Seaknight & M16, red : primary seaplanes

[jcf]

A very handsome boat. 

Uh? Question about English language: I thoughr that "handsome" was related to masculine beauty while pretty/beautiful/gorgeous was related to feminine beauty and that plane/boat was feminine in English (masculine in our French, ericr and me). What to think?  

Word meaning very often varies due to context and referring to a boat/ship, aircraft or automobile as "she" is a colloquialism rather than a grammatical rule. 

English is gender fluid. 

[Tophe]

thanks, teacher!

[frank2056]

Tophe - while the direct translation of "handsome" might be "beau", it can also be applied (without offense to) women/femenine objects. Perhaps a better equivalent in French might be "agréable"?

[Tophe]

Thanks teacher Nr 2!

[PR19_Kit]

Indeed so, but a Consolidated Commodore not only doesn't look 'pretty', but as it's a 'Commodore' it has to be masculine, even though it's an aeroplane, often termed 'she'...................

This is getting FAR too complicated, my brain hurts, I think I'll go and have a snooze, ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......................

[scooter]

English is gender fluid. 

English also follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
(Attrib. to many, including the late Sir Terry Pratchett)

[reddfoxx]

I've heard a (very occasional) use of handsome applied to women, in American English.  Generally describes an older woman with a more stately appearance.  Beautiful, but also handsome, in a sense.

[Tophe]

Thanks to ALL the teachers, for their great explanation!

[ericr]

 

[NARSES2]

And we all know why ships, aeroplanes and a lot of other mechanical objects are "she" don't we ? 

[PR19_Kit]

We do? 

[Tophe]

In French we do not know at all why a chair is feminine and a stool is masculine, a mouse is feminine (even a male mouse) and a rat is masculine (even a rat mother)... Many things are counted as faults without a reason, I prefer English language with almost all as neutral.
My imagination: in 1800-1900, the English world was dominated by males, all things were neutral except special things they saw with tenderness, and these ones were called feminine to be loved by these men dominating. As boats/ships. Then flying ships/airships as well, then areoplanes as well?

[NARSES2]

In French we do not know at all why a chair is feminine and a stool is masculine, a mouse is feminine (even a male mouse) and a rat is masculine (even a rat mother)... Many things are counted as faults without a reason,

That is one of the reasons I gave up French in secondary school Tophe as I could not get to grips with it and our French teacher couldn't give us an explanation when we all said "but why, sir ?" I've regretted it occasionally since as it would of helped at work a little occasionally, but English tended to be the universal language in the steel industry. Indeed our Dutch colleagues spoke it better than we did   

[ericr]

 Mi-8, yellow

[Tophe]

That is one of the reasons I gave up French in secondary school Tophe as I could not get to grips with it and our French teacher couldn't give us an explanation when we all said "but why, sir ?"

I understand, sadly, as here in France, no one seems to want improving in a simple way (except me, and I feel all alone, completely. I have found on Quora.com forum an English-speaking French explanation about this why, precisely. There is no Zero reason, three were given, but I destroyed all 3... (on a web site of mine, not to be insulted badly on an open forum dominated by French fanatics of tradition.

Mi-8, yellow

Oh, it is so cute... thanks for having built it then shared it.  
A question: is the word seaplane (good for flying boat and float plane) apply for marine heliciopter (like here, without wings) and marine glider (without engine)?