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Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!gcsherwood
From: gcsherwood@watcgl.UUCP (Geoffrey C. Sherwood)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: sexist language
Message-ID: <671@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Aug-83 19:34:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: watcgl.671
Posted: Wed Aug 10 19:34:51 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Aug-83 00:40:25 EDT
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 22

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 -