Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!regard From: regard@ttidcc.UUCP (Adrienne Regard) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: gender specific pronouns again Message-ID: <539@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 16:16:00 EDT Article-I.D.: ttidcc.539 Posted: Thu Jul 11 16:16:00 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 15-Jul-85 00:49:40 EDT Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA. Lines: 20 The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) >Polly writes: >I once had to use a textbook where the genders were simply alternated, >sometimes within the same sentence. The effect was _very_ distracting. >Having to deal with a subject that changes sex three times in one sentence >slows the reading and information absorption process enormously (at least >it did for me), probably because it's so unexpected and unusual. Now, the funny thing about this posting is that part and parcel of this discussion is that we are looking for a pronoun that doesn't leave an impression of sex. Polly indicates that the changing use of the pronoun was distracting because it changed "sex" three times. What does that do to the stance that the pronoun "he" already stands for everybody (and not just male people)? Seems to me it helps support the claim that the use of a gender specific pronoun encourages a sense of sexuality in the object of that pronoun, and that "he" is a gender specific pronoun, not a neuter one. Polly is usually satisfied by not publicizing a stand on one side or another of an issue, but it seems to me those of you out there who do take a stand can't ignore these factors.