How to refer to airships/Zeppelins

[knittinganddeath]

Are airships/Zeppelins/rigid dirigibles referred to as "she" like seagoing ships?

Thanks for any help.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, knittinganddeath said:

Are airships/Zeppelins/rigid dirigibles referred to as "she" like seagoing ships?

Thanks for any help.

I think it is common usage that any ‘ship’ is referred to as she.  I understand even tanks (land ships) were referred to in that way.  Given German rules of grammar and their use of zeppelins, are they der, die, or das?

Edited 6 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[KizmeRD]

In German, it’s das Schiff (the ship) and das Luftschiff (the airship) - i.e. neutral gender.

MB

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, KizmeRD said:

In German, it’s das Schiff (the ship) and das Luftschiff (the airship) - i.e. neutral gender.

MB

Thanks MB.  I wonder if in the vernacular German mariners referred to their ships as she.  I have no idea, but I’ll be surprised if they don’t as I’d thought it had become quite a universal thing.

Edited 6 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[KizmeRD]

Its simply that different languages and different cultures do things differently, even in UK there have been moves afoot over recent years to move away from the female personification of ships, for example the shipping newspaper Lloyd’s List has now started using gender-neutral terms - hence you commonly see ‘it’ being used, and many maritime museums have also made the change, reflecting changes in modern society.

MB

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

Its simply that different languages and different cultures do things differently, even in UK there have been moves afoot over recent years to move away from the female personification of ships, for example the shipping newspaper Lloyd’s List has now started using gender-neutral terms - hence you commonly see ‘it’ being used, and many maritime museums have also made the change, reflecting changes in modern society.

MB

Yes I understand the broad point and changes in society too.  What I’m asking is what the German practice was in general speech during WW1.  I’m sure that there will be some evidence somewhere.

Edited 6 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GreyC]

1 hour ago, KizmeRD said:

In German, it’s das Schiff (the ship) and das Luftschiff (the airship) - i.e. neutral gender.

That is correct, however all naval and merchant vessels up to 1918 were refered to as "she" except "der" IMPERATOR.

GreyC

Edited 6 June , 2023 by GreyC

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, GreyC said:

That is correct, however all naval and merchant vessels up to 1918 were reffered to as "she" except "der IMPERATOR.

GreyC

Thanks GreyC, I was sure that you’d be able to explain it.

What about airships like the Zeppelins, Hindenberg, etc?

Edited 6 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GreyC]

It is der Zeppelin Hindenburg, das Luftschiff Hindenburg and die Hindenburg. ;-)

GreyC

Edited 6 June , 2023 by GreyC

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, GreyC said:

It is der Zeppelin Hindenburg, das Luftschiff Hindenburg und die Hindenburg. ;-)

GreyC

I shouldn’t have asked…🤯
And the Kapitan would say - “she is cruising well tonight”…

Edited 6 June , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[knittinganddeath]

Thanks all for your input. I think I'll attempt for once in my life to be modern and go with "it" ;-)

 

25 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

hence you commonly see ‘it’ being used, and many maritime museums have also made the change, reflecting changes in modern society.

 

[KizmeRD]

30 minutes ago, GreyC said:

It is der Zeppelin Hindenburg, das Luftschiff Hindenburg and die Hindenburg. ;-)

GreyC

… and this is certainly not the forum to complicate things even further by introducing accusative, dative and genitive forms!😲🙄😵‍💫🥱
MB

Edited 6 June , 2023 by KizmeRD

[GreyC]

10 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

and this is certainly not the forum to complicate things even further by introducing accusative, dative and genitive forms! 

that´s why I didn´t.

GreyC

[KizmeRD]

Good man!

😃

[RNCVR]

3 hours ago, KizmeRD said:

In German, it’s das Schiff (the ship) and das Luftschiff (the airship) - i.e. neutral gender.

MB

"Das Boot"  the boat - 1981 movie.

Edited 6 June , 2023 by RNCVR

[KizmeRD]

‘das’ with just one ‘s’ (das Boot).

Interestingly (frustratingly) I believe it’s also possible to see written ‘das Luftschiff, der Zeppelin, die Zeppelin LZ129,

der LZ129 ‘Hindenburg’ (all correct German), but perhaps @GreyC will kindly correct me if I’m wrong.

(There are six ways simply to say ‘the’ in German). 😧

MB

Edited 6 June , 2023 by KizmeRD

[GreyC]

Hi,

9 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

das Luftschiff, der Zeppelin

yes.

9 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

die Zeppelin LZ129

no

9 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

der LZ129 ‘Hindenburg

not really. Better "der Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg".

GreyC

[KizmeRD]

Thanks, its a minefield,

MB