The Gender of Nations - Wordsmith.org

You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » General Topics » Q&A about words » The Gender of Nations

Page 1 of 2

Topic Options

#113740 - 10/15/03 09:37 AM The Gender of Nations
Scilla stranger Registered: 09/24/03 Posts: 2	Why are nations assigned genders? Why are most English as first language speaking countries female? Whay aer others male? I am extremely curious about this. Please tell me!
Top

#113741 - 10/15/03 09:46 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653	La belle France? La Argentina? ¿La España? Das Deutschland?
Top

#113742 - 10/15/03 11:40 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
maahey addict Registered: 12/03/02 Posts: 555	Maybe because she is your motherland! The feminine provokes more fidelity, I suppose; 'Breathes there a man with soul so dead....' and all! But seriously, I have no idea why "mother"-land, but have enough time today to search.
Top

#113743 - 10/15/03 01:17 PM Re: The Gender of Nations
AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel Registered: 03/15/00 Posts: 6511 Loc: lower upstate New York	But the Germans say 'Fatherland.' (nice to see you, maahey!) I'm not quite sure I understand what you're driving at, Scilla. What is your target language? I mean, in English, country names, and nouns in general, have no gender anymore.
Top

#113744 - 10/15/03 01:40 PM Re: The Gender of Nations
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653	the Germans say 'Fatherland.' True, but Vaterland is neuter, in't it then?
Top

#113745 - 10/15/03 05:01 PM Re: The Gender of Nations
JohnHawaii member Registered: 01/17/03 Posts: 171 Loc: Hawaii, USA	And then there's Mother Russia (mats rossiya).
Top

#113746 - 10/15/03 05:05 PM Re: The Gender of Nations
of troy Carpal Tunnel Registered: 10/17/00 Posts: 5400 Loc: rego park	what about hienmat? (homeland?) i've heard this is a more common word that is used by germans to speak of germany. i can't think of any names used in US for the land.. (the are some 'land where our fathers died..' but very few with the idea of father land or motherland.. there is 'down east' in main, and 'old home' (used up and down the east coast.(my M-I-L's family in Northern NE uses Old home to speak of the area, and there is the song "my old kentucky home" and a whisky (tennessie?) called 'old home'... cathleen has been used in ireland as a 'code word' for ireland. (when english laws made it a crime to express patriotism, love songs sung to 'cathleen' were patriot songs...) _________________________ my other obsession
Top

#113747 - 10/15/03 09:51 PM Re: The Gender of Nations
maahey addict Registered: 12/03/02 Posts: 555	Thanks AnnaS! The feeling is entirely mutual! Well, I searched a little bit, but returned home empty-handed. Rather than fidelity, (which I really was only joking with), fertility is probably at the heart of the matter. The country that you are *born in, being the motherland. Fatherland, got me thinking....In Sanskrit , 'mathrubhoomi' is motherland and means the land that you are born in, whilst 'pithrubhoomi', means the land of your ancestors. FWTW (mathruh - mother/ pithruh - father/ bhoomi - land).
Top

#113748 - 10/16/03 12:55 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
wsieber old hand Registered: 03/15/00 Posts: 1010 Loc: Switzerland	country names, and nouns in general, have no gender anymore. Yet, talking of France, or Italy, you invariably use the pronoun "she". - Do you ever say "they" for the U.S.A.?
Top

#113749 - 10/16/03 06:10 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653	Heimat is feminine.
Top

#113750 - 10/16/03 06:25 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
Alex Williams Pooh-Bah Registered: 01/05/01 Posts: 1814 Loc: Spam Factory	When speaking of France or Italy I would use the pronoun "it." cathleen has been used in ireland as a 'code word' for ireland. (when english laws made it a crime to express patriotism, love songs sung to 'cathleen' were patriot songs...) That's very interesting. Thank!
Top

#113751 - 10/16/03 07:07 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
sjmaxq Carpal Tunnel Registered: 07/20/03 Posts: 3230 Loc: Te Ika a Maui	>When speaking of France or Italy I would use the pronoun "it." I use "it" of most countries, including NZ. I use "she" of the UK, because of Britannia, and occasionally use "she" of China, but normally, I don't assign a specific sex, or gender for that matter, to countries. _________________________ noho ora mai http://maxqnzs.com/References.html
Top

#113752 - 10/16/03 07:11 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
of troy Carpal Tunnel Registered: 10/17/00 Posts: 5400 Loc: rego park	Re:Do you ever say "they" for the U.S.A.? These or the "Life in these United States" or "Life in the US" (said U-S). _________________________ my other obsession
Top

#113753 - 10/18/03 01:42 AM Re: The Gender of Nations
Capfka Pooh-Bah Registered: 06/28/02 Posts: 1624 Loc: Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok	I think Max has got it about right. If you are referring to a symbol of a country - Britannia, for instance, for Britain, and perhaps Liberty for France, you would use the feminine gender and appropriate apronouns. But otherwise ... nada. They're it, so to speak.
Top

Page 1 of 2

Moderator: Jackie

Forum Stats

8419 Members
16 Forums
13686 Topics
209704 Posts

Max Online: 3341 @ 12/09/11 02:15 PM

Newest Members


	Wordsmith Talk		About Us \| What's New \| Search \| Site Map \| Contact Us

Wordsmith Talk