An English teacher was explaining to his students the concept of gender association in the English language.

He stated how hurricanes at one time were given feminine names and how ships and planes were usually referred to as "she". One of the students raised their hand and asked "What gender is a computer"?

The teacher wasn't certain which it was, so he divided the class into two groups, males in one, females in the other, and asked them to decide if a computer should be masculine or feminine. Both groups were asked to give four reasons for their recommendation. The group of women concluded that computers should be referred to in the masculine gender, for the following reasons:

1. In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.

2. They have a lot of data but are still clueless.

3. They are supposed to help you solve your problems, but half the time they cause the problem.

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have had a better model.

The men, on the other hand, decided that computers should definitely be referred to in the feminine gender for the following reasons:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic.

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.

3. Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

英語老師正在課堂上為學生解釋英文裡的性別屬性。

他舉出女性英文名如何用來替颶風命名，以及為何船艦和飛機常稱為「她」。有個學生舉手問：「電腦是什麼性別？」

老師無法確定，於是他讓學生分成男女兩組討論電腦應該是男性或女性。每組同學要提出四種理由來支持他們的提議。

女生組得出結論認為電腦應該是男性，理由如下：

一、為了吸引他們的注意，你要設法讓他們來電。

二、他們雖然存了很多的資料，但事實上卻相當無知。

三、他們的存在是為了幫助你解決問題，但有一半時間他們造成更大的問題。

四、一旦你承諾擁有他們，過了一段時間，你會發現其實你另有更喜歡的型。

男生組則認為電腦應該是女性，理由如下：

一、只有她們的創造者了解其內在思維。

二、能和她們溝通的母語卻令人難懂。

三、即使是犯過一丁點的小錯誤，她們也會牢牢記住，日後又被回想起來。

四、一旦你承諾擁有她們，你會發現自己的一半薪水將用來添購她們的行頭。