temptress

[Prof. R. Sussex]

On political correctness: "temptress" isn't much used. I had an email
from a friend (female) who works for a computer distributor, offering
various deals; I emailed back "Temptress!" and then realized that
it's problematic to correct that to "tempter" - though to be sure,
"temptress" has some arch connotations which are not consistent with
gender equality.

"Princess" can't become "prince". "Actress" is still in place with
the Oscars. Are there more?

Roly Sussex

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Roly Sussex
Professor of Applied Language Studies
Department of French, German, Russian, Spanish and Applied Linguistics
School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies
The University of Queensland
Brisbane
Queensland 4072
AUSTRALIA

Office: Greenwood 434 (Building 32)
Phone:  +61 7 3365 6896
Fax:    +61 7 3365 6799
Email:  sussex at uq.edu.au
Web:    http://www.arts.uq.edu.au/slccs/profiles/sussex.html
School's website:
        http://www.arts.uq.edu.au/slccs/

Language Talkback ABC radio:
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