[Ads-l] Berkeley and gender neutral words

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

John Baker wrote:
> I had to take a minute to see the problem with “heirs.”  While
> the gendered word “heiress” does exist, that’s really more of
> a social term; the legal term is gender-neutral “heir.”  And
> “beneficiaries” does not have the identical meaning, as it does
> not include heirs at law (those who take without a will).  But I
> suppose language can change in a good cause, and lawyers
> will still find a way to differentiate between heirs at law and
> beneficiaries under a will.

The Oxford English Dictionary has the following for "heir":

[Begin excerpt]
heir, n.
The person who is entitled by law to succeed another in the enjoyment
of property or rank, upon the death of the latter; one who so
succeeds; in general use, one who receives or is entitled to receive
property of any kind as the legal representative of a former owner.

The word is correctly applied to either a male or a female, although,
in the latter sense, heiress n.   has been in general use since 17th
cent. In Law a person is not called an heir to any property until,
through the death of its possessor, he becomes entitled to it (nemo
est heres viventis).
[End excerpt]

The Berkeley list has the following (as noted by John Baker):
[Begin excerpt]
“Heirs” becomes “Beneficiaries”
[End excerpt]

The "Writing Help Central" list of "Gender-Neutral Equivalent Words"
suggests that "heiress" should be changed to "heir".
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/gender-neutral.html



> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of ADSGarson O'Toole
> Sent: Thursday 18 July 2019 2:44 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Berkeley and gender neutral words
>
> Website: Fortune.com
> Article: Goodbye, Manholes: Berkeley Goes Completely Gender Neutral
> Author: Chris Morris
> Date: July 18, 2019
> https://fortune.com/2019/07/18/berkeley-gender-neutral-ordinance-terms/<https://fortune.com/2019/07/18/berkeley-gender-neutral-ordinance-terms/>
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Berkeley, Calif. is taking gender neutral to the next level.
>
> The city has passed an ordinance to replace terms in its municipal
> codes that refer to gender with non gender-specific words. So, for
> instance, a manhole will become “maintenance hole,” while a sorority
> or fraternity will now be called a “collegiate Greek system
> residence.”
> . . .
>
> Among the other terms getting new non-gendered replacements are:
>
> “Bondsman” becomes “Bonds-person”
> “Chairman” becomes “Chair“ or “chairperson”
> “Craftsmen” becomes “Craftspeople” or “artisans”
> “Fireman,” “Firewoman,” “Firemen,” and “Firewomen” become
> “Firefighter” and “firefighters”
> “Fraternal” is now “Social”
> “Heirs” becomes “Beneficiaries”
> “Journeyman” becomes “Journey”
> ‘Maiden” becomes “Family”
> “Male” and “female” become “People of different genders”
> “Manmade” becomes “Human-made,”
> “Master” becomes “Captain,” “Skipper,” “Pilot,” “Safety Officer,” or “Central”
> “Ombudsman” becomes “Ombuds” or “Investigating Official”
> “Patrolmen” become “Patrol” or “Guards”
> “Policeman,” “Policewoman,” “Policemen,“ “Policewomen” become “Police
> Officer” or “Police Officers”
> “Pregnant” (woman, women) become “Pregnant employees”
> “Repairman” becomes “Repairs” or “Repairer”
> “Salesman” becomes “Salesperson” or “Salespeople”
> “Sportsman” becomes “Hunters”
> “Watchmen” becomes “Guards”
> [End excerpt]
>
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>
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