gcsherwood@watcgl.UUCP (Geoffrey C. Sherwood) (08/11/83)
This is a followup to an article; when I tried to followup the usual way, the turkey kept core dumping on me. Anyway, as far a language goes, Judy made the comment that because "sexist" language is offensive to some, efforts should be made to avoid it. I am inclined to disagree. Whether to change my language or not is a personal decision, and what some people think about it is not germane. I personally find the use of the word "their" rather offensive when substituted for "his" because one is singular and one is plural. Number should match. However, I am not going to wage a crusade against it. When I hear it used, I just wince a little and go on about my business. I have not been appointed Divine Guardian of Speech and have no wish to take on that responsibility. "Leave others to their otherness" is a good idea, although at times it is difficult to follow. Trying to force it will be as successful as introducing "posslq". - geoff sherwood - - U. of Waterloo -
wombat@uicsl.UUCP (08/14/83)
#R:watcgl:-67100:uicsl:16400009:000:762 uicsl!wombat Aug 13 13:54:00 1983 ***** uicsl:net.women / watcgl!gcsherwood / 6:34 pm Aug 10, 1983 I personally find the use of the word "their" rather offensive when substituted for "his" because one is singular and one is plural. Number should match. - geoff sherwood - - U. of Waterloo - ---------- Really? Do you wince every time you have to use "you" referring to only one person? Someday, I hope, (they, them, their) will be seen as another construction similar to (you, you, your). You just aren't used to hearing it yet. No one can force you to change, but if you listen to normal conversations, many people seem reluctant to use (he, him, his) for unknown gender and are using (they, them, their) without stopping to think about it. Wombat pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat
marc@emory.UUCP (08/16/83)
Take note: male man guy female woman lady The male words have one syllable and the female have two. It is just plain harder to pronounce a word constructed using one of these female words: 'chairman' is easier to say than 'chairwoman'. Consider the effects of such a switch: manhunt --> womenhunt manhour --> womanhour manhole --> womanhole malevolent --> femalevolent Whats worse is that the genderless word 'person' has two syllables also. What we need is a new set of one syllable female words... ;) Marcus (sb1!emory!marc)
katz@beesvax.UUCP (08/16/83)
sorry, guy! how about -
male man guy
fem dame gal
try again!