(no subject)
Sep. 22nd, 2004 05:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccDear BBC , The Age et al,
Dictionary.com defines woman as:
wom·an ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wmn)
n. pl. wom·en (wmn)
1. An adult female human.
2. Women considered as a group; womankind: “Woman feels the invidious distinctions of sex exactly as the black man does those of color” (Elizabeth Cady Stanton).
3. An adult female human belonging to a specified occupation, group, nationality, or other category. Often used in combination: an Englishwoman; congresswoman; a saleswoman.
4. Feminine quality or aspect; womanliness.
5. A female servant or subordinate.
6. Informal.
1. A wife.
2. A female lover or sweetheart. See Usage Note at lady. See Usage Note at man. See Usage Note at person.
It defines female as:
fe·male ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fml)
adj.
1.
a. Of or denoting the sex that produces ova or bears young.
b. Characteristic of or appropriate to this sex; feminine.
c. Consisting of members of this sex. See Usage Note at lady.
2. Botany.
a. Designating an organ, such as a pistil or ovary, that functions in producing seeds after fertilization.
b. Bearing pistils but not stamens; pistillate: female flowers.
3. Having a recessed part, such as a slot or receptacle, designed to receive a complementary male part: the female section of an electrical outlet.
n.
1. A member of the sex that produces ova or bears young.
2. A woman or girl.
3. Botany. A plant having only pistillate flowers.
One is a NOUN and one is an ADJECTIVE goddammit!!!!!!!!!
They are NOT interchangeable. So if you could kindly cease and desist from using them as such ("Iraqi woman prisoners", "woman police officer" and "woman judge" being just three recent examples that come to mind) I'd be much obliged.
Otherwise I'm going to have to start using man interchangeably with male. GRRRRRR
Dictionary.com defines woman as:
wom·an ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wmn)
n. pl. wom·en (wmn)
1. An adult female human.
2. Women considered as a group; womankind: “Woman feels the invidious distinctions of sex exactly as the black man does those of color” (Elizabeth Cady Stanton).
3. An adult female human belonging to a specified occupation, group, nationality, or other category. Often used in combination: an Englishwoman; congresswoman; a saleswoman.
4. Feminine quality or aspect; womanliness.
5. A female servant or subordinate.
6. Informal.
1. A wife.
2. A female lover or sweetheart. See Usage Note at lady. See Usage Note at man. See Usage Note at person.
It defines female as:
fe·male ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fml)
adj.
1.
a. Of or denoting the sex that produces ova or bears young.
b. Characteristic of or appropriate to this sex; feminine.
c. Consisting of members of this sex. See Usage Note at lady.
2. Botany.
a. Designating an organ, such as a pistil or ovary, that functions in producing seeds after fertilization.
b. Bearing pistils but not stamens; pistillate: female flowers.
3. Having a recessed part, such as a slot or receptacle, designed to receive a complementary male part: the female section of an electrical outlet.
n.
1. A member of the sex that produces ova or bears young.
2. A woman or girl.
3. Botany. A plant having only pistillate flowers.
One is a NOUN and one is an ADJECTIVE goddammit!!!!!!!!!
They are NOT interchangeable. So if you could kindly cease and desist from using them as such ("Iraqi woman prisoners", "woman police officer" and "woman judge" being just three recent examples that come to mind) I'd be much obliged.
Otherwise I'm going to have to start using man interchangeably with male. GRRRRRR
