(no subject)
Things that I have spent today researching on the internets:
- Scottish newspaper comics
- the French Foreign Legion
- Occultism
- Hikikomori
- Amusingly bad poetry
- Sex distinction in various languages
- Roman emperors
Guess which one was for an assignment. :D
Arbitrary soapboxin' time.
Am I the only girl left who isn't terribly bothered by the "unmarried female" form of address in European languages?
I concede that the underpinning mentality of an address system assuming that marriage and marriageability is a defining quality of women is antiquated (although I really don't feel it's so problematic nowadays as many of the Sapir-Whorf-wielding feminists do), and the rise of Ms. and other neologistic address forms -does- make it easier to address letters to women whom I do not know well.
Nonetheless... when I hear Miss, Señorita, Fräulein or Mademoiselle (or the myriad other variations), the immediate association for me is of a fresh and nubile young woman or girl, irrespective of whether she's a demure future housewife, a bad-ass or something in between. And, while I can't speak for the rest of the ladies, I know I like to consider myself as a Sweet Young Thing, because at my age it's a step up from the intimidatingly matronly associations of a Mrs., a Frau or a Madame, and much more charming than the grey all-purpose Ms. So, please, call me Fräulein.
- Scottish newspaper comics
- the French Foreign Legion
- Occultism
- Hikikomori
- Amusingly bad poetry
- Sex distinction in various languages
- Roman emperors
Guess which one was for an assignment. :D
Arbitrary soapboxin' time.
Am I the only girl left who isn't terribly bothered by the "unmarried female" form of address in European languages?
I concede that the underpinning mentality of an address system assuming that marriage and marriageability is a defining quality of women is antiquated (although I really don't feel it's so problematic nowadays as many of the Sapir-Whorf-wielding feminists do), and the rise of Ms. and other neologistic address forms -does- make it easier to address letters to women whom I do not know well.
Nonetheless... when I hear Miss, Señorita, Fräulein or Mademoiselle (or the myriad other variations), the immediate association for me is of a fresh and nubile young woman or girl, irrespective of whether she's a demure future housewife, a bad-ass or something in between. And, while I can't speak for the rest of the ladies, I know I like to consider myself as a Sweet Young Thing, because at my age it's a step up from the intimidatingly matronly associations of a Mrs., a Frau or a Madame, and much more charming than the grey all-purpose Ms. So, please, call me Fräulein.