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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!gummo!whuxlb!pyuxll!eisx!npoiv!npois!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!ecn-ec:ecn-pc:ecn-ed:vu
From: ecn-ec:ecn-pc:ecn-ed:vu@pur-ee.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: genderless pronouns/nouns
Message-ID: <156@ecn-ed.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 14-Aug-83 17:23:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecn-ed.156
Posted: Sun Aug 14 17:23:39 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Aug-83 23:05:22 EDT
References: watmath.5622
Lines: 41


	This idea just hit me yesterday: Many people answer my mail assuming
I am a male. Since I am one, I never paid attention -- until I asked the
obvious question: *How* did they know ? I am from Vietnam, and have lived there
until I was 17. All the time, I have known only TWO persons with the same
first name (Hao-Nhien): when I was a 1st grader, I saw on TV a 6th grader
*girl* with the same name; and when I was a 10th grader, my Physics teacher
told me she had a baby *boy* nephew with that name. When my Physical Education
teacher tried to separate the class into boys' group and girls' group, he had
to ask if `Hao-Nhien' was a boy or a girl. If not for the middle name, nobody
could tell. The conclusion was that the people who assumed I was a male did
so without knowing if I really was one. So, whether you like it or not, the
using of "he" when the sex is unknown is customary. Since it never did any
harm, it won't make one in the future either. Also, like it or not, you have
to admit that many times, when writing to a company, school, etc..., you put
"Dear Sirs:" on top. Does that ever means that women on staff at that company
or school are not supposed to read your letter ?
	The habit was an old one. Its roots dated back to the time when some
professions are for males only or females only. If somebody was talking to you
about his (there we go again!) housemaid, did you ever call the housemaid a
"he" ? And back to the 19th century, if somebody talks about a -say- police
officer, he (well, or she) would not call the cop a "she". And you can imagine
the surprise a 19th century-er would have when reading "The mayor of whatever
did whatever. *She* ..." on the morning paper. For centuries, people have
learned to assign sex for a person based on the person's activity and/or
job. Now that most of these assumptions may be false, the habit is still
there.
	To some people, changing of social situation requires a change in
language, and they try to force it. My opinion is: if it really *does*
imply a change in language, then it will, some time in the future. To
force the change, however, is not a good idea. Even if the effort is
successful, it is a waste of time and energy. Also, if the language
does not change, there is still nothing to worry about, since it is harmless
and unimportant. In the Psychology text I am reading, the authors (I forgot
their names) repeatedly use "she" in their examples. I noticed it only when
I thought about it. As long as people can understand what you mean, it is
unimportant whether you used masculine or feminine pronouns in your speech.


	Hao-Nhien Q. Vu
	pur-ee!vu