Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83 based; site houxa.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!houxa!jhs From: jhs@houxa.UUCP (J.SCHERER) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Is "woman" really better than "girl" Message-ID: <531@houxa.UUCP> Date: Sat, 22-Sep-84 00:15:51 EDT Article-I.D.: houxa.531 Posted: Sat Sep 22 00:15:51 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 00:52:12 EDT References: <390@genrad.UUCP>, <454@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 15 > The question of what word is the > most accurate to apply need never arise, only the question of what words > are least likely to give offense. If we use these words and offense is > still taken, then it is not we who have shown bad manners. > MATT CRAWFORD Sounds good but 'taint always that easy. Take "Ms.", for example. I think the most ardent feminist (I hope that word's OK) would approve of "Ms" but I know several women (three that I'm sure of) who are very much offended by that title (if applied to them). This leads me to be leery of using this for strangers (to which the above was refering). When you're dealing with something as diverse as people, there are no definitive answers. John Scherer AT&T Bell Labs