Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!emory!att!pacbell.com!pacbell!osc!jgk
From: jgk@osc.COM (Joe Keane)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Language (was Re: Are Humans Naturally Monogamous?)
Summary: People have sex.
Message-ID: <3985@osc.COM>
Date: 7 Nov 90 20:44:19 GMT
References: <1990Oct24.175532.9407@pmafire.UUCP> <1990Oct25.140829.19268@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <58695@microsoft.UUCP> <1990Nov1.233150.31363@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Nov2.203149.16763@ariel.unm.edu> <67971@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Reply-To: jgk@osc.COM (Joe Keane)
Organization: Versant Object Technology, Menlo Park, CA
Lines: 13

In article <67971@bu.edu.bu.edu> pamela@bu-bio.UUCP (Pamela Hall) writes:
>In a sci.* news board I would expect to see respect for precise and
>accurate use of words.

>If one wishes to refer to human behavior, regardless of gender
>differences that may arise, use human.

Normally i wouldn't point this out, but you are talking about accurate use of
words.  The word `gender' is a linguistic term, with the possible values of
`masculine', `feminine', `neuter', and maybe others.  Therefore it is properly
only used as an attribute of words, and not people.  Most living things have
an attribute called `sex', with the possible values of `male' and `female'.  I
hope you all now remember to use the correct word.