Post by mirium on Jul 3, 2009 12:29:45 GMT -5
We need some new words to reflect how attitudes have changed.
For example, what's the female equivalent of "avuncular"? (As in "he took an avuncular interest in the girl" -- it vaguely means "like an uncle.")
Or the female equivalent of "brethren", which usually refers to a group of guys with something in common, although I think it started as a description of guys who shared a religion. It's also the old nickname of U.S. Supreme Court Justices (the Brethren), before there were any women on the bench. But if you had a bunch of judges who were all women, what would you call them? (According to a judge I once asked, they refer to themselves by the unisex "colleagues" and no, the female equivalent is not "sistern."
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Anyone know any existing words that fit the bill? Or have any suggestions of new ones we could use?
For example, what's the female equivalent of "avuncular"? (As in "he took an avuncular interest in the girl" -- it vaguely means "like an uncle.")
Or the female equivalent of "brethren", which usually refers to a group of guys with something in common, although I think it started as a description of guys who shared a religion. It's also the old nickname of U.S. Supreme Court Justices (the Brethren), before there were any women on the bench. But if you had a bunch of judges who were all women, what would you call them? (According to a judge I once asked, they refer to themselves by the unisex "colleagues" and no, the female equivalent is not "sistern."
)Anyone know any existing words that fit the bill? Or have any suggestions of new ones we could use?