PC Comments

[Dan Lupo <dlupo -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM>]

David Meek said:


EXCERPT FOLLOWS============================================

I have read claims that sexism is responsible for relegating
"chairwoman" to relative obscurity.  But I think the real answer   is
that "chairman" flows better than "chairwoman."  Sexism is not  the
culprit.  "Chairperson" is the worst-sounding of them all.     Not only
that, it serves no purpose.  It's hard to be gender-free  when you say,
"Chairperson Sally Jones."  And why would a woman    *want* to hide her
gender, anyway?  It's not something to be       ashamed of.

The terms "womyn," "herstory," and
others are pure nonsense.  Are  we to change "hispanic" to "herspanic?"
How do we handle          "menopause?"  Does that term now refer to
hesitant Irish males?    And what about "person?"  Doesn't it contain
the dreaded male      bias in "son?"  (Oops--now there'll be a headlong
rush to          obliterate "son" from every word. And then "sun," since
it sounds  the same.)

If the PC-fascists try hard enough, they can eventually make
English a complete impediment to communication.

END=========================================================

Question about paragraph one above:  Are you saying that the "flow" and
"sound" of words serve as criteria for preferred usage?  If so, can you
support that claim with other examples?

Question on paragraphs two and three above: Was it a calculated use of
"rush" in your post or is it just a deliciously ironic --and appropriate--
coincidence that I am perceiving?

Dan Lupo