[Ads-l] unisex "Sir"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Why don't they ever call male superiors "ma'am"?

So sexist.

JL

On Wed, Nov 11, 2015 at 6:54 AM, Dave Wilton <dave at wilton.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject:      Re: unisex "Sir"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I suspect the usage is more widespread among screenwriters. I'm not so =
> sure about the general population. You wouldn't dare call a female =
> officer "sir" in the US military, for instance.
>
> The first time I heard it was in the 1982 movie "Star Trek: The Wrath of =
> Khan," when several crew members address Lt. Saavik, played by Kirstie =
> Alley, as "sir." The usage became rife in the Star Trek verse following =
> this. Although, there is an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" where =
> Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) objects to being addressed as "sir," =
> despite it being Star Fleet protocol to do so. (She doesn't like to be =
> called "ma'am" either.)=20
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf =
> Of Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:40 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: unisex "Sir"
>
> Supergirl, of course, takes place now, rather than in a sci-fi future.
>
> So I suspect the usage is more widespread.
>
> JL
>
> On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 10:19 PM, W Brewer <brewerwa at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: unisex "Sir"
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ---------
> >
> > Strange how we still pass out Master's degrees to the ladies.=20
> > Something should be done about that.
> >
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> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the =
> truth."
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"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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