Hmm, might be like that, because we borrowed that word from the Dutch. Apparently, it originally meant “Jagd” as in “Jagdschiff” (basically “hunt boat”, for chasing pirates away from the coast).
“Jagd” is feminine by itself and with how closely related Dutch and German are, we might have simply used the same articles. The Dutch word for “hunt” (“jacht”) at least continues to be feminine, too.
According to wiktionary Middle Dutch jageschip, Middle Low Saxon jāgeschip (that’s just a long a there nothing special), “fast ship”, both shortened it and underwent not entirely dissimilar g -> ch sound changes. At least in Low Saxon “jagen” can be used in the sense of “fast movement”, like dörjagen.
Imported into High German in the 16th century. I mean you didn’t really think that the landlubbers came up with the word did you. Ship is neuter in all three languages.
Speaking of that, though: There’s lots of instances where Low Saxon and High German don’t agree on noun gender… which doesn’t really matter as Low Saxon is in the process of doing an English and losing the last remnants of marking gender, anyway.
Hmm, might be like that, because we borrowed that word from the Dutch. Apparently, it originally meant “Jagd” as in “Jagdschiff” (basically “hunt boat”, for chasing pirates away from the coast).
“Jagd” is feminine by itself and with how closely related Dutch and German are, we might have simply used the same articles. The Dutch word for “hunt” (“jacht”) at least continues to be feminine, too.
Sprich
Seemannsgarn
du Landrot.
It’s also feminine in Low Saxon.
According to wiktionary Middle Dutch jageschip, Middle Low Saxon jāgeschip (that’s just a long a there nothing special), “fast ship”, both shortened it and underwent not entirely dissimilar g -> ch sound changes. At least in Low Saxon “jagen” can be used in the sense of “fast movement”, like dörjagen.
Imported into High German in the 16th century. I mean you didn’t really think that the landlubbers came up with the word did you. Ship is neuter in all three languages.
Speaking of that, though: There’s lots of instances where Low Saxon and High German don’t agree on noun gender… which doesn’t really matter as Low Saxon is in the process of doing an English and losing the last remnants of marking gender, anyway.
deleted by creator