Gender confusion

[RZehr]

Or the equivalent word for women in other languages.

[Szdfan]

ƿæt is ǣnigu ðāra fēawu hēahþūgas ðe ic wille forlǣtan mīn līf for, is ðæt ðā Nōrsǣisc gefēran yfelwrehte Englisce mid ætbære Frencisc on. Ðēah ðē, ic nele þafian ðæt ðæt Fēoht on Hæstinges on 1066 gesceapen wǣre; and ðēah, ic cweðe ðæt þū mīn gesprec mid ǣlcum Old Englisce, þæt ealde Englisce.

So you admit your position is gibberish. Finally, some intellectual honesty.

Not gibberish. Old English -- one of the hills that I will die on is that French Normans ruined English after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Prior to the French, Old English was a lot more like German (I can read a little with a lot of effort). It's because of the French that we have silent letters and nonsense like that. But language changes, sometimes organically, sometimes deliberately. The "Frenchization" of English was the direct result of an invasion when the royal court of England spoke French. I enjoy etymology and the history of the meaning of words.

I honestly don't see the point in talking with you. I experience most of our interactions here as rather toxic.

[Soloist]

SZD and Soloist…where do you learn to write in Latin? I am supremely impressed.

I’m working on learning Latin but I’m not to writing level yet. Hence why my declinations are not quite right. Latin is easy enough to translate by google but it’s not the best. I can read a little and mostly out of an argument of opposition to classic textual criticism that’s why I’m learning it to begin with

[barnhart]

Back to the topic of the language used for gender, I don't always understand the rejection of the term "trans" or "transgender". It seems quite accurate regardless of one's ethics. A trans woman or a transgender woman is a person who was not born woman but wishes to move into the identity, hence the prefix "trans". Regardless of how you might feel about the situation, this is an accurate use of language.

[HondurasKeiser]

Back to the topic of the language used for gender, I don't always understand the rejection of the term "trans" or "transgender". It seems quite accurate regardless of one's ethics. A trans woman or a transgender woman is a person who was not born woman but wishes to move into the identity, hence the prefix "trans". Regardless of how you might feel about the situation, this is an accurate use of language.

I agree. I think the issue with language/intellectual honesty arises when one is asked, in defiance of reality, to affirm that "transwomen are women".

[GaryK]

Back to the topic of the language used for gender, I don't always understand the rejection of the term "trans" or "transgender". It seems quite accurate regardless of one's ethics. A trans woman or a transgender woman is a person who was not born woman but wishes to move into the identity, hence the prefix "trans". Regardless of how you might feel about the situation, this is an accurate use of language.

I understand your point but I would suggest then that dictionaries add the word transwoman rather than changing the definition of woman to include someone who identifies as a woman.

[temporal1]

Watch out for your local libraries, too.
One very active library near me, in a highly educated town near a large university got in HOT WATER a few years ago when a particular “librarian” ordered the removal of THOUSANDS of books from shelves (i believe she targeted “BOOKS OLDER THAN 10 YEARS”) - the community found out, she was dismissed, but not before thousands of books disappeared, leaving shelves empty.

I once served on the board for the local public library. Libraries get rid of books ALL THE TIME. Space is often limited and there's no point in holding onto books that nobody is checking out. In general, non-fiction books older than ten years are considered out-of-date. When I was in grad school, weren't supposed to use sources older than ten years.

In recent years, a lot of libraries have significantly trimmed their physical book collections because people aren't checking out and reading physical books. There's often an emotional response by the public because of the visual of a library throwing out books, but this isn't because of some sort of nefarious agenda.

As a teacher, I struggle on how to respond and adapt to the profound changes in how we learn and process information due to technology. Libraries are caught with the same kinds of issues.

There is normal+routine culling of library books.
Are you questioning the description of this particular scandal as false/exaggerated/ignorant?

It really happened.
In a STRONGLY BLUE major state university community, PhD-heavy - one you’d be thrilled to inhabit.

These were not know-nothing backwoods hicks (such as you believe i am). if i am, i’m ok with that.

Sources are not difficult to locate. Debra Lissak was (the weasel.)

[Szdfan]

Back to the topic of the language used for gender, I don't always understand the rejection of the term "trans" or "transgender". It seems quite accurate regardless of one's ethics. A trans woman or a transgender woman is a person who was not born woman but wishes to move into the identity, hence the prefix "trans". Regardless of how you might feel about the situation, this is an accurate use of language.

I think that's a legitimate question and I honestly don't know the answer to that.

[HondurasKeiser]

ƿæt is ǣnigu ðāra fēawu hēahþūgas ðe ic wille forlǣtan mīn līf for, is ðæt ðā Nōrsǣisc gefēran yfelwrehte Englisce mid ætbære Frencisc on. Ðēah ðē, ic nele þafian ðæt ðæt Fēoht on Hæstinges on 1066 gesceapen wǣre; and ðēah, ic cweðe ðæt þū mīn gesprec mid ǣlcum Old Englisce, þæt ealde Englisce.

So you admit your position is gibberish. Finally, some intellectual honesty.

Not gibberish. Old English -- one of the hills that I will die on is that French Normans ruined English after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Prior to the French, Old English was a lot more like German (I can read a little with a lot of effort). It's because of the French that we have silent letters and nonsense like that. But language changes, sometimes organically, sometimes deliberately. The "Frenchization" of English was the direct result of an invasion when the royal court of England spoke French. I enjoy etymology and the history of the meaning of words.

I honestly don't see the point in talking with you. I experience most of our interactions here as rather toxic.

By contrast, I rather enjoy the "francization" of our language. It has helped me immensely in the learning of French. I think too the norsification of English did away with a lot of pesky conjugations and declensions that make something like the learning of German or Dutch seem insurmountable.

What's interesting is that your take on the francization of English; that is was top-down, imposed, by the elites, on an unwilling populace - and thus ruinous to the organic English that had heretofore reigned, is essentially the argument that we of the conservative bent are making. These terms: pregnant person, birthing person, caretakers, friends (as opposed to boys and girls), Latinx, etc. seem artificial, imposed and in-service to an ideology that we see as destructive to the the human person and real human relationships. I don't begrudge your impulse to inclusivity - I think the impulse, in someone like you SZD, comes from a compassionate place as you've shown yourself to be a deeply kind and compassionate person over the years that I've known you here. My conservative caution is that 'inclusivity' and compassion cannot be THE values that guide our actions and words - they must always be in-service to Truth. A balancing act is required, though how heavy the scales ought to fall in either direction is certainly a matter of debate.

[temporal1]

SZD and Soloist…where do you learn to write in Latin? I am supremely impressed.

I’m working on learning Latin but I’m not to writing level yet. Hence why my declinations are not quite right. Latin is easy enough to translate by google but it’s not the best. I can read a little and mostly out of an argument of opposition to classic textual criticism that’s why I’m learning it to begin with

Latin was offered in public schools, Jr+Sr High, when i was in those grades.
If i recall, it was once required for science/medical hopefuls, including nursing? Possibly because Catholics schools offered or required it?

i took 2 years. (because my best friend wanted to be a nurse, and we wanted a class together).
as often happens in these kinds of situations, i enjoyed the classes and benefited. she, not so much, did not pursue nursing.

In those days, when U.S. public schools were quite good, it could not be imagined they would do anything other than keep getting better. o.my. such naivity.

the budgets were ‘way smaller, too.