Illinois bans male pronoun

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Jan 3, 2007, at 5:52 PM, Jerry Cohen wrote:

> About 15-20 years ago there was a government directive ordering
> local government agencies (or at least agencies in one particular
> locale) to avoid gender specific terminology.  The city fathers--
> perhaps mothers too--noticed the word "manhole" in one of the
> city's documents about its streets and in all seriousness changed
> it to "personhole." This was picked up by newspapers from coast to
> coast and by lighthearted radio broadcasters, with resultant
> widespread giggling.  The city fathers/mothers were not at all
> amused.  They had dutifully complied with a government regulation
> and did not appreciate being the butt of merriment for their efforts.

does anyone have credible specifics for this story?  i suspect that
the whole thing is a fabrication.

the google hits for "personhole" suggest that it was, as one writer
said, a "satiric exaggeration".  you can find cites, but they all
seem snarky rather than serious.

arnold

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