The word "Man"

[Blasphemous]

As for man (generic) vsmankind vs humankind vs people, the advent of mass media will result in rapid linguistic change over the next few decades. Maybe we'll see yet another word substituted for these.

Maybe we should just go ahead and do as previously indicated - adopt the Greek "anthro" root as a basis for modern replacements for "human", "humanity", etc. (It's already in English in the sciences of course - anthropology, etc.)
I'm thinking "anther" would work well sound-wise for "human"(n) and "anthric" or somesuch for the adjective. "Anthry" for humanity. We'd all be anthers, that is antrhic creatures, parts of anthry. "Oh, the anthry!"
If 100 people here adopt these words and insist on using them as often as possible we could start a trend that could easily snowball and become an official part of the English language.

 

[jorde]

Human and humanity are not derived from man, but they have their roots in Latin words, and are probably related to humus "earth". So I don't think there is any problem in using this word.

Also, saying that languages such as German or Spanish are sexist because of their use of gender articles before words is not understanding their real meaning: nothing. While actually in both languages most male related words go with el/der (he) and most female go with la/die (she), there are some exceptions to that: Mädchen, german for "young girl", is actually neuter (das). I'm sure there are more examples of that, but I cannot remember any at the moment.

 

[Abaddon]

So rather than mans achievements it should be "humanitys achievements"?

 

[Perfection]

So rather than mans achievements it should be "humanitys achievements"?

It's "human achievement"

 

[The Last Conformist]

It is? I thought it was "Perf's achievements".

 

[Perfection]

It is? I thought it was "Perf's achievements".

You dare compare my divine contributions to the universe with the meager "acomplishments" of a few hundred generations of miserable simian rabble?

 

[The Last Conformist]

I not only dare, I do more dangerous things before breakfast.

 

[Perfection]

I not only dare, I do more dangerous things before breakfast.

You take shower with a toaster?

 

[The Last Conformist]

I play poker with Santa, Satan, and Grog. And cheat.

 

[Perfection]

I play poker with Santa, Satan, and Grog. And cheat.

Who's Grog?

 

[Warman17]

Man, Mankind, Human, Humanity, Humankind

Man means the entire homo spacian species. Men means multiple males, not man. Man is not sexist because it's a word. it has no connotation to say men are better than woman. Woman and female both use the masculine in their own words. Of course there are feminists raving about that too, but thats the english language.

The language wasn't set up to belittle women, but thats how it came about. We could easily teach out new kids some new word that means "mankind", but theres really no point. Man suits me fine to use.

 

[shortguy]

Now, what's wrong with "him/her" except it offends your sensibilities?

It's awkward. It's inefficient.

I, personally, don't have a problem using "man" to refer to mankind or, as cgannon does, using male as the "default gender." IMO people are just too sensitive to this sort of thing.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Who's Grog?

Grog is the nickname used for the shuffler (or god of shuffling) in Magic the Gathering Online. Dunno if this is the one TLC means, but I'd have expected a reasonable sized overlap between the Civ and MTGO communities.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Man, Mankind, Human, Humanity, Humankind

Man means the entire homo spacian species. Men means multiple males, not man. Man is not sexist because it's a word. it has no connotation to say men are better than woman. Woman and female both use the masculine in their own words. Of course there are feminists raving about that too, but thats the english language.

Sigh. "Human", with derivatives, does not contain "man", neither historically or synchronically.

"Female" is an alternation under the influence of "male" of Old French femelle, ultimately from a dimunitive of Latin femina "woman".

 

[The Last Conformist]

Who's Grog?

Grog knows.

 

[thetrooper]

grog ~ moonshine

 

[Blasphemous]

Human and humanity are not derived from man, but they have their roots in Latin words, and are probably related to humus "earth". So I don't think there is any problem in using this word.

Although that may be true etymologically, I have my own little theory (which is probably all too correct and not my own original idea) that cultures discard etymology and build internal logic within the languages they employ. If the internal logic employed by the international English-speaking culture dictates that human has "man" in it then it has "man" in it. I'm disinclined to make that connection myself but this is not a matter of personal opinion. The culture will determine this matter on its own and without telling anyone about it until it's too late.

 

[Perfection]

Grog knows.

But not me! I am the one who matters!

 

[Warman17]

Sigh. "Human", with derivatives, does not contain "man", neither historically or synchronically.

"Female" is an alternation under the influence of "male" of Old French femelle, ultimately from a dimunitive of Latin femina "woman".

Exactally my point, theres no reason to say these words are bad!

 

[jorde]

Although that may be true etymologically, I have my own little theory (which is probably all too correct and not my own original idea) that cultures discard etymology and build internal logic within the languages they employ. If the internal logic employed by the international English-speaking culture dictates that human has "man" in it then it has "man" in it. I'm disinclined to make that connection myself but this is not a matter of personal opinion. The culture will determine this matter on its own and without telling anyone about it until it's too late.

Let's put it this way: just because most people believed at a time that the Earth was flat, didn't mean it was actually flat