What's the difference between a "motherland" and a "fatherland"?

Question

What determines a country's gender?

Answer 1

The fatherland was Germany and the Motherland was Russia. Nobody else really refers to their country as such. It may pertain to their respective Fascist/commie ideology, though I don't know when the names came into use. (ie Germany wanted a strong, nationalist country, whereas Russia wanted an international government while still recognizing the place of their birth)

Answer 2

Fatherland is nationalistic term that the n**i"s used. It was seen as a unified word that would join all Germans in their struggle of customs,culture and tradition from ancient Germanic history.They would use the past to forge new beginings for the future. eg.The n**i"s attempt to make the 3rd reich modelled on the Romans reich.

Motherland was seen by the Russians as an attempt to see the national figure Russia as the mother of the people,it would nuture their hopes,feelings,joys,passions and help them also during crisis.

Answer 3

The language of the country.

In German land is a masculine concept - hence it is called "DER (Der is the masculine (nomitive) version of THE in German) Vaterland (Fatherland)

In Russia the word Rus is feminine - it refers to the original inhabtants of the area (the Rus), so it is therefore the Motherland.

Answer 4

Semantics, as far as I can tell. Either term can be used to refer to one's native country, but I've only ever heard one country referred to as a "Fatherland". Usually the term "motherland" or "homeland" is used.