When I'm trying to hide from my students, I often retreat to the English Department office with my lunch. A lot of reference books are lying about, and one I particularly like to browse is The Dictionary of Bias-Free Usage: A Guide to Nondiscriminatory Language by Rosalie Maggio, 1991. It's interesting. You know, "man hole cover" is gender specific and should be replaced with "sewer cover," "street hole cover," or "utility access cover," that sort of thing.
I'm up to the R's now, and I came across this entry for "rake:"
"This term is reserved for men, and there is no parallel for women. Use instead: libertine, swinger, bedhopper, free spirit, high-roller, dissolute person. See also: ladies' man, man about town, womanizer."
So. It's time to revise:
"The Rakes of Kildare" becomes "The Dissolute Persons of Kildare"
"The Rambling Rake" becomes the "Rambling Bedhopper"
"The Rakes of Mallow" becomes "The Highrollers of Mallow," and I sort of like that one.
But what do you do with "The Unfortunate Rake?" "The Unfortunate Swinger" doesn't make sense, because if you're swinging, how could you be unfortunate? Same for "The Unfortunate Free Spirt." It just doesn't work at all.
And then there's "The Female Rake." According to Maggio, since "rake" is specific to the male gender, this is not even possible.
And what in the world do we do with "Rakish Paddy?" "Libertineish Paddy?"
Well, friends...the good news is "pooh-bah" is still safe. Since it was never clearly linked to a specific gender, you can be confident using the term in any social situation.
I always thought that getting old and closer to death would be a terrible thing. It now seems, however, that the time is ripe to depart this increasingly idiotic world.
PC is most detrimental to those who insist on it. In the olden days of free speech (for those old enough to remember), they know who the sexists and racists were. Now, because they have been shut up, they are stealth racists and sexists still doing racist and sexist things.
Ya gotta laugh.
The Absent-Minded Person (But that's OK. You should feel bad)
Group of Ballycastle
The Oyster Wife's Point of View
Maid Behind the Bar Exam
OK feardearg, if you say so. I'll still miss ya and I only e-know ya.
Question: Does this whole PC thing forbid my playing of Speed the Plough with the Maid Behind the Bar while Tossing the Feathers? Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more?
We must now refer to Man ... Sorry PersonChester
and Blackburn, well, there's no hope there.
Cherish The Ladies will certainly have to be renamed, and if you like Killarney Boys of Pleasure, you will get locked-up (or go blind).
A colleague is an Astronomy Proff and he had the Speech-Police come and sit in on a lecture. He was warned that in future, his lectures must not feature Black Holes or White Dwarves.
"My Darling's A Sheep"? That's baaad, SWFL Fiddler.
Feardearg, speaking of stealth racists and sexists, have you ever heard of Stealth Condoms? Supposedly, when you wear one of these special condoms, no one can see you coming.
Yes Trevor, I agree. All this PC gender neutralisation is very confusing for me anyway.
I propose to avoid any confusion we allocate people as either hupersons type A or type B (We must avoid saying huMAN as this is obviously sexist.)
These can be categorised as follows:
Huperson type A:
Characterised by invaginated genitalia; enlarged and functional mammary glands; generally slightly smaller body size with less developed musculature (however in the last half century this distinction has become less pronounced among lower socio-economic groups.) Also well-developed speech and social-skills centres in the neocortex. Poor or non-existent spatial coordination skills when manoevering automotive vehicles.
Huperson type B
Characterised by everted genitalia; non-existent mammary glands, merely vestigial nipples; larger body size in general, sometimes reaching collosal body mass. Poorly developed speech centres and social skills centres in the neocortex. Often social skills are entirely absent. Propensity for solitary activities such as websurfing, flute or fiddle repair, or noodling. Remarkable capacity to laugh at the same jokes told over and over again. Generally regarded as the less evolved of the two sub-types of huperson.
With this in mind I thus propose that all Traditional tunes be renamed. Examples:
The Huperson Type A that Broke my Heart.
The Huperson Type A Behind the Bar.
The Drunken Land-Huperson Type A.
The Young Hupersons Type B of the Town.
or the song:
The Red-Haired Huperson Type B's Huperson Type A.
and so on. This will simplify things but will still sound poetic and romantic, don't you think?
Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
When I'm trying to hide from my students, I often retreat to the English Department office with my lunch. A lot of reference books are lying about, and one I particularly like to browse is The Dictionary of Bias-Free Usage: A Guide to Nondiscriminatory Language by Rosalie Maggio, 1991. It's interesting. You know, "man hole cover" is gender specific and should be replaced with "sewer cover," "street hole cover," or "utility access cover," that sort of thing.
I'm up to the R's now, and I came across this entry for "rake:"
"This term is reserved for men, and there is no parallel for women. Use instead: libertine, swinger, bedhopper, free spirit, high-roller, dissolute person. See also: ladies' man, man about town, womanizer."
So. It's time to revise:
"The Rakes of Kildare" becomes "The Dissolute Persons of Kildare"
"The Rambling Rake" becomes the "Rambling Bedhopper"
"The Rakes of Mallow" becomes "The Highrollers of Mallow," and I sort of like that one.
But what do you do with "The Unfortunate Rake?" "The Unfortunate Swinger" doesn't make sense, because if you're swinging, how could you be unfortunate? Same for "The Unfortunate Free Spirt." It just doesn't work at all.
