Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 28/02/2005 18:17, George F Somsel wrote:

> ...
>
> Uri,
>
> Ignore what Peter and Karl have said.  The Brits have forgotten how to
> speak English ...

George, I demand a public apology for this offensive comment. I 
specifically spoke only for British English. What gives you the right to 
say what is good British English and what is not? Languages change, and 
British and American English have both changed considerably since they 
started to diverge. I could point to many ways in which Americans have 
forgotten how to speak English. But I am happy to let you speak as you 
do if you let us speak as we do.

> ... There is a
> politically correct movement in which "he or she" is constantly used, but
> the generic usage is still valid.
>
>  
What do you mean by "valid"? Still used by some, yes, but offensive to 
at least 50% of the population. Would you claim that certain words e.g. 
for African-Americans once in common use but now widely rejected as 
racist slurs are "still valid", just because some people do still use 
them, and that you have the right to teach others that they ought to use 
such terms? The kind of sexist language you are advocating falls in the 
same category, or at least is viewed as such by many, in all parts of 
the English speaking world except for the Deep South.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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