jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (05/01/84)
phil ngai gives an example: Use "I know a person who..." instead of
"I know a man who..."
Well, I won't say that's ridiculous. I promise. But...I thought the
problem was the use of "man" to mean "generic human". Even if I don't
really agree that it *is* a problem, I can imagine how it *might* be so.
In the example above, a *specific* (not a generic) person is being
referred to. So the whole argument about women feeling left out just
doesn't apply - and since the "person" is known, referring to their sex
shouldn't cause any confusion.
please don't tell me it's all about "being human" being more important
than being a man or a woman. It's kinda hard to be human without being
one or the other.
Jeff Winslow