Here is the reply I get from a native American English speaker, Thom Schmitz (who is by the way of German descent and helps me quite a lot with my translations). THE KING Would be HE – but in case of personafication could also be IT (e.g. when we play cards and have a king of spade, we have to refer to it as IT). THE MOTHER Would be SHE – but in cas it is personified, could also be IT (e.g. when iraqi people are speaking of their fight against U.S. as the « Mother of all war », mother should be refered as IT). THE STONE Is neuter and then we have to use IT when refering to a stone. But in case it is personified, especially in the poetic language, it could be HE or SHE (e.g. Jesus is the stone-corner of the Temple. The stone corner would be refered as HE). THE CAT Refered as HE/SHE or IT. THE TIGER Refefered as HE/SHE or IT. THE BLACK BEAUTY Since this would most probably be a proper name, would be refered only as SHE. THE BOAT. Is SHE or IT. There is apparently no case of a boat which would be refered as HE. THE H.M.S. VICTORY Is a proper name, and thus would be refered as SHE or, in some case depending on the context as IT. THE THOUGHT Is neuter and has to be refered as IT. THE CHILD THE WITNESS THE GUEST THE PERSON These words, when personified must be referes as HE or SHE, depending on the context. But it is also possible to use them as ideas, or in a very general way. In such cases, we have to refer to them as IT. If I am reading a philosophical text speaking about the person, the child, the witness or the guest in a very large and general or technical sense, I will be allowed to say something like « the person in itself… » or « it is the child which is… », or « The guest has in traditional society its own status regarding hospitality… », or « a witness is in its own right to claim for a protection program… » Have a nice day. Before leaving, I just would like to mention the fact that for the first time in Japan, a brazilian journalist called Anna Bortz won a case in court last Tuesday. She sued a jewelry shop owner for the reason he had expelled her from his shop on the ground that she was a Brazilian national. As you may know there is not a single text in the Japanese laws that prohibit such racial or religious discrimation, eventhough Japan ratified a 1965 International convention against racial and religious discrimation in 1992. In the town where I am living, several video shops and quite a lot of bars are « forbidden to foreigners » (it is written on a big board disposed at the entry). I wonder what some nostalgic people would feel if they were forbidden access to a swimming pool, a video shop or a bar on the ground they are white caucasian guys with (may be) blond hairs and blue eyes. They should come to Japan, to experience it… ===== Andre-Paul Itel apitel@yahoo.com Hic tamen hanc mecum potera requiescere noctem Fronde super viridi. Super nobis mitia poma, Castaneae molles et pressi copia lactis; Et jam summa procul villarum culmina fumant, Majoresque cadunt altis de montibus umbrae. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Follow Ups to this Message
Markup © John King, 2008. Web archive generated Tue, 21st August 2007.