And then there's "The Female Rake." According to Maggio, since "rake" is specific to the male gender, this is not even possible.
And what in the world do we do with "Rakish Paddy?" "Libertineish Paddy?"
Well, friends...the good news is "pooh-bah" is still safe. Since it was never clearly linked to a specific gender, you can be confident using the term in any social situation.
"The Pooh-Bah of the Pipers" has a nice ring.
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by IC Keith
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Oh geez, what does your fancy dictionary give as alternative to "maid" and "hag"? <cringe>
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by Reverend
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
How utterly boring
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by Farr
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Can I still say "Gander in the Pratie Hole" and snicker like Beavis and Butthead without getting in trouble? How about "My Darling's a Sheep"?
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
To complete the quest for political correctness, we should make it nationally neutral as well:
The European Washer
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by granama
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
To complete the quest for political correctness, we should make it nationally neutral as well:
The European Washer
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by granama
Or maybe even the Laundromat attendant from a small island.
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by Ron Foreman
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
I remember Billy Connolly saying, "Yeah, when women decide they wanna work in the sewars, we'll rename them person covers."
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
I always thought that getting old and closer to death would be a terrible thing. It now seems, however, that the time is ripe to depart this increasingly idiotic world.
PC is most detrimental to those who insist on it. In the olden days of free speech (for those old enough to remember), they know who the sexists and racists were. Now, because they have been shut up, they are stealth racists and sexists still doing racist and sexist things.
Ya gotta laugh.
The Absent-Minded Person (But that's OK. You should feel bad)
Group of Ballycastle
The Oyster Wife's Point of View
Maid Behind the Bar Exam
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by feardearg
Ooops
You Shouldn't feel bad (I don't)
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by feardearg
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
For Ireland I Won't Name Names
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by feardearg
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
The womanizer of Kildare ,,
sound ok to me -lol
jim,,,
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by FIDDLE4
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
OK feardearg, if you say so. I'll still miss ya and I only e-know ya.
Question: Does this whole PC thing forbid my playing of Speed the Plough with the Maid Behind the Bar while Tossing the Feathers? Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more?
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
the answer: not if you Wallop the Spot.
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by ratbiscuit
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
The Burnt Senior Citizen
# Posted on April 25th 2008 by granama
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
The Craic Was Ninety in the Isle of Person.
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Isn't 'The Rambling Bedhopper' a tautology?
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by west-coaster
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Nether Regions Power
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by Bren
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Surely you mean "the fissure was ninety" Danny ?
Can´t be too careful, you know !
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by murfbox
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
True, murf, thanks for keeping me PC.
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Are those from the Isle of Person called Personx then?
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
what if they're cats?
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by Bren
Re: Connaught-Person's Ramble
We must now refer to Man ... Sorry PersonChester
and Blackburn, well, there's no hope there.
Cherish The Ladies will certainly have to be renamed, and if you like Killarney Boys of Pleasure, you will get locked-up (or go blind).
A colleague is an Astronomy Proff and he had the Speech-Police come and sit in on a lecture. He was warned that in future, his lectures must not feature Black Holes or White Dwarves.
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by geoffwright
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
I wonder how "An Phis Fhliuch" can be renamed.
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by slainte
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
"My Darling's A Sheep"? That's baaad, SWFL Fiddler.
Feardearg, speaking of stealth racists and sexists, have you ever heard of Stealth Condoms? Supposedly, when you wear one of these special condoms, no one can see you coming.
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
"I wonder how "An Phis Fhliuch" can be renamed."
The Choice Spouse
# Posted on April 26th 2008 by granama
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
I don't particularly want my gender neutralized, so will someone please advise me which kinds of Irish music I should therefore avoid.
# Posted on April 27th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
Yes Trevor, I agree. All this PC gender neutralisation is very confusing for me anyway.
I propose to avoid any confusion we allocate people as either hupersons type A or type B (We must avoid saying huMAN as this is obviously sexist.)
These can be categorised as follows:
Huperson type A:
Characterised by invaginated genitalia; enlarged and functional mammary glands; generally slightly smaller body size with less developed musculature (however in the last half century this distinction has become less pronounced among lower socio-economic groups.) Also well-developed speech and social-skills centres in the neocortex. Poor or non-existent spatial coordination skills when manoevering automotive vehicles.
Huperson type B
Characterised by everted genitalia; non-existent mammary glands, merely vestigial nipples; larger body size in general, sometimes reaching collosal body mass. Poorly developed speech centres and social skills centres in the neocortex. Often social skills are entirely absent. Propensity for solitary activities such as websurfing, flute or fiddle repair, or noodling. Remarkable capacity to laugh at the same jokes told over and over again. Generally regarded as the less evolved of the two sub-types of huperson.
There. That should end any further confusion.
# Posted on April 28th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Gender Neutralizing Irish Music
With this in mind I thus propose that all Traditional tunes be renamed. Examples:
The Huperson Type A that Broke my Heart.
The Huperson Type A Behind the Bar.
The Drunken Land-Huperson Type A.
The Young Hupersons Type B of the Town.
or the song:
The Red-Haired Huperson Type B's Huperson Type A.
and so on. This will simplify things but will still sound poetic and romantic, don't you think?
# Posted on April 28th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad