owens@gatech.UUCP (08/12/83)
language. It does seem wierd at first to say chairperson rather than
chairman or chairwoman, fireperson than fireman or firewoman, 'everyone
pick up their books' rather than 'everyone pick up his book', 'we need
more staffing' than 'we need more manpower'. Attempts to wrestle the
natural flow of the English language into a form that pleases the
hypersensitivities of some people (who are uncomfortable about the word
usage of other people, but seem to have no compunction about making those
people uncomfortable about their word usage) seems to me to show great
disrespect for the countless people whose use of the English language
made it what it is, as well as smack of attempts at creating NEWSPEAK.
Language, of course, does carry a lot of semantic freight, but I
think it is shortsighted to automatically assume that someone who uses
words in a way that they deem to be gramatically correct be labeled a
bigot, chauvinist(sp?), and prejudiced, when probably the only intention
(certainly mine) was to be gramatically correct. Blast it, I was raised
to speak in a certain way, made a fool of when I deviated from it, finally
mastered my mother tounge, only to now have somebody accuse me of being
an MCP because I use language that is gramatically correct but they happen
to take issue with the language and take it out on me.
To the credit of every woman and minority person that I have ever
been acquainted with on more than a casual basis, they have never brow-
beaten me on my use of "sexist" or "racist" language when it came under
the scope of gramatically proper English. Some of us ARE sensitive
people, who get embarrased easily, who try to do things the 'proper'
way, who extend that sensitivity in dealing with others, and who will make
reasonable efforts to not offend others deliberately. But we ARE
human, and will make misteaks (mistakes). Rome wasn't built in a day,
and people do not change overnight. Will you people who are sensitive
to "sexist" language be gentle with us? Consider OUR sensitivity?
Correct us gently and please be patient. English is a living language
that will change with time, but stomping on the people who mean better
will not change the insensitive clods who started the whole trouble in
the first place.
Gerald Owens,
ICS at Ga. Tech.ecn-ec:ecn-pc:ecn-ed:vu@pur-ee.UUCP (08/15/83)
Talking about using `chairperson', a recent joke in Reader'S Digest mentioned that some smart Anthropology Head some where put `chair-creature' on his (?) door. pur-ee!vu