English should have male and female nouns

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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From the Washington? Post ... this one will amuse you... From the Washington Post Style Invitation, in which it was postulated that English should have male and female nouns, and readers were asked to assign a gender to nouns of their choice and explain their reason.

The best submissions:

SWISS ARMY KNIFE -- male, because even though it appears useful for a?wide variety of work, it spends most of its time just opening bottles.

KIDNEYS -- female, because they always go to the bathroom in pairs.

TIRE -- male, because it goes bald and often is over-inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOON: male, because to get it to go anywhere you have to light a fire under it... and, of course, there's the hot air part.

SPONGES -- female, because they are soft and squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGE -- female, because it is! always getting hit on.

SHOE -- male, because it is usually unpolished, with its tongue?hanging out.

COPIER -- female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm up. Because it is an effective reproductive device when the right buttons are pushed. Because it can wreak havoc when the wrong buttons are pushed.

ZIPLOC BAGS -- male, because they hold everything in, but you can?always see right through them.

SUBWAY -- male, because it uses the same old lines to pick people up.

HOURGLASS -- female, because over time, the weight shifts to the?bottom.

HAMMER -- male, because it hasn't evolved much over the last 5,000?years, but it's handy to have around.

REMOTE CONTROL -- female...Ha!...you thought I'd say male. But?consider, it gives man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't?always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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"AZB" "SCORE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your "best" post so far this year! Think what joy you and I could bring to the World if it were not for our "nasty" gene! Criss Colon
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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Any guesses as to the gender of the woman who put this lot forward??? I think we men could find a few alternatives showing how these supposedly 'Male' nouns could be more appropriate if they were turned into 'Female' nouns - especially the 'Hot air Balloon' & Swiss army knife!!!!!!
Thanks AZB - enjoyed this posting of yours! - G.
 

richard

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Jan 1, 2002
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Come on AZB. As if it ain't not tough enough to talk not good English without making it even harder.Let's leave well enough alone.