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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Now is the time for all good men...
Message-ID: <269@spar.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 07:53:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.269
Posted: Wed May 29 07:53:44 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 31-May-85 03:23:38 EDT
References: <738@oddjob.UUCP> <367@h-sc1.UUCP> <5363@tekecs.UUCP>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 38

>> No, we are NOT men. We are people.. -- Marie
>
>The point is that the above "implication" disappears.  "Man" no longer
>implies "male".  It implies "human".  It would be just as reasonable to
>eliminate the word "man" from the language and use "woman" to refer to any
>member of the human race. -- Paul Sweazey

    Is that so? Let's look at the two proposals more deeply...

	MALE		FEMALE		GENERIC

 1)	man		woman		person
 2)	???		woman		man

    Proposal (1) involves no new words, and does not require anybody to
    change their meanings in words. Since all words retain their
    conventional meanings, it is effective IMMEDIATELY, since the meaning of
    expressions like `repairperson' is understood, if somewhat awkward, to
    all hearers, whether pro or con.

    Furthermore, the change is already happening, right now, and it is
    happening gradually and naturally.  Those who dislike the newer language
    are free do as they wish.

    Proposal (2) requires that people stop using `man' in all expressions
    like `men's room' and create another word.

    BUT WHICH WORD? AND HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO GET PEOPLE TO USE IT????

    Will we hire Orwellian language cops? 

    Furthermore, there will be a  l o n g  period where many will retain the
    older usage. During that period, those who lag behind in their still use
    `man' to mean `male'. People will grossly misunderstand each other. 

    And that is to defeat the entire purpose of language.
  
-michael