Dicussion on 'hermaphrodite' (was Of accents & dialects)
From: | caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...> |
Date: | Sunday, November 2, 2008, 12:00 |
> Ina van der Vegt <gijsstrider@...> wrote:
> Hermaphrodite is an outdated term, rarely used by the medical
> community anymore. The correct term would be intersexed person.
'Hermaphrodite' may be an outdated term, but why choose 'INTERsex'?
The prefix 'inter-' suggests, to me, location, either figurative or
literal. It seems to me that 'ambisexual' or 'ambisexed' would better
describe the person/condition. I have also seen the word 'androgyne'
which I rather like. Given that it's not an entry in the AHD, I
assume that it's a back formation from 'androgynous/androgyny.'
Charlie
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