"Fill 'im up"? 'Course not. It'd be, "Fill 'er up." A female friend of

mine drives an old car and doesn't like to pump her own gas; she tells

the attendant to "fill him up" and always gets strange looks in return,

as well as more costly service.  DMLance