"chairman" gets neutered

[victor steinbok]

This discussion reminds me of Frank Herbert's "chairdogs"--"living
furniture". I don't believe he ever mentioned gender.

VS-)

On 8/7/11, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "chairman" gets neutered
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In my day, or so it seems to me, chairpersons were at least as likely to be
> "chairmen" as "chairs," regardless of sex.
>
> Or do I mean "gender"?
>
> JL
>
> On Sun, Aug 7, 2011 at 9:17 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: "chairman" gets neutered
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> At 8/6/2011 06:46 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> >Today we went to a local production of _The Fantasticks_. The Chairman of
>> >the Board of the theater group (in her late '30s, I'd guess) ...
>> >
>> >Note too, as a curiosity, that she described herself as "Chairman" rather
>> >than "Chairperson."
>>
>> One could inform her that "chair" has a long and honored history for
>> the meaning of "the occupant of the chair, the chairman, as invested
>> with its dignity". going back to 1658,  and is "Now also used as an
>> alternative for 'chairman' or 'chairwoman', esp. deliberately so as
>> not to imply a particular sex."
>>
>> Joel
>>
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