Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: punctuated abbreviations // was english spelling reform

From:Padraic Brown <elemtilas@...>
Date:Saturday, October 19, 2002, 20:57
--- Andreas Johansson <and_yo@...> wrote:

> > It doesn't mean either.
That's a matter of debate.
> > The point behind "Ms" is that with only the > > terms "Mrs" and "Miss", it's impossible to refer
to
> > a woman by means > > of an honorific without specifying her marital > > status. This was felt > > to be discriminatory, and "Ms" was introduced as a > > direct counterpart of the male "Mr". It was > > coined in 1949, but didn't become popular until
the
> > '70s. > > Makes kinda sense, I guess,
Not really. "Mister" isn't maritally ambiguous.
> but /mIz/ sure sounds alot like "Miss", doesn't > it?
It does. I'd pronounce them the same. What's funny is that, at least for me, "MRS", "MISS" and "MZ" all get the zame pronunciation, i.e., /mIz/. What's ironic is that "MZ" developped in response to a perceived discrimination in honorifics. What's odd is that we guys are _still_ discriminated against: there is only "MR" - which refers to married men. There is no equivalent of "MISS": "master" is archaic and when used generally referred to young boys, (or else slave owners). What's stupid is that PCism will demand righting the "wrong" for womyn and give them an honorific that isn't needed; but won't do the same for men, who apparently have it all anyway. Also, I find it stupid that "MZ" is becomming the default. I get a lot of junque mail addressed to "Mz. P. Brown".
> Andreas
Padraic. ===== Camifi, Marusi, teterani, tester fuferios asteros; tamenio vem Persaecion empuriase ed ec pasem emduriase. -Pomperios Perfurios. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site http://webhosting.yahoo.com/

Replies

Tim May <butsuri@...>
Nik Taylor <yonjuuni@...>