Re: Gender in language

From: David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 17:17:50 +0000

AC writes:
> I don't think making the distinction facilitates discrimination at
> all.

It seems self-evident to me.  It's harder to distinguish between two
things if your language doesn't do it naturally.

> Since we are a species with two genders, it seems rational that
> language would reflect this fact.

We are a species with multiple different hair colors; why don't we have
names and pronouns for people that incorporate their hair color?  There
are any number of ways people could be divided into classes.

This much seems evident: sex-specific terms and pronouns developed as
part of human language during a time when human society discriminated
strongly against women.  At the time, such language certainly
facilitated that discrimination: it's easier to make rules about what
women can do and what men can do if your language easily distinguishes
between them.  Now, one can posit that in today's society discrimination
is entirely a thing of the past, and that these language constructs are
now a harmless artifact, since no one would discriminate any more.  This
is, as far as I can tell, the argument that some are making: the terms
do no harm, we are all used to them, so why not keep them?

If people hold that position, I think they are entitled to their
opinion.  I just have a different opinion, I think my opinion is equally
well justified and I wish that some people could accept it as a
difference of opinion without feeling the need to drown it out with
condescending insults and attacks.

David desJardins

References

Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:43:18 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:53:44 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 02:16:22 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Wed, 13 Nov 2002 10:22:49 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:07:58 +0000
Re: Gender in language
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:48:57 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 19:36:24 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 20:07:46 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 18:10:15 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:37:13 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:41:55 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Wed, 13 Nov 2002 17:03:30 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:43:18 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 01:53:44 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 02:16:22 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Wed, 13 Nov 2002 10:22:49 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:07:58 +0000
Re: Gender in language
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:48:57 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 19:36:24 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 20:07:46 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 18:10:15 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:37:13 +0000
Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Tue, 12 Nov 2002 00:41:55 +0000
Re: Gender in language
AC <spam@nospam.com.invalid>
Wed, 13 Nov 2002 17:03:30 +0000