Anthropomorphism - do you or don't you and why?

[PackardV8]

Greetings, SDCers,

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, natural and supernatural phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts.

Human traits and activities can be divided into broad categories of "those who do" and those who don't." Many years of reading this forum, the truck forum and many others, we see some choose to refer to their Studes by a given name, such as "Eugene got to go out for a ride this weekend."

Have you ever given a vehicle a name? If so why?

Have you never given a vehicle a name? If not, why not?

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

[JDC]

When I got the Lark, I was told his name was Oscar. I guess it stuck with my 5 yo.

[studegary]

As has been discussed here in the past - I don't consider a vehicle to be alive and do not name them. The most cars that I have personally owned at any one time is ten and did not find a need to name them.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Mike Van Veghten]

I normally refer to my cars and bikes by their color.
It's easier for my friends to relate without saying "my 1954 Stude Conestoga" It's just the "blue car"....or the "black bike".

So far...in my 58 years, I haven't had two vehicles of the same color, at the same time...!

If a new person is in the conversation...then I stretch it out to the "54 wagon", or the "09 Buell".

Mike

[jclary]

Usually, I give my cars names just before I get rid of them. Like...I gotta get rid of that old piece of #@%*&! That was what happened to the last Buick's I had about 20 years ago.

John Clary
Greer, SC

I have only two limitations ...BRAINS & ENERGY
SDC member since 1975

[showbizkid]

I'm afraid I have given some cars names, especially if they have "personality". The Lark is named Barney, mostly upon insistence of my wife, who liked the dealer license frame that came from Barney's Lark & Hawk in Escondido, CA. My '67 Pontiac is Big Blue. My wife's Honda is nameless ('nuff said.)


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[Roscomacaw]

I don't name my vehicles as a rule. However, I did finally start calling the Transtar, Pete. This was a commeoration of my late grandfather, Pete. It's hard to put a finger on it, but there's just something about that truck than seems in step with what my grandpa Pete was like.

I've taken to calling the 60 ragtop, the Larkvertible. Started that years ago - decades ago, maybe.

In talking with the wife last week, she casually asked "When's Blue gonna be done?" referring to the 63 Cruiser. Well, I guess it's name is Blue then. I kinda like it.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[JBOYLE]

I'm generally pretty sentimental and love my cars..but I've never felt the need to name them.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Skip Lackie]

Never have named any of them, no matter how long I own them. I have some that I love enough to want to keep forever, but I don't think of them as being alive. On the other hand, I do believe that they repay you in their own way if you treat them right, like changing oil frequently and keeping them clean.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[warrlaw1]

I had a buddy who named his VW "Spot", for what it left behind in the driveway. He sold it to another college buddy who (mildly schizo) had angered his father so many times for taking dad's company car without permission... he figured he'd get his own wheels, so there! Parked it in the driveway the first night without telling anyone and dad backed into the next morning. He "hit the Spot", so to speak. Personification is the literary term, but Anthropomorphism sounds a lot better. Disney's been doing it in cartoons, to cute smiling vehicles, trains, tugboats, planes, etc. forever.

[rockinhawk]

I named my 57 Silver hawk "The Shadow" after the radio& movie hero because it looked the part. My son's 51 starlight became known as Ole Bullit Because it just seemed to fit. My wife named her 63 GT "Sweet Magnolia" because the Ermine White was about the same color as a Magnolia blossom,(and we live in the south) Her black M Series is "Groucho" because she said it looks like Groucho Marx. I call my 58 Transtar "Fred" because it had Sanford & son on the door when I bought it.
We name our cars because there are so many it's easier to keep track of which one you are talking about. We never named the Avanti because nothing seems to fit that car. We just refer to it as "The Avanti"


Neil Thornton
Hazlehurst, GA
'57 Silver Hawk
'56 Sky Hawk
'51 2R16 dump truck
Many others.

[bams50]

I've actually thought about this a lot; to me it's an interesting concept. I don't think naming a car truly fits the definition, however; a name is nothing more than an identifier, not a trait or characteristic.

What most interests me in this area is a very common mistake folks make- assigning human characteristics, traits, behaviors, even reactive expectations to animals. Animals can and do feel caring, but I don't believe they can feel love like humans. Most all their behavior can be attributed to instinct- protecting territory, attraction to food providers (humans) and physical comforts, etc. This is a mistake that can range from harmless to disastrous: two obvious examples are the trained tiger that attacked his "owner", and more recently the chimp that went berserk after so many years of captivity and mauled that lady. Thanks to this, if a predator kills a person, the animal is killed- just for being what it is (instinct). The animal didn't attack due to anger- it just followed it's instinct to get some meat to eat. Doesn't seem right to me.

Back to names: we do name vehicles here sometimes- it's never a matter of looking through books or puzzling over it; they just materialize, and are used strictly for fun. Some however are favorites as well, but never get a name. Again, it's just for fun, not an attempt to humanize them.

Sometimes we give names that are whimsical, again just for fun. For example, we have a forum called "Stove Huggers", although it has nothing to do with stoves; it's just a place where non Stude-specific threads are supposed to go... like this one, for example

Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
Parish, central NY 13131

[55coupe]

I don't name them , but at times I call them names

[JRoberts]

quote:Originally posted by 55coupe

I don't name them , but at times I call them names

Yep, me too.

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter

[Tennessee hillbilly]

Mine is named Studebaker Lark. That's what I call it.