Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unm-cvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!lanl!unm-cvax!cs4911ay From: cs4911ay@unm-cvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: natural language deficiencies? Message-ID: <66@unm-cvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 3-Nov-84 16:59:51 EST Article-I.D.: unm-cvax.66 Posted: Sat Nov 3 16:59:51 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 20:10:28 EST Distribution: net Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque Lines: 44 [It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a -- ] > From: chuck@dartvax.UUCP (Chuck Simmons) > Fill in the following blanks with the appropriate english gender-neutral > word or phrase: > The President and _____ cabinet convened yesterday. > A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if _____ makes loud or > unreasonable noises. > -- Chuck > dartvax!chuck Well, we can try: The President and THE cabinet convened yesterday. (Of course, this avoids the point somewhat. Use HIS for now. We'll worry about it when we get a female president.) ONE is guilty of disorderly conduct if ONE makes loud or unreasonable noises. (If one is going to bother with gender-neutrality, one should at least try to phrase the statement to take advantage of the facilities available in English.) Those of us who don't bother with gender-neutrality will continue to use the usual English solutions to the problems, e.g.: A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if HE makes loud or unreasonable noises. So there. -- Mike Conley U.N.M., Albuquerque, NM "Think of it as evolution in action."