A nominative fallacy

[larryhammer]

So why do we name inanimate objects? Why certain objects only? And why do some of us name things more than others? Questions worthy of tabouli, if she ever set her mind to it. I'm not up for it, though -- aside from noting that the more mobile or complex a thing, the more likely it gets a name. The semblance of animate. Massive engineworks, I understand the impulse. A chair or microwave, not so much, nor a TV. Possibly a car, though I'm personally dubious (says the co-driver of Rockhopper, with a penguin mascot on the dash). A computer, yes -- about the only personal possession I comfortably and instinctively name.

My replacement laptop is Dânadariel (accessorized with hard drive Magic Wand and flash drives Glitter and Sparkle). Because a fairy name seemed right. The stolen one was Buttercup, after my favorite Powerpuff Girl. The desktop before that was Fred, as all previous computers -- but those were all dubbed before I decided to call my muse that, and it wouldn't Do to be confusing.

What objects in your life have names?

---L.

Comments

[larryhammer]

Is Calvin and Hobbes one computer or are they two?

---L.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

Calvin was the internal hard disk and Hobbes was the external attached to the same box. His laptop currently has 2 internals which are named after characters in an online strip called Ozy and Millie. Ozy, the smaller of the two drives, is named for the young fox who is a main character. The larger of the 2 is Llywellen, named after Ozy's father who is a very large dragon. (Ozy was adopted see...)

MKK