h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: w to Make a Language Differerence - Ms Sheila Michaels - A87815109
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - U1590784

I thought this little piece of history might be interesting.

I couldn't resist, once I found out about Sheila Michaels' role in stamping out the phrase 'male chauvinist pig'.

Excellent Entry

Nice work some. This was someone I had not recognised, I like learn of new pepole and things Thank you

Good entry, Dmitri.

I haven't heard the phrase "made mock" before.

I had to look up what a "maven" was.

Wonderful entry. It led me to look up a little more about the subject. Sheila Michaels is hardly mentioned, but "Ms" magazine certainly came up.

I did my secretarial training in 1973 and I can't remember if we actually dealt with the form of address of "Ms". I don't think we did. One website I found seemed to still be at that stage - it gave explicit instructions for the uses of "Mrs" and "Miss".

It may also be relevant to mention that in French and German the distinction has long been done away with - what's it like in Greek?

Good point. I remember in the mid-60s, being offended because a German professor referred to my favourite Dozentin as 'Fraeulein'.

In Greece in the 80s, they were still using 'Kyria' and 'Despinida', so no progress there. I don't know what they do now. Colloquially, they use those titles and then the first name, which kind of makes sense.

Another interesting and amusing article.

I didn't know what a 'maven' was either. I looked it up in the dictionary and it's not there! I need a bigger dictionary.

I've noticed 'The Guardian' has taken to calling actresses 'actors'. I understand why - the word 'actress' has some unsavoury connotations. But the issue of professional titles is a whole new

The theatre people always taught me to call female actors 'actors', as well. Gender shouldn't be relevant, as Whoopi Goldberg has often pointed out. She says, 'I'm not black, I'm an actor!'

Hofstadter pointed out the problem with "actress". If you hear that someone is the best actor in the world, you assume that there is no one, male or female, who can act better than them. But if you hear that another person is the best actress in the world, you'll assume there is no other woman who can act as well as them. It doesn't work both ways.

Better to have gender-neutral terms (if you'll forgive the expression).

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Well done. This is certainly a worthwhile entry.

Well done!

Congratulations Dmitri! I was adding the accepted article number to the appropriate Trello card when I noticed the title: How to Make a Language Differerence - now, was that deliberate? Or would you like the accepted article's title changed to Difference?



GB

Gack. Change it to 'Difference'.

I've been having some visual problems. It's typo city around here until the weather improves, long story.

my pleasure. (I did think this would be the case but wanted to check with you first).

The weather affects my joints. I'm back on the cod liver oil (orange-flavoured so not so gross) and regular painkillers. Otherwise I'd squeak when I walk.

Ooh - are you folks getting the new scifi series 'Almost Human'?

The reason I ask is, the characters in that story had the same problem. One cop has a futuristic artificial leg. Which keeps malfunctioning. His android partner advises him to put olive oil on the joint.

Orange cod liver oil sounds gross, but hang in there! In my case, it's just eye drops.

I take the orange cod liver oil too - I quite like it (but then I've never tried the pure form so I don't really know what it tastes like). I used to love the old gloopy orange syrup, and was disappointed when they changed it to a thinner mixture, but it is still quite good